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WJC: Attendance

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Rob said:
You are ignoring the part about there being a lack of interest in the city altogether for the WJC because its not the Habs. The fact that Montreal fans are constantly referring to our national junior team as "just a bunch of teenagers" really says it all.
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You're making it worst than it is really lol. They can't price premium Habs game price for a lower level of hockey and expect people to fill the arena.

Now don't get me wrong, I watch every game (except to the point it's becoming a blowout) because I think it is a really entertaining tournament and I am thrilled to see these young lads play like its their Stanley Cup. Heck I even watch Quebec Pee-Wee World tournament!

If people wants to pay this exact pricing in other cities (Example: Toronto because of the business class) because they feel it's a valid one well I guess Montreal may not be an option anymore. I just find it dishonest to say Mtl is not a hockey town because they are not stupid enough to buy at that price. I know I'm not the only one who planned to go this year and because of the pricing didnt and planned something else for the holidays.
 
Everybody whining about the prices aren't even trying. So many free tickets, I went tonight for 6$. I don't think the prices are the issue at all. No city in the world would sellout a Bell Center for a junior hockey game about 2 countries that are not even their own. Tonight was a good crowd for a Sunday night game between USA and huge hockey powerhouse Germany, nobody should expect more than that for such a game.
 
We are not saying it's impossible to have tickets right now for a low price lol. We said it wasnt the case when the ticket went live and by now people have planned other things. If they are that low for Canada-USA or Canada-Finalnd I will def try to get some pairs :)
 
Human Bean said:
When the tournament was in Vancouver it was played at the old Pacific coliseum which only seats about 16k and ticket prices were much lower.
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Only for the round robin games. The playoff round games were at GM place.

Ottawa and Calgary didn't have any problems selling out either.

As the article pointed out it isn't just about ticket prices. There is a general lack of interest in the WJC in Montreal. It was a mistake to have them as a host.
 
Crusherkgb said:
Prices are insane. And they aren't selling at all
Yesterday everyone i spoke to had free tickets.
I got 2 free tickets for canada Germany. And i now have 4 free tickets for tomorrow game as well. In the reds.
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This brings up an interesting exert from the same article posted above.

“I’ve been doing okay on Canada games, but the people dumb enough to buy tickets to the other games are taking a haircut on this,†the scalper says. “These are expensive tickets, too expensive even, and you should know that Quebecers are a people with a keen sense of when they’re being screwed. I think they look at some these prices and they say, ‘Are you kidding? Two hundred bucks to watch a bunch of 19-year-olds whoop Slovakia? No thank you.’â€

It’s also a factor that, until December, Hockey Canada was only selling tickets to the tournament in 10-game packages that cost over $1,000. Unlike Toronto, Montreal doesn’t have a Bay St. finance culture, in which the business crowd bankrolls row upon row of seats to entertain prospective clients
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There is also another piece that touches on junior hockey in Montreal:

Finally, junior hockey is something that thrives in small towns across Canada. It’s never really worked in Montreal.

“It’s a small town Ontario thing, it’s a Western Canada thing, it’s a get up at 6 a.m. and drive to Tim Horton’s and go to the arena thing,†Farrar says. “The people that do that know the fundamentals of hockey many of us don’t because that’s just not our scene. The Canadiens are a cultural thing here, they’re the way new immigrants participate in the culture and become Montrealers. They may not know anything about thegame, but they watch and it makes them happy.â€
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The more I'm reading, the more I'm thinking that it isn't a Hockey Canada or IIHF issue. I think the Montreal organizing group are idiots and have set this up to fail.

I'm looking at the official ticket exchange for Toronto and seeing a crapload of tickets for 11.00 for Denmark vs. the Czech Republic. That's the kind of thing I remember from Ottawa in 2009; ticket package holders who only really wanted the Canada games offloaded the less attractive games for dirt cheap. People who just want to experience the event fill up the building because they can get tickets via the Exchange for said dirt cheap prices.

