Ticket/Attendance Discussion: The Sequel

[nobody imp0rtant]

and yet the franchise grew in value over the past year from 745 to 805 million

Sagging attendance here could raise the franchise value because it increases the likelihood of a move to a more lucrative US market, like Houston.

That's my logic, and I'm sticking to it.

 

[blueandgoldguy]

Sagging attendance here could raise the franchise value because it increases the likelihood of a move to a more lucrative US market, like Houston.

That's my logic, and I'm sticking to it.

I'm not buying that. The Jets non-gate revenue sources have increased substantially the past few seasons.

 

[Zippity]

Got an email last week for $50 tickets to Chicago game

 

[Gm0ney]

Look at how this place used to rock...

 

[pegcity]

Jets need to lower ticket prices a bit. I was looking at Senators tickets and the cheapest are $27.00 on ticketmaster for the Rangers game (taxes included). Cheapest in Winnipeg is maybe around $70? I know the arena is bigger in Ottawa. You can get Senators season tickets for less than $1000.00 a seat.

Lowering the home team attack once side by 15% is what I was thinking.

 

[Gm0ney]

Jets need to lower ticket prices a bit. I was looking at Senators tickets and the cheapest are $27.00 on ticketmaster for the Rangers game (taxes included). Cheapest in Winnipeg is maybe around $70? I know the arena is bigger in Ottawa. You can get Senators season tickets for less than $1000.00 a seat.

Lowering the home team attack once side by 15% is what I was thinking.

Sens have a huge arena: 18,652 (it was over 19K for a while until they put in some spacious recliner loge type seating). Anyway, if the Jets had an extra 4,000 seats to move you'd probably see this kind of deal here as well.

 

[Jet]

Is it time to think about a new arena?

If Winnipeg didn't have such atrocious infrastructure they could move it back out to st James.

A bigger arena would get more middle class Winnipegers back out to games and could help with more merchandise and concession sales.

Not to mention the arena is pretty ghetto. When you go to games in other cities you see just how bad it is. Maybe they close one of the streets on either side and expand the footprint?

 

[tbcwpg]

Is it time to think about a new arena?

If Winnipeg didn't have such atrocious infrastructure they could move it back out to st James.

A bigger arena would get more middle class Winnipegers back out to games and could help with more merchandise and concession sales.

Not to mention the arena is pretty ghetto. When you go to games in other cities you see just how bad it is. Maybe they close one of the streets on either side and expand the footprint?

I don't think we're close to a new arena.

You can't close the street behind the arena because it's a major bus route. Maybe you can attach it to the offices across Hargrave but then you're shifting everything over a bit to make the seats fairly even around the ice.

There are worse buildings. I don't think the arena is keeping that many people away.

 

[Jet]

I don't think we're close to a new arena.

You can't close the street behind the arena because it's a major bus route. Maybe you can attach it to the offices across Hargrave but then you're shifting everything over a bit to make the seats fairly even around the ice.

There are worse buildings. I don't think the arena is keeping that many people away.

I don't think the arena quality is that big of a deal - I do think the inventory pushes the price point up too much. I would definitely look to close Hargrave - tear down that damned Dollar tree.

If you could add 3k seats you could price point them much lower and bring in a whole new fan base who can only watch games on TV.

 

[SCP Guy]

No arena is getting built without MAJOR government funding at all 3 levels…. Good luck with that anytime in the foreseeable future….

 

[tbcwpg]

I don't think the arena quality is that big of a deal - I do think the inventory pushes the price point up too much. I would definitely look to close Hargrave - tear down that damned Dollar tree.

If you could add 3k seats you could price point them much lower and bring in a whole new fan base who can only watch games on TV.

That's the Donald side. There's also the Met (a TNSE owned property) on that side.

The risk with expansion is that it's not price point keeping people away right now. Expand to 17,000 and they may remain empty. I expect they'd do their research on that.

 

[Zippity]

Jets need to lower ticket prices a bit. I was looking at Senators tickets and the cheapest are $27.00 on ticketmaster for the Rangers game (taxes included). Cheapest in Winnipeg is maybe around $70? I know the arena is bigger in Ottawa. You can get Senators season tickets for less than $1000.00 a seat.

