The Athletic Sabres’ season tickets have become a tough sell: ‘It’s just been so sad for so long’

[Buffaloed]

Sabres' season tickets have become a tough sell: 'It's just been so sad for so long' (paywall)

The Sabres’ message was straight and to the point.
“This note is to ensure you are aware that your Season Ticket Membership will expire in less than 48 hours,” the team wrote in the email, which quickly moved to bold letters. “Renew before August 17 at 5 p.m. to maintain your status as a member and your current seat location for the 2021-22 Sabres season.”
The deadline for the first of five payment installments has come and gone. So have a large number of season-ticket holders.

Final sales for the 2020-21 season won’t be known until September, but there’s a real fear the Sabres could regress to 2002-03. The bankrupt team averaged 13,776 fans and had nights when actual attendance was fewer than 9,000.

Some people are waiting so they can improve their seats but a lot aren't coming back.

The Sabres are going to take a big hit from their Canadian season ticket holders.

Nowadays, even being a supporter of the Sabres is not enough to guarantee a ticket renewal. Somewhere between 10 and 20 percent of the season-ticket holders live across the river in Canada. They can’t enter the United States.
“I decided not to renew. How can I? We literally cannot cross the border,” said a Sabres fan from Canada who wished to remain anonymous because he’ll be dealing with the ticketing staff again someday. “I can provide vaccine proof, but if I have to supply a negative test, Sabres games are not feasible. Public health care in Canada only pays for a test if you are sick. Otherwise, it is about $200.

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[sabregoat]

Sabres' season tickets have become a tough sell: 'It's just been so sad for so long' (paywall)



Some people are waiting so they can improve their seats but a lot aren't coming back.

The Sabres are going to take a big hit from their Canadian season ticket holders.

You need to renew and make a payment in order to improve your seats unless you are willing to give them up an go into the general pool. Current paid season ticket holders get first shot at upgrading their seats.

 

[BloFan4Life]

I think 9k is generous.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

Border not opening. Buffalo people are about to find out how much this franchise depends on Canada.

 

[TehDoak]

Border not opening. Buffalo people are about to find out how much this franchise depends on Canada.

I'd be shocked if it wasn't open before Thanksgiving/Christmas, likely with heavy vaccine requirements.

 

[Buffaloed]

You need to renew and make a payment in order to improve your seats unless you are willing to give them up an go into the general pool. Current paid season ticket holders get first shot at upgrading their seats.

There's not enough season ticket holders to generate the competitive pressure needed to persuade people not to take their chances in the pool. If they make a payment they're on the hook for the entire amount. Big problem with that is you can't even get face value selling them on the secondary market.

That’s what might keep Matt Baudo from stepping away. He and a friend let the installment deadline pass without making a payment, so as of now, he’s out. But he’ll likely re-up if he can get to center ice, Row 3 in the 300 Level. He’s been able to upgrade three times in the past eight years because of other fans’ departures.

 

[Buffaloed]

Border not opening. Buffalo people are about to find out how much this franchise depends on Canada.

Many Canadians will continue to buy tickets and stay home until travel conditions improve. They're not going to let some little virus and terrible teams drive them away. They are a hearty people.

 

[joshjull]

Border not opening. Buffalo people are about to find out how much this franchise depends on Canada.

What if I told you we already knew…..

1) we had a lot of Canadian fans.

2) Canadians who aren’t Sabres fans come down to watch games here because they’re cheaper than the Leafs.

Now get ready to have your mind blown. The reason we sing both anthems (unlike anyone else) no matter the opponent is due to the fact that we have a strong Canadian presence in the arena.

 

[SackTastic]

Border not opening. Buffalo people are about to find out how much this franchise depends on Canada.

We've always agreed that Canadian fans are important.

Where we disagree is when you say the Sabres couldn't exist at all without Canadian fans.

 

[SackTastic]

Many Canadians will continue to buy tickets and stay home until travel conditions improve. They're not going to let some little virus and terrible teams drive them away. They are a hearty people.

Some certainly will. I don't think that many though ; even when the border finally does open coming our way, will likely be the same 72 hour negative test requirement. Paying $200-ish per person on a scheduled test just to scoot over for a hockey game is going to turn a lot of people off to even considering it.

