Price Gouging or....

[Opie 308]

Puck Daddy Blog

"Most of those games, with the exception of Detroit, fall within the holidays," team president Michael Yormark told the Miami Herald. "We know Detroit is a key game for this market. It's going to drive the casual fan into our building ... opening night needs to be a sellout, and the premium pricing is geared to games where we have a lot of snowbirds in the market."

snowbirds ?

[stud_defenseman 1]

Seems like smart business to me. Snowbirds are Canadians who travel south for the winter, usually Florida.

[Cicada 4]

the lost dogs have been doing it for a few years, doesn't suprise me that other teams are following suit

[BlakChamber 8]

If they get people to pay, it's smart business.

[Fatsyuk 1]

The coyotes love to double ticket prices when the wings play in their rink. I read an article somewhere saying how the NHL wants to keep detroit in west because they bring in so many fans when they travel, produces better revenue for the league, so you could say the wings are doing their part to save the NHL.

[FireCaptain 563]

Seems like smart business to me. Snowbirds are Canadians who travel south for the winter, usually Florida.

Not just Canadians.

My grandparents are snowbirds. They summer in NY and winter in TN.

[imisssergei 0]

Wasn't there a big stink about this last season or the season before? I thought it was Phoenix who raised their ticket prices when Detroit was coming to town to make more money from all the Wings fans, and in part to help keep Wings fans out. I thought they also did something like only selling single seats to people from Michigan or something like that.

[Opie 308]

Another twist to this,

Sean from Sean's Ramblings, an entertaining pop culture blog, dropped us a note about attempting to see his Pittsburgh Penguins when they come to the Verizon Center this season to face off against the Washington Capitals.

The reason I am writing is because I recently contacted the Capitals about buying group tickets for the Penguins games. I have done this rather easily during the past few years. This year has not worked out as smoothly as there's now a catch for these games. There are no group discounts and the team added $15 to each ticket. In addition, you are required to purchase group tickets for a second non-premium game. It's doubtful that I'll be able to find 20 people in the DC area who want to see the Florida Panthers.

The Capitals dabbled in variable pricing last season, but they have added new and exciting restrictions on both group ticket sales and their own season-ticket holders.

Not only is Sean's dilemma now a reality for fans seeking group tickets for certain games, but season-ticket holders can no longer purchase additional tickets for friends at their discounted rate for select Capitals home games: Like the season-opener against the Chicago Blackhawks, and contests against the New York Rangers (Nov. 8 and Jan. 3), Detroit Red Wings (Jan. 31) and the two visits from Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins (Feb. 22 and March 8).

Individual tickets for those games will increase by an average of $15 above their usual cost.

Nate Ewell, director of media relations, told me today that this variable pricing is in keeping with the Capitals' long-standing tradition of trying to fill their building with more home than away fans.

"That's something that's important to the franchise and to our season-ticket holders," he said. "And Caps fans can still buy those tickets with savings - season-ticket holders get them at their usual rate and fans can buy mini-plans as small as six games that include substantial savings."

These changes come at a time when the Capitals are making great gains at the box office. Ewell acknowledged that demand has increased, but stressed that there's also "a steep cost involved in maintaining that demand - an increase of about $17 million in salaries, according to nhlnumbers.com."

It would be irresponsible not to mention that the Capitals have been among the best organizations in the NHL when it comes to making tickets affordable for fans, families, and students over the last several years. They've shown a dedication to what should be the most basic mission for any NHL franchise: Get fans in the door, and keep them coming back.

Their previous efforts almost make me sympathetic to their inflating ticket prices for these premium games, because $15 isn't the staggering increase that we've seen in places like Buffalo and Florida.

Almost.

No matter the justification, variable pricing remains an inequitable form of price gouging (what, no $15 discount for those Islanders' games?) and a carrot for season-ticket sales; as well as a trend that promises to price the majority of NHL fans out of the most entertaining game environments of the season, which is undeniably bad for hockey.

[Mooker 0]

Puck Daddy Blog

snowbirds ?

A lot of the locals in FLA refer to pretty much anyone from "up north" that comes down there in the colder months as snowbirds. I have cousins there that say "if it's snowbird season, can we shoot them?"

[DallasStars 0]

We do this in Dallas. The tickets aren't doubled by any means, though. It's just a ratio increase that usually on average would equal to about 10 extra dollars a ticket(varies). We do this on weekend games against "quality" opponents. Detorit, Anaheim, San Jose, and pretty much all of the Eastern Conference because they (last year) didn't come around too often.

[dobbles 252]

i don't mind this too much. i hate all the scalping that goes on through places like stub hub. if i am going to pay $200 bucks for a ticket, it might as well go to the team. instead the team gets $30 and some company gets $170. so then the team still doesn't even that much money off of me.

[hankzet40 233]

This sucks of course but teams know there are always going to be diehards who will pay so they'll continue to do it. The Flames to my knowledge haven't done it yet but I won't be surprised if they do.

[Opie 308]

I think I asked this question before, but what about the $15 discount for when the panther's are in Washington, or when Phoenix is in Florida or LA is visiting?

Does this mean that since Detroit is a major draw and other teams are charging more for those games that Detroit can charge 15$ to any fan that buys with a zip code outside of Michigan, if they really are worth $15 more when they travel aren't they worth $15 more if people are traveling to the Joe?