Lowering the home team attack once side by 15% is what I was thinking.

Groupon sells them pretty cheap
Fans first.ca game day can go low as $30

 

[Jet]

That's the Donald side. There's also the Met (a TNSE owned property) on that side.

The risk with expansion is that it's not price point keeping people away right now. Expand to 17,000 and they may remain empty. I expect they'd do their research on that.

Might not be price point keeping away the existing fans that were going, but it's most definitely keeping an entire economic segment away.

I'm very comfortable and single, I have disposable income, but if I was in Winnipeg I might go to 2 or 3 games. It's not entirely price but that does push it over the edge.

When I was younger I went to 15 or 20 games a year in the terrifying 7-11 section

 

[tbcwpg]

Might not be price point keeping away the existing fans that were going, but it's most definitely keeping an entire economic segment away.

I'm very comfortable and single, I have disposable income, but if I was in Winnipeg I might go to 2 or 3 games. It's not entirely price but that does push it over the edge.

When I was younger I went to 15 or 20 games a year in the terrifying 7-11 section

I think your going to 2 or 3 games aligns with a lot of people here. Hell, I'm married, 2 kids, doing alright and can afford to go to 10+ a year but the desire to do that isn't there. I suspect exhaustion from kids is one reason but I don't have a desire to head out, pay a bunch to park downtown, trek through the weather etc for games so much anymore, especially on a weeknight.

I did get one of those Black Friday deals though so maybe it'll reignite my desire to go to games, but I haven't been to a Jets game since before Covid and I haven't missed it a whole lot.

 

[DeepFrickinValue]

I think your going to 2 or 3 games aligns with a lot of people here. Hell, I'm married, 2 kids, doing alright and can afford to go to 10+ a year but the desire to do that isn't there. I suspect exhaustion from kids is one reason but I don't have a desire to head out, pay a bunch to park downtown, trek through the weather etc for games so much anymore, especially on a weeknight.

I did get one of those Black Friday deals though so maybe it'll reignite my desire to go to games, but I haven't been to a Jets game since before Covid and I haven't missed it a whole lot.

My 65” tv is incredible. Live experience better include something better.

 

[Tom ServoMST3K]

I'm sure this has been re-hashed a lot, but when I went, the live experience was just terrible, aside from the game.

There's also been a shift in sports/event pricing. Organizations finally realized to maximize possible ticket revenue, you should actually price high enough so you don't sell out.

Everything surrounding the on ice product was either meh or bad. Some in TNSE's control, and some not in their control.

But for as many improvements could be made by the City (which would never pass because of wpg's driver-centric culture) or the Jets surrounding the game-day experience, winning should cure all.

Combine the awful on ice product with the bad experience surrounding the games, and you've got a recipie for disaster.

The Jets have been historically awful. It's underrated how bad they've been.

Last year I barely watched Jets games on TV - and I was working in a place with no sports, in BC so I should have been all-in last year.

I count a successful season as one where the Jets win a playoff series. Since coming back, excluding the year fans were not allowed, which kind of misses the point, the Jets have had exactly one successful season.

And the last few years of Mayrice were miserable to watch.

Seriously, I watch 4 or 5 sporting events in person a week now, and I've already watched more Jets than I did last year.

 

[Jet]

I'm sure this has been re-hashed a lot, but when I went, the live experience was just terrible, aside from the game.

There's also been a shift in sports/event pricing. Organizations finally realized to maximize possible ticket revenue, you should actually price high enough so you don't sell out.

Everything surrounding the on ice product was either meh or bad. Some in TNSE's control, and some not in their control.

But for as many improvements could be made by the City (which would never pass because of wpg's driver-centric culture) or the Jets surrounding the game-day experience, winning should cure all.

Combine the awful on ice product with the bad experience surrounding the games, and you've got a recipie for disaster.

The Jets have been historically awful. It's underrated how bad they've been.

Last year I barely watched Jets games on TV - and I was working in a place with no sports, in BC so I should have been all-in last year.

I count a successful season as one where the Jets win a playoff series. Since coming back, excluding the year fans were not allowed, which kind of misses the point, the Jets have had exactly one successful season.

