Poll shows money talks when it comes to Senators tickets
If you dropped by this site over the weekend you may have spied our poll asking what would convince you to buy a hockey ticket.
If you dropped by this site over the weekend you may have spied our poll asking what would convince you to buy a hockey ticket. Having a Stanley Cup contender on the ice wasn’t an option, because we all know that’s the No. 1 factor that’ll get people into the building. Just look at Pittsburgh, where they were drawing flies before Sidney Crosby showed up. Now they have a brand-new rink that’s packed to the rafters.
I published the poll after covering last Thursday’s contest against the Carolina Hurricanes and seeing just over 16,270 fans show up in a rink that can accommodate 19,153. There were some factors to consider there. First, the rebuilding ‘Canes aren’t the most popular draw in the world. Second, the game was on TSN. Still, we’re talking about the second home game of the season, so you might expect more people to show up. There should be a full house for the Habs this Saturday, but there are still 5,000 tickets available for next Tuesday’s match against the Phoenix Coyotes.
At the end of the day, it wasn’t the concessions or a fix for the lousy parking situation (though that finished second) or a new scoreboard that would convince the majority of respondents to shell out. Quite simply, they either can’t or don’t want to pay the going rate on NHL hockey tickets in this town at this time. Fifty-two per cent of respondents said lower ticket prices would get them to consider shelling out.
Of course, nobody wants to pay higher prices, but it speaks to the beating our economy has taken over the last couple years. It wasn’t long ago that the Senators were selling out almost every game. Much of that had to do with their run to the Stanley Cup final in 2007, but the success also came before sub-prime mortgages and collateralized debt obligations nuked Wall Street and toppled its titans — the effects of which we’re all still feeling today. If you’re worried about losing your job, you probably aren’t dropping $100-$200 dollars to take your family to a hockey game — especially if you aren’t seeing something spectacular.
Just to touch on the parking situation: People often complain about having to sit in that lot for 45 minutes after the game and point out that it’s a long drive if you live anywhere but in Kanata. Most games in Ottawa start at 7:30, which means they end around 10 p.m. If you live in Orleans and have kids who need to get up for school the next morning, that pretty much knocks you out as a potential customer.
Unfortunately, the location will never change, so maybe those buyers are a write-off anyways. People will make the effort for the playoffs, but probably not a weeknight game against a non-rival.
Several people responded to me on my Twitter account (@SensReporter) saying they would consider coming out more if OC Transpo service to the rink was better — an option that wasn’t on the poll. I haven’t taken the bus to a hockey game in years, so I ask you: Is the service good? How could it be better?
Let us know in the comments box below — you just have to sign up once and get one comment approved and then you’re good to go forever! We’d like this site to be a forum for fans as well as a place for news and opinion and, who knows, maybe the Senators are listening.
Attended a game last year and used OC transpo. It was unfortunate that the event bus does not run earlier. Had to take a normal route and walk from Terry Fox Dr in order to get to the arena early enough to get something to eat before the game. If the event busses ran a little earlier, it would make it more palatable to taking the bus. The route home after the game took over an hour to get to Baseline station once we were on the bus. That was fine when I lived in that area, but now I’m in Riverside South. An express bus to the park & rides in the area would help with that. I don’t see me taking the bus to a game anytime soon.
I say “meh” to the money issue.
Been living here for 35 years (feel old now!) and one thing I know, Ottawans have money for stuff they want but they are CHEAP. I shell out hundreds per month on online goods, etc…but I go to maybe one or two Senators game a year. Just far and uneven performances I guess.
In truth, I think people in this town need to be threatened to show up. “If you don’t buy tickets the team will move!” like during the Bryden Era.
Sad but true, Ottawa is apathetic and will only fill the place for a winner or if it’s taken away from the city.
Doesn’t help there are so many Leafs and Habs fans either…
Oh, Senators might want to consider what Montreal used to do with their Big Man Chappy tours…tour bus full of fans takes you from central location to rink and back to central location. Would alleviate a lot of the distance issues.
I’ve taken the bus a couple of times, and it’s decent service. The problem is that there aren’t enough buses for the demand, and I’ve seen people left behind at bus stops because the bus is full. If OC Transpo added some more buses (especially to the big games that attract a sellout crowd), and maybe even offered some earlier departure times (and later departures after the game), the bus service would be fine.
Realistically no the rink won’t move, but surely they can do something to help with the traffic issues. I’m no expert on urban planning, but there’s got to be a way to help ease the congestion by widening roads or something.
Money is obviously a concern but the commute is my biggest issue.
The bus service is pretty lousy – I don’t go to many games anymore, but twice in the past I’ve been waiting for a bus near Lyon and Albert and had to give up after watching all the buses go by full. Luckily both times we had access to cars and just had to walk home and drive out. We’ve also learned our lesson and will now take buses from the Rideau Centre. But the point is that it shouldn’t be that tough.
Also if there was a separate express bus that went straight from centretown to the stadium with no stops whatsoever, I’d be much more willing to go to a game. At this point it’s really hard to justify the
“$100 – $200 dollars to take your family to a hockey game”…LOL!!!
Dude…either you have not been to a game recently yourself or your terrible in math. You could not take a FAMILY to a Senators game for $200. Simple as that. I would love to start adding it up here for you but not enough room or time. The price you pay to take a family to see a Senators game is INSANE!!! Why? Well…there paying guys like Kovalev five million dollars to play a game. Everything else stems from the salaries…..parking price, food, tickets, beer/soft drink etc. etc. crazy stuff. No hockey player anywhere should be making more than 1 million AND that is too much…THAT and only that is why people will not go….too expensive any way you look at it. Why don’t you list the prices here and we’ll come back and comment again….dare ya. LOL!