In Montreal, I looked at an equivalent less attractive game…Slovakia v. Germany….and the ticket exchange prices started at $25.00, which is bad enough, but then they added $5 electronic delivery, plus $10!!! convenience fee per ticket.

If you wanted to buy it directly, not going through the exchange, it was the same $25, plus a $7 delivery charge, plus a $11.00 convenience fee. So, $43 for a $25 ticket.

The Toronto ticket exchange adds a $3.00 authentication and reissue fee, which sounds totally reasonable.

You really can't blame Hockey Canada if you can buy tickets to a game for 11.00 in Toronto through the official site, but in Montreal you have to pay 'convenience fees' that are almost 50% of the ticket price and end up paying $43 total to see Slovakia v. Germany. God help you if you want to take your family.

In Montreal Stubhub are really the only way to go. You can get tickets as low as $5.25USD. A lot of people may not get beyond the official sites however.

Whoever set things up in Montreal almost guaranteed the attendance issues that we are seeing.

The lack of junior hockey culture in Montreal is still a totally valid observation. Also, the impact of TSN on making this World Juniors a major event would have had less of an influence in Montreal, compared to all the other Canadian cities where the tournament was a huge success.
 
The prices you mention are for the nose bleed section
Anything decent is 150$
Add 10$ watered down beer 30$ parking 5$ pizza slices all this for crappy hockey preliminary rounds
 
Inkling said:
The more I'm reading, the more I'm thinking that it isn't a Hockey Canada or IIHF issue. I think the Montreal organizing group are idiots and have set this up to fail.

I'm looking at the official ticket exchange for Toronto and seeing a crapload of tickets for 11.00 for Denmark vs. the Czech Republic. That's the kind of thing I remember from Ottawa in 2009; ticket package holders who only really wanted the Canada games offloaded the less attractive games for dirt cheap. People who just want to experience the event fill up the building because they can get tickets via the Exchange for said dirt cheap prices.

In Montreal, I looked at an equivalent less attractive game…Slovakia v. Germany….and the ticket exchange prices started at $25.00, which is bad enough, but then they added $5 electronic delivery, plus $10!!! convenience fee per ticket.

If you wanted to buy it directly, not going through the exchange, it was the same $25, plus a $7 delivery charge, plus a $11.00 convenience fee. So, $43 for a $25 ticket.

The Toronto ticket exchange adds a $3.00 authentication and reissue fee, which sounds totally reasonable.

You really can't blame Hockey Canada if you can buy tickets to a game for 11.00 in Toronto through the official site, but in Montreal you have to pay 'convenience fees' that are almost 50% of the ticket price and end up paying $43 total to see Slovakia v. Germany. God help you if you want to take your family.

In Montreal Stubhub are really the only way to go. You can get tickets as low as $5.25USD. A lot of people may not get beyond the official sites however.

Whoever set things up in Montreal almost guaranteed the attendance issues that we are seeing.

The lack of junior hockey culture in Montreal is still a totally valid observation. Also, the impact of TSN on making this World Juniors a major event would have had less of an influence in Montreal, compared to all the other Canadian cities where the tournament was a huge success.
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This is a big factor, and I also think the reluctance to sell individual tickets until the last minute hurt as well. I'm living in Ottawa and wanted to go to Montreal for some non-Canada games (I'm a student and realistic, I couldn't afford those). But their insistence to sell full packages until about a week before meant I was unable to buy a ticket to something like Germany-Slovakia beforehand, and simply passed on the opportunity. Seeing the prices they wanted after they finally started selling individual tickets certainly didn't help change my mind either.

I can see their rationale in selling full packages: it gets people to commit to the non-Canada games, or at least gets the tickets out there, as most people are not interested in watching the other countries. But not everyone is willing to spend several hundred dollars for a bunch of tickets they are not likely to use, especially if it doesn't include the medal round (which I think is a huge factor in driving up Toronto's attendance; I have trouble believing 13,000 people really wanted to watch the Czechs and Swiss play when the OHL and AHL have trouble selling tickets for local players, but I guess 2017 will help confirm this). Quite simply Hockey Canada got greedy, and they are going to have to look at their setup for the 2017 tournament.

