- Nov 15, 2020
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Maple Leafs season-ticket holders cry foul as club uses data from resale market to raise prices
A loyal Leafs fan was dismayed when his account representative told him why his tickets were going up to about $11,900 plus tax, an increase of about 9 per cent for next season
www.theglobeandmail.com
Most Leafs fans shrug off the annual increases as one of life’s inevitabilities. But this year, Patrick O’Brien was dismayed when his account representative told him why his tickets were going up to about $11,900 plus tax, an increase of about 9 per cent for next season. (Playoff tickets are extra – this year, they’re up between 7 and 22 per cent, depending on the round.)
For decades, Leafs season tickets have been notoriously hard to obtain because a significant number are held by corporations, which can write them off as business expenses and are generally less sensitive to price hikes than individual fans.
That’s part of why the justification for this year’s price increase got under his skin. In an e-mail from his Leafs ticket account rep, which he shared with The Globe and Mail, he was told the company “analyzed transaction data from the resale market, along with sales data from our single-ticket inventory, to better understand ticket demand.” The e-mail noted that the information “helps us develop pricing that reflects market trends while ensuring our members continue to receive the lowest package price and an exclusive discount.”
“We feel we’re charging what the market tells us our tickets are worth,” the rep added.
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It looks like some NHL teams are looking at the resale market (scalpers) and saying people are willing to pay these prices so we are raising ours to match. I don't find the justification makes sense, given those buying those overpriced tickets are a very clear minority of viewers. Leafs feel they can get away with this because our wait list is a generation long.
Do we see other markets try this?