Edited August 28, 2008 by Opie

[auxlepli 17]

Seem like smart business to me.

Just hope Pittsburgh is added to the list since the Penguins were the top road-drawing team last year.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/attendance?s...g&year=2008

[RedWingedKitten 9]

Seem like smart business to me.

Just hope Pittsburgh is added to the list since the Penguins were the top road-drawing team last year.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/attendance?s...g&year=2008

I might be mistaken, but didn't the Winter Classic have something to do with those statistics?

[Doggy 130]

I might be mistaken, but didn't the Winter Classic have something to do with those statistics?

That and playing Montreal, Toronto and NYR helps.

Detroit is the biggest drawing road team. There is no contest.

[toby91_ca 620]

Detroit is the biggest drawing road team. There is no contest.

Please explain, since stats show otherwise. Ignoring the Pens due to the Winter Classic, Boston pulled in more fans per game and the Rangers pulled in a higher % capacity per game.

In terms of the topic of the thread, it is by no means price gouging. Actually, I think price guaging would be impossible when the product you are selling is not a necessity.

In general, it is good business to charge as much as you can for what you are selling. If the market will pay the price, then it's good business. The only exception to that woudl be necessities. I think there is a lot of price guaging going on with gas. While technically it is not a necessity, people shouldn't be driving as much as they are, it's easier said then done.

Edited September 2, 2008 by toby91_ca

[stormboy 47]

In terms of the topic of the thread, it is by no means price guaging. Actually, I think price guaging would be impossible when the product you are selling is not a necessity.

In general, it is good business to charge as much as you can for what you are selling. If the market will pay the price, then it's good business. The only exception to that woudl be necessities. I think there is a lot of price guaging going on with gas. While technically it is not a necessity, people shouldn't be driving as much as they are, it's easier said then done.

QFT; that was just what i was going to say. if you're the sole corn retailer in an area that requires corn for subsitance, charging high prices that bankrupt people would be gouging. prices for entertainment, if the business is properly run, will be as high as demand would allow. like anything else, hockey is a business; the owners are out to make as much money as possible. they're not there to give us a good time watching hockey. of course, if giving us that good time makes them money, they provide the service at the price that maximizes their income. sometimes raising prices will make sense even if you sell a few less tickets. if the people who have the money will pay more, then losing a few people who won't pay the extra is worth it. it's easy to have a reactionary response to things like this as if it's some injustice. but really, watching sport is a luxury, not a human right. as such, those who can afford it get to enjoy it.

[Doggy 130]

Please explain, since stats show otherwise. Ignoring the Pens due to the Winter Classic, Boston pulled in more fans per game and the Rangers pulled in a higher % capacity per game.

In terms of the topic of the thread, it is by no means price gouging. Actually, I think price guaging would be impossible when the product you are selling is not a necessity.

In general, it is good business to charge as much as you can for what you are selling. If the market will pay the price, then it's good business. The only exception to that woudl be necessities. I think there is a lot of price guaging going on with gas. While technically it is not a necessity, people shouldn't be driving as much as they are, it's easier said then done.

Boston visited Montreal and Toronto 8 times. Meanwhile, we visited Nashville and Columbus. It's not rocket science man.

[toby91_ca 620]

Boston visited Montreal and Toronto 8 times. Meanwhile, we visited Nashville and Columbus. It's not rocket science man.

It's also not rocket science to look at the numbers and see that Detroit is not the biggest draw and especially not "the biggest draw, not even a contest."

Any other arguments are way too subjective. The Rangers, by the way, play New Jersey and the Islanders 8 times a year.

[Doggy 130]

It's also not rocket science to look at the numbers and see that Detroit is not the biggest draw and especially not "the biggest draw, not even a contest."

Any other arguments are way too subjective. The Rangers, by the way, play New Jersey and the Islanders 8 times a year.

Were we talking about the Rangers were we? Sorry, I didn't realise that. Mate, it's obvious Detroit is the biggest drawing road team. Every Western conference small-market team will tell you. I don't care enough to argue any further. I thought it would be fairly obvious. I guess not obvious enough.

[toby91_ca 620]

Were we talking about the Rangers were we? Sorry, I didn't realise that. Mate, it's obvious Detroit is the biggest drawing road team. Every Western conference small-market team will tell you. I don't care enough to argue any further. I thought it would be fairly obvious. I guess not obvious enough.

Well, I was talking about the Rangers as one of the teams. Of course any small market Western conference team will tell me the Wings are the biggest draw, they don't play against Eastern conference teams.

I'm not trying to argue with you, it's just that you make it sound like the Wings are the biggest draw, it's not even close, there's no question about it. Facts are, other teams draw more......whatever the reasons.

[Doggy 130]

Well, I was talking about the Rangers as one of the teams. Of course any small market Western conference team will tell me the Wings are the biggest draw, they don't play against Eastern conference teams.

I'm not trying to argue with you, it's just that you make it sound like the Wings are the biggest draw, it's not even close, there's no question about it. Facts are, other teams draw more......whatever the reasons.

Dude, if Boston visits a sold out ACC - they have drawn nothing.

What I'm saying is, those numbers aren't reflective of which the biggest drawing teams are. The best measure would be what each teams road attendance is at a particular arena vs. the average attendance of that arena. I doubt stats like this exist but I'm certain Detroit would be on top. I you think otherwise, that's fine but I think I've made the reasons for my opinion pretty clear.