It certainly makes one recall the 2012 and 2013 World Championships that were cohosted by Stockholm and Helsinki; the Europeans here can attest how poorly that was done, and even though they tried to fix things in 2013, both tournaments were terribly overpriced and the Swedish and Finnish federations were made to look like fools for their actions. Hopefully Hockey Canada realises they will have to do more than those two did in order to ensure 2017 lives up to their self-imposed standards.

However I will note that I did just buy two tickets off Stubhub for the aforementioned Germany-Slovakia game for $10 each and am indeed going to a game now.
 
I've been following the WJHC for a few years now and when the tournament was announced to be in Montreal, boy was I excited... Then I saw the ticket prices and packages :laugh: So I planned accordingly and spent my days off with family and friends and will watch it on TV just like every year, except this year I won't be awake and drinking at 3am.

Now that the prices have dropped, I won't go based on
1) Work
2) Spent the ticket money on Habs tickets instead, they were practically the same price.
3) I laugh when I see how empty it is, its almost like the whole city is giving Hockey Canada the finger for that original pricing.

Whoever was responsible for this tournament in Montreal failed at advertising it. There was no excitement generated for it. Where, when and how to purchase tickets wasn't ever really made clear. TVA and RDS (the two french broadcasters of habs games) didn't have a preview show leading up to it, didn't hype up draft eligible players, didn't hype up future stars, didn't hype up Habs prospects that are participating (Lehkonen, De La Rose, Reway, Fucale)... Did they have a party outside the Bell Centre preceding the tournament games? I don't know because it wasn't advertised.
 
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My brother isn't even big on the WJCs and was dying to go. He saw the prices and told me straight up "nevermind".

Now, regarding the Montreal town vs Hockey town stuff. I can't afford the Habs ticket prices either. Well I 'can' but it makes me feel guilty so I never do that.

Over last 2 years I've given as much money towards habs tickets as I have WJC tickets.

No real prejudice. I guess if I had to choose a game all prices equal I'd choose Montreal because well it's a higher talent level obviously.
 
Realistically should have charged no more than 100 bucks for the best seats, it's a Jnr tournament for a game we love. Can all the international hockey organizations clue in that my 30 dollars a month for the NHL is more entertainment than the entire tournament that would cost around 3 years of television subscription to attend, people want to be there but the prices are insulting
 
Canadian Finn said:
Agreed.

And I'm sure Hockey Canada understands that as well.

Which then brings the question, why was Montreal included in this venture? (outside of the political reasons).

And further, why would Montreal also be included in 2017?

I truly don't understand.

Toronto / Ottawa
Toronto / Hamilton
Toronto / GTA arenas (there are half dozen in the GTA that could entertain the smaller games)
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Of course there was political reason to go to Quebec. The tournament haven't been here for about 40 years. Ontario just got it, so it's pretty easy to understand. The problem is hockey canada been greedy and go with Toronto/Montreal. Personnaly I don't like the idea of having half a tournament. Hockey Canada choosing Montreal market potential over Quebec when Montreal can't even support 1 single junior team is where they got greedy. Everybody talking about how the Montreal organizer look stupid, don't tell me they were any different when they "sold" there bid to Hockey Canada ...

This souldn't look bad on Montreal, everybody knew it wouldn't work there and Montrealers didn't care about junior hockey ... why would you put something in a place where you allready know people don't care? I'd like to know what was the real reason behind that decision of Hockey Canada.
 
