Feigin said the Bucks have sold 8,500 season tickets for the '18-19 season, nearing the team's goal of 10,000RICK OSTENTOSKI
Bucks President Peter Feigin gave an update on the team’s new arena and surrounding entertainment district on Day 1 of the '18 AXS Sports Facilities & Franchises conference in Detroit. Feigin and Eppstein Uhen Architects Managing Partner of Design Greg Uhen showed never-before-seen photos of the under-construction arena (still without a title sponsor). Feigin said the Bucks have 8,500 season tickets sold of their 10,000 goal, with the “highest volume” coming in the last few weeks. “As everybody in the ticket industry knows, if you can sell in June and July, you’re doing very well,” Feigin said. One unique aspect about the new venue, Feigin said, is that the Bucks want its upper concourse to be a destination for fans. How does that happen? Through “destination” food options, Feigin said, details of which the Bucks are expected to announce soon. “This is a complete change of behavior,” he said.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Feigin was preceded at the conference by Falcons President & CEO Rich McKay talking about the team's low-priced food and beverage options. He said the Bucks might take a different strategy. “This is still an affordable place where we’re promoting volume of concessions,” Feigin said. “Our pricing strategy is to promote volume. It’s not set pricing. But we’re very cognizant of the fact that we’ve got to get people in, and we want to feed them before, during and after the game.” As for growth in Milwaukee, Feigin said for many decades the downtown area was “not a destination,” but the new arena and surrounding entertainment district is “the catalyst” for growth. The team’s goal is to have over 150 events at the new arena in its first 10 months of operations, Feigin said. By comparisons, the BMO Harris Bradley Center would host between 12-15 concerts per year, while the new arena will have “probably 40 in the next 10 months,” Feigin noted. Outside the arena could see small or large concerts, food markets and even weddings, he said.
YOU’RE THE INSPIRATION: Uhen noted the Milwaukee market and the team’s past played significant roles in the inspiration for the arena’s unique design. “The original thought was really tying into the idea of us being a fresh water capital of the world with Lake Michigan,” Uhen said. “Our rivers are very important to us.”