( Also to our Canadian friends, I'm sorry that you're being held to a different standard to come over. It's complete nonsense that you can fly here with proof of a negative test, but can't drive over the bridge with one. We miss you. Even Leafs fans.)

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

Some certainly will. I don't think that many though ; even when the border finally does open coming our way, will likely be the same 72 hour negative test requirement. Paying $200-ish per person on a scheduled test just to scoot over for a hockey game is going to turn a lot of people off to even considering it.

( Also to our Canadian friends, I'm sorry that you're being held to a different standard to come over. It's complete nonsense that you can fly here with proof of a negative test, but can't drive over the bridge with one. We miss you. Even Leafs fans.)

If you have to supply a negative test out of pocket on either side of border, almost no one is going to a hockey game unless they get the cost of the test down to like $10.

The issue with Sabres franchise and Canadian fan base is not black and white. I have little doubt the 2005-2007 model of the Sabres will always sell out.

But a middling franchise will have problems. And this is no middling franchise — it’s the Devils of the 1980s. Or worse.

I HAD row 1 tickets at 300 level (blue line) for $50 and biggest issue selling them was they were too expensive. I was told this often. Price point people seemed to want was $25 to $35 for most games. That’s not NHL hockey. That’s an AHL team.

 

[sabremike]

If you have to supply a negative test out of pocket on either side of border, almost no one is going to a hockey game unless they get the cost of the test down to like $10.

The issue with Sabres franchise and Canadian fan base is not black and white. I have little doubt the 2005-2007 model of the Sabres will always sell out.

But a middling franchise will have problems. And this is no middling franchise — it’s the Devils of the 1980s. Or worse.

I HAD row 1 tickets at 300 level (blue line) for $50 and biggest issue selling them was they were too expensive. I was told this often. Price point people seemed to want was $25 to $35 for most games. That’s not NHL hockey. That’s an AHL team.

But that's what we are: an AHL team. If I was a judge and someone sued the organization for consumer fraud by claiming to be an NHL product I would rule in their favor in a nanosecond.

 

[SackTastic]

If you have to supply a negative test out of pocket on either side of border, almost no one is going to a hockey game unless they get the cost of the test down to like $10.

The issue with Sabres franchise and Canadian fan base is not black and white. I have little doubt the 2005-2007 model of the Sabres will always sell out.

But a middling franchise will have problems. And this is no middling franchise — it’s the Devils of the 1980s. Or worse.

I HAD row 1 tickets at 300 level (blue line) for $50 and biggest issue selling them was they were too expensive. I was told this often. Price point people seemed to want was $25 to $35 for most games. That’s not NHL hockey. That’s an AHL team.

In the US, you can get PCR tests for free all over the place, and get the results back inside 72 hours. Most everywhere that charges for them is essentially charging you for speed of results.

And you point on resale is 100% valid. When I still had seats, all of us STHer would ask people who bought one offs how much they paid, and it was always less than us. Didn't make any sense to keep buying the package.

 

[Chainshot]

*Wistfully yearns for the days of the waiting list*

 

[Dex]

I know that essential workers from Canada have been allowed into the US throughout the pandemic. A lot of the nurses in our health system, for example, are Canadian. I wonder if Chuck Schumer, Kirsten Gillibrand or Brian Higgins could pull some strings and have Candian season ticket holders declared essential

 

[SackTastic]

I know that essential workers from Canada have been allowed into the US throughout the pandemic. A lot of the nurses in our health system, for example, are Canadian. I wonder if Chuck Schumer, Kirsten Gillibrand or Brian Higgins could pull some strings and have Candian season ticket holders declared essential

They have all been pushing hard for the land border rules to get changes, for sure.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

In the US, you can get PCR tests for free all over the place, and get the results back inside 72 hours. Most everywhere that charges for them is essentially charging you for speed of results.

And you point on resale is 100% valid. When I still had seats, all of us STHer would ask people who bought one offs how much they paid, and it was always less than us. Didn't make any sense to keep buying the package.

If Sabres provided a free test coming back, it might nudge Canadians. But every hassle and every cost just adds to the reasons not to renew.

The latest border closure goes until September 20 — how on earth could anyone commit $5 K US for tickets when it could easily be extended another month.

And once you buy them, you are stuck selling on apps like stubhub that take a combined 30% (about) from buyer and seller.

I read in Buffalo News about how scalpers have all the season tickets and I wonder what scalpers they are talking about — broke ones maybe.