Thebesthockey said:
The prices you mention are for the nose bleed section
Anything decent is 150$
Add 10$ watered down beer 30$ parking 5$ pizza slices all this for crappy hockey preliminary rounds
Click to expand...

this just sounds like excuses to me. No one is forcing you to buy a beer or eat pizza at the game, go to a bar and have a few beers there and grab some food before you go, and if the price of these things is the main reason you won't go then are you really interested in going in the first place? Not in my eyes. Spending 10-20 bucks on a couple of beers and shelling out a 5 for a pizza is pretty common place in arenas nowadays. Have to kind of expect that sort of thing.
 
Stats01 said:
this just sounds like excuses to me. No one is forcing you to buy a beer or eat pizza at the game, go to a bar and have a few beers there and grab some food before you go, and if the price of these things is the main reason you won't go then are you really interested in going in the first place? Not in my eyes. Spending 10-20 bucks on a couple of beers and shelling out a 5 for a pizza is pretty common place in arenas nowadays. Have to kind of expect that sort of thing.
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I'm pretty sure he's referring to total cost. Reducing it by a bit by drinking elsewhere is fine but doesn't change exaggerated price.

Just because you like something that doesn't mean you'd pay any price to have it.
 
I actually dreamt last night Scott Salmond was fired from Hockey Canada. boy, was I disappointed when reality finally set in. Someday, Scott, someday!! I have a bottle of bubbly waiting for that day...
 
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LyricalLyricist said:
I'm pretty sure he's referring to total cost. Reducing it by a bit by drinking elsewhere is fine but doesn't change exaggerated price.

Just because you like something that doesn't mean you'd pay any price to have it.
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You do realize ticket prices in Halifax/Quebec City/Saskatoon/ etc were high too right? I don't get the whining on here. There are tickets being given out for basically a tenth of the face value. You can get tickets for 25-40 bucks...how is that expensive. I just think people are using it as an excuse not to go because to be quite honest they rather not go and watch USA-Germany and the like. That's fine, just admit it, don't use ticket prices as a crutch. If you can't afford 25-40 bucks on a ticket and a few bucks on food and beer then you really shouldn't be going in the first place I guess.
 
Stats01 said:
You do realize ticket prices in Halifax/Quebec City/Saskatoon/ etc were high too right? I don't get the whining on here. There are tickets being given out for basically a tenth of the face value. You can get tickets for 25-40 bucks...how is that expensive. I just think people are using it as an excuse not to go because to be quite honesty they rather not go and watch USA-Germany and the like. That's fine, just admit it, don't use ticket prices as a crutch.
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But notice how people are saying they would rather save their money for the habs or leafs because tickets are same price.

With other cities, ie. Halifax/Quebec city they will pay that price because its the best hockey besides CHL.

Please show me these 40$ seats with Canada,Usa,Sweeds,Russians.
Section 310 does not count lol.
 
Stats01 said:
You do realize ticket prices in Halifax/Quebec City/Saskatoon/ etc were high too right? I don't get the whining on here. There are tickets being given out for basically a tenth of the face value. You can get tickets for 25-40 bucks...how is that expensive. I just think people are using it as an excuse not to go because to be quite honest they rather not go and watch USA-Germany and the like. That's fine, just admit it, don't use ticket prices as a crutch. If you can't afford 25-40 bucks on a ticket and a few bucks on food and beer then you really shouldn't be going in the first place I guess.
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Cheapest ticket tonight for Canada/Finland 75$ Lowerbowl going for 250$

Sweden/Russia 140$

Beer 10.75$
 
HFX902 said:
But notice how people are saying they would rather save their money for the habs or leafs because tickets are same price.

With other cities, ie. Halifax/Quebec city they will pay that price because its the best hockey besides CHL.

Please show me these 40$ seats with Canada,Usa,Sweeds,Russians.
Section 310 does not count lol.
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No I'm talking non Canada games...of course people are going to flock for Canada games...ohh wait no they didn't.. Montreal will shell out for the Habs but won't for this tournament. Yeah prices for the Canada games are expensive but the non Canada games are going for cheap! We're talking attendance here. Attendance overall has been disappointing not all of this has to do with ticket prices that people seem to be making it all about. I just think there is a lack of interest and people just won't admit it.
 
