Oilers season-ticket holders did not renew packages at a rate the team was happy with this offseasonGETTY IMAGES
The Oilers are expecting sellouts for tonight's season opener against the Canucks and Saturday's matchup against the Kings, even as the team is "entering an era where they're being forced to reinvent themselves" on and off the ice, according to Terry Jones of the EDMONTON SUN. Earlier this week, there were a "few tickets still available" to both games. Oilers President of Business Operations & COO Tom Anselmi said, "We're close to being sold out for the first couple of games. We're not quite there yet, but the tickets are selling nicely." However, he also noted the Oilers had a season ticket renewal rate that "wasn't near what we wanted" and they "have tickets to sell" this season. The Oilers are "evasive on just how many tickets" remain available, but it is clear that there "won't be" a sellout every night. When fans enter Rogers Place this year, they will be "welcomed by a more than three-storey graphic" of Oilers C Connor McDavid. There will also be "new graphics around the building including Ford Hall." Anselmi said, "We'll have a new high-energy game opening video and period opening prompts. We'll be focused on the game opening intro to build excitement early with the understanding that fans clearly want game presentation to compliment the game rather than to try to supersede the game" (EDMONTON SUN, 9/30).
