The Harbour Station website has unveiled some details on the Saint John Sea Dogs’ new ticket pricing setup.
The website lists three home games that
are all priced differently. The team’s home opener on Sept. 30 is labeled a
“premium pricing” game, Oct. 1 against Moncton is a “regular pricing” contest while Oct. 5 against Gatineau features “best value” pricing.
The Harbour Station seating chart (above - click to enlarge) has
also been adjusted with the building now being divided into four price zones. Seating has also been taken out in the Sea Dogs bench side end zone, which will be replaced with a bar.
Regular:
Best value:
And via the magical Wayback Machine,
here’s what Saint John’s ticket pricing setup was last season:
This is the first look the general public has
gotten at the new pricing setup. With regular season tickets set to go on sale
Sept. 8, more information will presumably be announced very soon.
While the premium/value setup is not
overly common in the QMJHL, it’s well used throughout professional sports.
The Sea Dogs held forums with season ticket holders this past week where the new ticket pricing setup was unveiled. The team is particularly putting on emphasis on adding value to season tickets, meaning purchasing a full season package will save you more money than in the past. More details on all that should be released shortly as well.
The Sea Dogs held forums with season ticket holders this past week where the new ticket pricing setup was unveiled. The team is particularly putting on emphasis on adding value to season tickets, meaning purchasing a full season package will save you more money than in the past. More details on all that should be released shortly as well.
Ouch, well so much for affordability with going to a Seadogs game. Under the old pricing it would cost for my family of 3 ( 2 adults and 1 youth) $46 for lower bowl tickets. Now under the new pricing it will cost us $75. That's a huge increase that we can't afford as well as much of the city. I would be prepared to take a huge hit in attendance with this Bell Center pricing scheme.
ReplyDeleteHow did you get $46 (old) and $75 new pricing. I get $44 (old) and with increase its $50 for the most expensive ticket section
DeleteFairy simple math. 31 + 31 + 8 = 70
DeletePeople just like to exaggerate and make it sound worse than it is. Of course the most expensive games will only be 5 out of the 34 and most of those seats are already gone to season ticket holders.
DeleteWho the hell thought up these prices? Are they trying to drive fans away? Sorry, this isn't a professional sports market. I can guarantee I will be going to significantly fewer games this year all because of these new prices. Too bad.
ReplyDeleteProfessional teams are alot more than 31 dollars for lower bowl and people that play for the sea dogs have a chance to go to the NHL and some have
DeleteBut you can see a higher quality of hockey in Fredericton for only $12.
DeleteIt was hard to fill the building when it's $5 night, I agree that this will most likely drive fans away now more than ever.
ReplyDeleteQuestion... with these higher prices will we be allowed to cheer without being sushed?
Prices are crazy no wonder why families can't enjoy a night out these days.
ReplyDeleteIt was hard to fill the building when it's $5 night, I agree that this will most likely drive fans away now more than ever.
ReplyDeleteQuestion... with these higher prices will we be allowed to cheer without being sushed?
This is junior hockey not professional hockey? May be OK when you have a good team but what about the rebuilding years - know your market. I am better off buying the various NHL packages and watch professional hockey.
ReplyDeletereally people. These are still cheap compared to NHL . You'd be paying 100 or more a game. This is cheap in this league still.
ReplyDeleteBut this is not NHL caliber.. not even close
DeleteNo but it's more entertaining compared to NHL hockey, in my opinion.
DeleteHigh school hockey is usually a few bucks to get in, or even free. High school parking is free too, and the games are just as entertaining. The only difference was the "excitement" of going to the bigger arena; that's not worth $75 to me.
ReplyDeleteTickets in Moncton are 17.00 an adult for any game and free parking! if you had a family of 4 you could travel to Moncton and save more than the gas money. They dont have 3 tiered pricing either
ReplyDeleteIt is just pure greed, there is either one of 2 things at play here...
ReplyDelete1) They think the market will pay those prices
or
2) They want to move the team and by pricing out the market and forcing the attendance to drop
The question I have, is now that they've raised the prices like they have, are these greedy mofos going to start paying the players? Or are the just going to pocket the $$$$... Keep in mind they've already pocketed the money for the naming rights to the arena every year. *shake my head* it'll be fun seeing this team fold like the flames did because of greed.
It's definitely 1. They don't want to move the team, Saint John is one of the largest markets in the league.