HFX902 said:
Cheapest ticket tonight for Canada/Finland 75$ Lowerbowl going for 250$

Sweden/Russia 140$

Beer 10.75$
Click to expand...

$140 is probably one of the better seats...you can get cheaper. No one is forcing you to pay for premium seats. $75 for Canada-Finland is decent. I'd pay that if I were in Montreal. I guess I'm in the minority here, I'd pay the $75 to watch Canada play.
 
Stats01 said:
No I'm talking non Canada games...of course people are going to flock for Canada games...ohh wait no they didn't.. Montreal will shell out for the Habs but won't for this tournament. Yeah prices for the Canada games are expensive but the non Canada games are going for cheap! We're talking attendance here. Attendance overall has been disappointing not all of this has to do with ticket prices that people seem to be making it all about. I just think there is a lack of interest and people just won't admit it.
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Toronto attendance is okay.

Montreal is the issue. should be sold out for Canadian games.


https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/j...da--iihf-overshot-their-target-012622485.html
 
Inkling said:
The more I'm reading, the more I'm thinking that it isn't a Hockey Canada or IIHF issue. I think the Montreal organizing group are idiots and have set this up to fail.

I'm looking at the official ticket exchange for Toronto and seeing a crapload of tickets for 11.00 for Denmark vs. the Czech Republic. That's the kind of thing I remember from Ottawa in 2009; ticket package holders who only really wanted the Canada games offloaded the less attractive games for dirt cheap. People who just want to experience the event fill up the building because they can get tickets via the Exchange for said dirt cheap prices.

In Montreal, I looked at an equivalent less attractive game…Slovakia v. Germany….and the ticket exchange prices started at $25.00, which is bad enough, but then they added $5 electronic delivery, plus $10!!! convenience fee per ticket.

If you wanted to buy it directly, not going through the exchange, it was the same $25, plus a $7 delivery charge, plus a $11.00 convenience fee. So, $43 for a $25 ticket.

The Toronto ticket exchange adds a $3.00 authentication and reissue fee, which sounds totally reasonable.

You really can't blame Hockey Canada if you can buy tickets to a game for 11.00 in Toronto through the official site, but in Montreal you have to pay 'convenience fees' that are almost 50% of the ticket price and end up paying $43 total to see Slovakia v. Germany. God help you if you want to take your family.

In Montreal Stubhub are really the only way to go. You can get tickets as low as $5.25USD. A lot of people may not get beyond the official sites however.

Whoever set things up in Montreal almost guaranteed the attendance issues that we are seeing.

The lack of junior hockey culture in Montreal is still a totally valid observation. Also, the impact of TSN on making this World Juniors a major event would have had less of an influence in Montreal, compared to all the other Canadian cities where the tournament was a huge success.
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Very true. I wanted to buy a single ticket in the nosebleeds for GER/SVK in Montreal tomorrow. On the official ticket exchange it was pretty much just as you said - $25 for the face value of the ticket, plus an $11 "convenience fee" plus a $7 delivery charge. $43 for one ticket to see the two weakest teams in the pool in the nosebleeds in a building that will be half full at best. That's ****ing absurd.

I went on Stubhub and found more or less the same ticket for $7, all included. But, as you said, I wouldn't be surprised if many people wouldn't even bother going through Stubhub and just giving up after seeing $43.

The cheapest ticket available for CAN/FIN right now is $70, on both Stubhub and the exchange. I'm taking that as a sign that there's a lot of demand and hopefully the building will be more full than what we've seen so far. But I'm not really going to blame Montrealers for refusing to be gouged either. This line of thinking that we have to pay whatever price they say because "oooh it's Team Canada!!!!" and if we don't go into debt trying to get tickets to the game then we're not real Canadians or real hockey fans is a load of bunk. I'm glad there's a lot of empty seats, hopefully somebody somewhere will realize they outgrew their britches with the prices this year and scale it back for the future.
 
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