Actually with the metro family packs and the 4 subs 4 stubs game, I’m sure it’s possible to take a family (of 4 or less, mind you) for well under $200. I don’t know what size of family you’re talking about, but I’m pretty sure the prices aren’t that outrageous if you’re sitting in the 300L and presumably the kids aren’t drinking the overpriced beer.
I have taken a bus from downtown Ottawa to a Sens game, and I couldn’t believe how wonderful it was. Everyone was going to the game, so you have the excitment and chatter about how things will go. The time frame, 35 minutes from Albert Street. Sitting on the bus, passing all the cars, it was a surprising fun. I encourage everyone to give it a try. Drops you off at the door. Then hop on your regular bus to head home. That is what I call Rapid Transit.
To me the whole “I don’t like waiting in the parking lot after games is an awful excuse unless you have kids going to school the next morning. I live in almost 2 hours away from SBP and I still went to 10 games last year. We have to support our team because if we don’t we won’t have one to support. And if you live in Ottawa you can always take an OC Traspo bus.
Peter Puck: You can get a package of four tix and four subs next Tuesday for $99. It is possible. Not great seats I’m sure, but it’s possible.
Yeah ticket prices aren’t the issue, desire is.
If you have entertainment money budgeted you can go to a game; the Senators have price points for everyone from university kids to families to walk-ups to season ticket holders, etc. etc.
It’s just a question of wanting to make time and being able to make time, pretty much.
From my point of view, OC Transpo does a decent job of getting people to the games. The problem is with bus access to an from the site. Scotiabank Place gives no priority to buses entering and leaving the dropoff area. When a game is sold out, buses full of 200 people can be stuck waiting for 20 minutes behind a line of cars exiting the premium lot. Not only is that backwards from a transportation planning perspective, but it has put off a lot of riders. Isn’t it a no-brainer to prioritize transit and give people multiple options for getting to the game? I can drive, but I don’t want to. So the Sens concentrate on those driving to the game, and lose a whole pool of fans for the sake of $11 parking fees
On the bright side, with lower attendance, the buses fly right in and out of there. I’m thinking of going to the Phoenix game for that very reason.
There is certainly flexiblity when driving to a game. You can judge how long it wil take including accessing the parking lot. It is getting out of the place that is frustrating.
Why they implement workable solutions from sporting venues to our south is beyond me. For instance in the San Franciso area they had event ramps onto the Queensway that would open for 1 hour after the conclusion of a game. This would be easy to implement from parking lot nine, allow the buses to depart quickly, and get the east enders home in a flash. It would also keep a few more fans in their seats until the final buzzer.
I am not talking about a 5 million dollar solution, but the equivalent of a simple driveway from the parking lot onto the 417. Barrier controlled!
havey03: I live not to far from Riverside South- Findlay Creek. My wife I went to a couple of games last year. We did the park and ride thing from Greenboro Station. The #402 bus down Hunt Club was quite good.
Getting to the game was a bit slow with Hunt Club Rd traffic, but the way back was quick. I agree with the previous poster that buses should be given priority exiting the parking lot after the game.
Another option to think about if you’re going to eat out before the game are the restaurant shuttles. Boston Pizza at Kanata Centrum has one; we tried it in the playoffs last year. It was just a couple of bucks and worked OK.
The problem for me in Ottawa is the atmosphere in the building is poor.
Unless it is the playoffs, the Leafs or Canadians and there are away fans the building is dead.
It needs a hard core zone, 100,200 and 300 levels a couple of sections for real fans.
You have to wear a jersey and support the team, you know makes some noise!!!
Without the “Make some noise”.
These sections would drive the rest of the building and create atmosphere.
Without atmosphere it is better to watch in a bar or at home.
the buses are great for the most part, they take you there and bring you back and are much faster than driving; having the arena in Kanata is the problem… stupid place to have it to begin with
other than that, the drivers on the 400′s are all great and I’ve never had any problems other than not having a convenient place to get off (e.g. Woodroffe would be a nice place to stop… for some reason OC Transpo doesn’t care about this street… no transitway stop by the river or the highway and Iris is too far)
If only the O-Train would go out to Kanata.
The Sens could drop the ticket to price to $5, and I still wouldn’t go. On the other hand, if they relocate to downtown, I’ll pay the going rate. I’ve never attended a single event at the ‘rink in the boonies’ since it was built.
The last time I attended a Sens game was in Montreal, at a downtown rink. I’d rather drop a few bills taking the train to Montreal, enjoy a meal downtown, attend a game downtown, and then go for a post game beer downtown. If I can luck into a ticket, I’ll fly to Winnipeg to watch the Jets downtown.
The reinvention of the Senators was a land speculation venture from the get-go. The team was offered the old railyards behind the Via Rail station back in the day. Right in the centre of the region, with transitway and rail-line and plenty of roads right there. But oh-no. Not enough free money for land developers there.
So let ‘em depend on ticket sales in Pembroke, or whatever’s nearby.
regular season Sens games can be pretty boring, the crowd is quiet, parking is expensive and inconvenient, traffic is chaotic, many rude people, food and beer are expensive. To make matters worse, the team has trouble scoring, few big hits or saves, not much for the hometown fans to cheer about.
The whole experience can be a downer, and I have had trouble giving away tickets at times.
I actually prefer 67′s games for excitement and affordable fun, and the players play their hearts out for peanuts!
Mike, I give you credit for posting what Andy said here for me Andy’s remarkably honest post clears it up. I wish him, Brad and Stomper all the best and trust they will continue to provide good value to their customers.
Parking (especially considering how long it take to get in/out) should be included in the already overpriced tickets. And the over-inflated food/beverage costs sure do not help sell the experience!