Deletewe do realize that this building is city owned and operated by a board of directors. the city is hurting for money and sadly not learning their lesson by continuing to make saint john non family friendly and trying to be bigger than they are. same holds true of the aquatic center the city council and managers have destroyed it as a place to have some family fun but see nothing wrong with it running in the deep red year after year
DeleteWow.... Won't be going to any more games.... Way too expensive.... this is a shame
ReplyDeleteNail in the coffin! No more games for my family. We are one of the lowest income provinces in Canada... I HAVE a decent job and STILL can't afford to take my family of 4 here. Oh well, no one listens/changes anything in this city... they just continue to let it die. Sad, really...sad!
ReplyDeleteThe city powers that be want to continue to rape the poor and run people out of town because they are turning this once fine city in to Canada's laughing stock. Hmmmm maybe that is the idea make it so no one will come here or live here then there would be no problems turning it 100% industrial. This council needs to be gone now trained monkeys could do a better job at city management and cost us a whole lot less. (and not ask that they get more money for doing the crappy jobs they are doing for us)
DeleteI am so disappointed to see these very high price increases. We attended several games last years on flex tickets, we are seniors living on a limited income but we thoroughly enjoy going to the games. We get to pick which games to go to and that works for us. Most games we went to had roughly 3000 to 3200 people a night. With these increases it will be even lower this year. Harbor station, what are you thinking? If Moncton or Halifax comes to town we will be paying premium price. Why should we have to pay higher prices to see maritime hockey teams. I am so sorry you have lost 2 paying customer for this season as my husband and I Totally do not agree with the new pricing.
ReplyDeleteTake a closer look. Seniors are actually among the few people that mostly benefit from the new prices. For the most part it will be cheaper for you to attend games. If you do choose to attend the most expensive games in the more expensive seats, the increase really isn't that much, and would be comparable to the increase for lots of goods and services from year to year. That being said, if you buy flex tickets this new pricing scheme shouldn't impact you at all! It will work out to a much lower amount. How closely did you actually look at these new prices before deciding you wanted to go on a rant complaining about them?
DeleteWe are the only hockey arena that charges for parking. Our concessions are the most expensive with smaller portions of food for the price. Our game prices were already too high for the caliber of hockey and now this increase. Just a formula for failure.
ReplyDeletethe last time I attended a Montreal game it cost me 4 plane tickets approx. $2000, taxi from and to the airport $100, the game tickets were $ 300 x 4 = $1200, beer was $11 x 4 =$44, concessions $200 and the motel was $200 and lunch, diner and breakfast
ReplyDelete$ 250. the grand total = $ 3994......
I'll attend all Seadogs home games all season long and probably a few road games as well with a big smile on my face
Who says this is not high caliber hockey? Those who fail to understand modern hockey. ...it's 2016 Ya'll ...a lot of these guys are going straight to the nhl. ...These price increases will just solidify the team to stay here. ...most fail to understand the costs to run a team like this these days.......VERY much different from the days of the flames.
ReplyDeleteGoDogsGo
Very few of the players ever make the NHL.
DeleteThe ticket prices are ridiculous and it is going to prevent a regular person, with or without a family,to afford a ticket. Plus pay for parking and food. Can't see any increase in a fan base.
This is just to prepare the people for the Memorial Cup prices, which will be double this
ReplyDeleteun real... Now I remember why I don't go see hockey games any more... was a season ticket holder when the normal person could afford it . This city has the highest rate of poverty . goes to show you Rothesay, Quis/Grand bay hockey team now .
ReplyDeletesome of you are complaining about the upcoming prices,,,buy a season ticket and then you don't have to cry about premium this or regular games...you do get savings with season tickets and can sit in the section of your choice.
ReplyDeleteYup, or if you don't plan to attend every game, get a flex pack and save that way. Take your spouse to half the games or whatever. Pool your money with others that want to attend games but not at the single game prices and split the pack. Or go online and offer any extra ones at a price between what you paid for them and what the box office is charging and make a small profit. I guarantee there would be buyers.
DeleteWhy should the casual fan be forced to buy season ticket or a flex pack and be forced to sell tickets they can't use. That would be a royal pain in the ass. This is not well thought out at all. The new Sea Dogs mgmt. stinks.
DeleteThis is horrible. You have lost another couple of fans here terrible!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteBad decision by someone in there office. Wont see me there this year unless someone in that office shakes there head and wakes up.
ReplyDeleteI work part time and can afford season tickets. It's not that unreasonable.
ReplyDeleteAll the people complaining about the prices saying they won't be going to games anymore at those prices should just pool their money together and buy flex tickets. The most expensive ones would work out to $15 a game for adults in the lower bowl.