Brokers will buy tickets and make money on the spread between buying and selling but you cannot own 41 games and make a profit on the season. There is no way. It hasn’t been possible in a decade. You can’t on minipack either because the individual box office price for games like Leafs is almost same as street. Every time the Buffalo News reports this i want to scream.

 

[p0nchik]

I'd be shocked if it wasn't open before Thanksgiving/Christmas, likely with heavy vaccine requirements.

I'd resist giving any optimistic predictions. So far, they've all fallen through. Who knows if another variant will endanger further border openings.

I live outside of N. America. My wife and I have been monitoring which borders open and close for quite some time in hopes we could travel soon. All of the news articles suggesting X border should open at Y date fall through or are continuously pushed back. On rare occasions, they come to fruition, but those are countries most adversely affected by the loss of tourism revenue. Not sure Canada qualifies there as they don't rely on that as much as others, like say Greece or Turkey.

So, needless to say, I'll believe it when I see it.

Then there is the obstruction of needing the vaccine to enter and carrying the docs around. Might be too much hassle for some who may just wait it out until things fully normalize.

 

[Jacob582]

Maybe the uncertainty of revenue is one if the reasons why Pegula is willing to be at the cap floor and "tank" this season. Hopefully it is only a 1 year strategy.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

I'd resist giving any optimistic predictions. So far, they've all fallen through. Who knows if another variant will endanger further border openings.

I live outside of N. America. My wife and I have been monitoring which borders open and close for quite some time in hopes we could travel soon. All of the news articles suggesting X border should open at Y date fall through or are continuously pushed back. On rare occasions, they come to fruition, but those are countries most adversely affected by the loss of tourism revenue. Not sure Canada qualifies there as they don't rely on that as much as others, like say Greece or Turkey.

So, needless to say, I'll believe it when I see it.

Then there is the obstruction of needing the vaccine to enter and carrying the docs around. Might be too much hassle for some who may just wait it out until things fully normalize.

One of the continued issues with opening border with Canada is US wants same policy consistent with Mexico. I will leave others to debate that but based on vaccination rates south of the US border, if the policy remains it could be a few more months.

 

[5 Minute Major]

Border not opening. Buffalo people are about to find out how much this franchise depends on Canada.

Shocking seeing how Canada is 2 miles away from the arena.

 

[SackTastic]

If Sabres provided a free test coming back, it might nudge Canadians. But every hassle and every cost just adds to the reasons not to renew.

The latest border closure goes until September 20 — how on earth could anyone commit $5 K US for tickets when it could easily be extended another month.

And once you buy them, you are stuck selling on apps like stubhub that take a combined 30% (about) from buyer and seller.

I read in Buffalo News about how scalpers have all the season tickets and I wonder what scalpers they are talking about — broke ones maybe.

Brokers will buy tickets and make money on the spread between buying and selling but you cannot own 41 games and make a profit on the season. There is no way. It hasn’t been possible in a decade. You can’t on minipack either because the individual box office price for games like Leafs is almost same as street. Every time the Buffalo News reports this i want to scream.

Yeah, it's comical, and shows the TBN writers have no concept of the current marketplace.

 

[HogtownSabresfan]

Yeah, it's comical, and shows the TBN writers have no concept of the current marketplace.

Zero. It takes almost no effort to go online, see individual pricing for a Leafs game, compare it to Stubhub (factoring in commissions) and see reality. No money to be made most games. The rink is filled with away fans for games like Bruins, Leafs, Habs as much because the Sabres are raising prices for those games (which Ontario fans will pay) than STHers selling those games. But Buffalo News pushes some narrative to say otherwise. A little gerbilism.

 

[p0nchik]

Maybe the uncertainty of revenue is one if the reasons why Pegula is willing to be at the cap floor and "tank" this season. Hopefully it is only a 1 year strategy.

I sincerely doubt it. The prevailing narrative that Pegula is cheap makes no sense to me. He spends recklessly. It's a matter of us being terrible and a poor strat to spend for the sake of spending. he's spent to the ceiling on last place teams.

 

[Bones Malone]

Border not opening. Buffalo people are about to find out how much this franchise depends on Canada.

In 2015 it was reported that 15% of STH were from Canada, so we pretty much already know how much this franchise depends on Canada.