And the last few years of Mayrice were miserable to watch.

Seriously, I watch 4 or 5 sporting events in person a week now, and I've already watched more Jets than I did last year.

I think the Jets have really improved the in game experience (the new light projection system and stuff like 90's night) but the arena location and lack of upmarket amenities really is noticeable especially when you visit other nhl rinks.

I think they might have had it right when they had the rink at Polo Park.

In order for that to be viable again they really have to make route 90 a true 'freeway' and that would never happen.

 

[Tom ServoMST3K]

I think the Jets have really improved the in game experience (the new light projection system and stuff like 90's night) but the arena location and lack of upmarket amenities really is noticeable especially when you visit other nhl rinks.

I think they might have had it right when they had the rink at Polo Park.

In order for that to be viable again they really have to make route 90 a true 'freeway' and that would never happen.

The area around the arena needs to be waaaaaay more walkable and accessible via transit but that's true for all of Winnipeg.

 

[jungles]

Been a season ticket holder since they came back. The prices suck. The parking sucks. The concourse sucks. The food sucks. The bathrooms suck. The people who crowd me and lord over my seat suck.

I much prefer watching the games at home. Short of a new arena, not sure how to fix it, either.

Novelty glossed over a lot of those issues, but novelty is long gone. Seriously considering not renewing next year.

My 2 cents.

 

[The Blue Baron]

I think the Jets have really improved the in game experience (the new light projection system and stuff like 90's night) but the arena location and lack of upmarket amenities really is noticeable especially when you visit other nhl rinks.

I think they might have had it right when they had the rink at Polo Park.

In order for that to be viable again they really have to make route 90 a true 'freeway' and that would never happen.

I am sick of things being way out in St James. You guys were spoiled for years. I am Glad the stadium is in the south now.

 

[Eyeseeing]

Winnipeg is a cheap town always has been always will be.
I’m one of those cheap ones…. I have never paid for a ticket nor would I.
Once the initial excitement wore off this should have been expected.
I kind of chuckle at all the braggarts who got season tickets initially and are the the first ones to bitch.
100-200 for a ticket is and always will be ridiculous.
The majority of people don’t have 100’s of dollars for a night out and especially multiple nights during the season.
Now TSNE is in a position where they are alienating their STH base because they overpriced the product in the first place.
Chipman is out of touch with his customers.
Before the inevitable flames come.
I’m a fan but not a fan at all costs fan.

 

[RestlessYoungZero]

I'm a little shocked at the suggestion that the arena shouldn't be downtown and even back at polo park. That was freaking disaster getting out after a game, walking across wide open parking lots mid-winter. Downtown is a far superior location. Central, with lots of options in the skywalk system to get into the building and more routes in different directions cutting down on traffic. Everytime I've been its been smooth sailing once we're out of one of the underground lots. Sure the arena itself is a little cramped, but IMO downtown is the way to go

 

[Jet]

I'm a little shocked at the suggestion that the arena shouldn't be downtown and even back at polo park. That was freaking disaster getting out after a game, walking across wide open parking lots mid-winter. Downtown is a far superior location. Central, with lots of options in the skywalk system to get into the building and more routes in different directions cutting down on traffic. Everytime I've been its been smooth sailing once we're out of one of the underground lots. Sure the arena itself is a little cramped, but IMO downtown is the way to go

I don't disagree entirely with this. If they could get downtown to a place where its an attractive location and improve transit options its an ideal spot.

 

[fmrdh]

What are the chances of TNSE throwing in an offer for Portage Place?

Place is a disaster these days.

 

[BigZ65]

The area around the arena needs to be waaaaaay more walkable and accessible via transit but that's true for all of Winnipeg.

They really need to expand and improve the Skywalk system to have a feasible "arena district" in our climate.

Can do what LA did, Vegas and others....but we can't do it outside when half the games are played during a season when almost no one wants to be outside.

Ultimately think this will be key to get people living downtown too. The more you can do (get to your car, get to work, get to the game, get to a restaurant) without having to step outside and wait to cross at 3-4 intersections in -30 the more likely people will be to head downtown.