ReplyDeleteYa know what... alot of people that go to the Seadogs games are families. Yes families.. they look at their bank account at the end of paying rent, bills, groceries and what ever other priorities they have and say ok we have 50 or 60 bucks, how about we go to a Seadogs game. it's not something that is planned. Now that the prices are going up, Harbour Station can kiss the majority of those fans goodbye. So let me do some math. It used to cost me $46.00 for lower bowl tickets either at or near center ice. Now if i want to go to a game Vs Halifax or Moncton it is going to cost me $75.00 for the same seats. That's an increase of $29.00 not including snacks which are outrageously overpriced. That is for 2 adults and 1 student. I can say that my familyand I aren't planning on trying to budget the extra $$ to attend games, we'll just find other things that are cheaper to do, like the majority of Saint John. Good Bye Saint John SeaDogs, and Hello GrandBay, rothesay/Quispamsis SeaDogs.
ReplyDeleteI have no problem with complaints but try to get the facts straight. First an adult ticket in Moncton is $18. Halifax adult single game ticket is $19 per game. If I bought a ticket to every game in Zone C in Saint John it would average to just below $19 (not much of a difference). Or better yet, buy a season ticket or flex package and it works out to even less per game. For the nine "best value" games the new prices for Zones B, C and D are actually the same as or lower than last year. Zone A is primarily season ticket holders and not available anyway. The 20 "regular" games have an increase in Zone B, Zone C is about the same and Zone D is less. The only games with significant increases are the 5 "Premium" games. Hence the title "premium". So don't go to those games.
ReplyDeleteSpend the night with your family its a lot cheaper and the snacks won't be overpriced. I hate to tell body that said most of these kids go straight to the NHL he is out to lunch. A very small percentage of these kids will ever make the NHL.
ReplyDeleteFigured I might as well throw my two cents in on the ticket price debate.
ReplyDeleteFirst I am a season ticket holder. I think it is long overdo that they realize they haven't done enough for season ticket holders over the recent years. Why shouldn't we be rewarded for committing our entertainment budget to the team for the season? I can appreciate that I am fortunate that I can afford it.
If you are willing to sit in the upper bowl you can still get a ticket for a very small increase in price. If you are not willing to sit in the upper bowl just out of spite for them having to raise the prices I would question if you are really much of a fan of the team or what it brings to our city. I completely agree that the premium game prices are high and I wonder how those games will do but it is only 5 games this season. If the Sea Dogs have lost money every season for the last few years can you blame them for trying something new? All you can do is speak up and give suggestions. My experience is this new group is more than willing to listen. If the 5 games bomb I'm pretty sure they'll get the hint next season.
For all the complaints about nothing for families they have made a season ticket for youth for $35 for the entire season. $1 per game plus $1 for charity is a sweet deal. I know all kinds that go in as a group or duo and share their season tickets. They just split the tickets up between them. That way you could be sitting at a game for $12.68 a game in the upper bowl or $14.76 in the lower bowl. How about suggesting they have some sort of list available that people could go in with someone else if they don't know anyone interested to share season tickets? it is better than the defeatist attitude of trashing the team and threatening to never go to another game.
Whether these kids go to the NHL or not is a lame argument. The tickets are significantly cheaper than any NHL team ticket will ever be and they are not the Flames working directly with an NHL team. They are what they are - a bunch of young men playing a sport they love. Does it really matter if many of them will go on to university hockey or any other league? No one could tell me they've been at Harbour Station with a large crowd and not been entertained at all.
All in all I would say people should give this new group a chance. Instead of all negative offer some positive solutions or suggestions. This team does way more than bringing a hockey team to our city. Ask any uptown restaurant if they would want to lose the business on game nights.
In the end Saint John is our city and we can make Harbour Station be whatever kind of energy we choose when a visiting team walks in. Harbour Station is the only rink I have ever been in that the visiting fans can make more noise than the hometown fans. I for one would love to see this new group try some new things to boost the energy levels.
I can appreciate that they walk a fine line between trying to keep everyone from kids to seniors happy at a game. You'll never make 100% happy 100% of the time.
As far as the parking and concessions complaints, Sea Dogs have no control over those. The concessions are some of the worst I've had at various rinks but I'm not going to become a Wildcats fan because they have better food.
They are offering a season ticket referral program this year. I'd be perfectly willing to split the rebate with anyone if it would encourage or make it possible for someone to get a season ticket. That would get you another 10%.
There are lots of changes in store this season. I for one will be giving them a chance to see what works and what doesn't.
They are going to try and offer free or small fee tour buses for away games sometimes as well. It is not like they aren't trying to find ways to give back to the fans.
I'm looking forward to a fun season. Go Dogs Go!
I won't be paying that to watch children play hockey. I'll never go to another game.
ReplyDelete