Could the Wild's Sellout Streak End This Coming Season?

Article from The Wild State of Hockey:

Quote :

A lot has been made about the Wild's sellout streak possibly ending this season. In reality, if you pay close enough attention, I think that it is just a matter of time before it eventually happens. Let's look at the signs.

A quick visit to Ticketmaster and you will find that there are still countless tickets available on the lower level and club level for home opener against Anaheim. Searching about five times for a pair of tickets in the lower level brought me to tickets all around the lower bowl from row 4 in section 102 to row 13 in section 117. Remember years past? Just last year, home opener sold out in just eight minutes. If you weren't one of the first people in line last year, you missed out. Notice how there was no similar announcement from the team this year?

I joined the Wild Warming House almost four years ago now. When I joined, Wild representatives informed me that a pair of upper level end tickets could take 15+ years to obtain as even people who joined the Warming House shortly after the Wild formed still haven't been able to get those tickets. I was also told that upper level sides could be a ten year wait. This summer, the Wild have called me four times offering me pairs of season tickets in the upper level sides ranging from section 203 to section 216. Much to my disappointment, I simply had to politely decline as the staggering economy has hit me as hard as anyone. Hopefully I will be able to accept next season.

Newly introduced this season was the introduction of "companion games" where if people wanted to purchase tickets to the October 30th game versus the New York Rangers they also had to purchase the same exact seats for the November 18th tilt against the Phoenix Coyotes. Or, if fans wanted to purchase tickets to the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on January 11th, they also had to get accompanying seats for the October 28th game versus the Nashville Predators. Kind of a smart move by the Wild organization because they knew fans would want to see the return of Gaborik when the Rags come to town or Sid the Kid and the Stanley Cup Champion Pens, but it's painfully obvious that this was an attempt at trying to sell tickets to games that they knew fans wouldn't normally show much interest in.

If you take a quick visit to the Wild's website, advertisements about purchasing tickets are across the top of the webpage nearly every time you visit you the site. Maybe it's just a sign of the tough economic times. As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. While it certainly won't be an earth shattering moment if the streak eventually comes to an end, it is something that Wild fans have taken pride in. The label of "The State of Hockey" is only further proven by the support that Wild fans have shown in the nine years the Wild have been here.

If the sellout streak does fall (currently at 367 games-preseason, regular season and playoffs), fans can rest assured that a new streak will begin sometime in the near future, especially when the economy returns to a state of normalcy. With the new regime in town and Chuck Fletcher and Todd Richards promising exciting new changes, the Wild and it's future look as bright as ever. If I had to pick, I would take a bright future over a sellout streak any day.

Well, keep in mind that a sellout is officially 18,064, which means even when they hit the sellout mark, they have over 500 more available tickets, as many seats were added to the building after the first season when 18,064 became the official number (prior to the added rows in the upper level and the drink rail spots).

So even if there are a lot of tickets available, they still may hit the level required to announce a sellout.

That being said... the economy has affected many fans, so it is very possible the streak ends this season.

what really grinds my gears though is that places like Ticket King andf Stub Hub buy up tons of tickets and then try and double or triple the price when selling them back to the public. So of course because brokers buy up tons up tickets it also counts towards the sell out streak.

I know I had several phone calls from my rep to try and get me season tickets, or split season tickets.

Each time, had to turn them down due to the economy and the fact that Aurora is currently unemployed.

Also, with the Wild being able to reach sellout level for both pre-season games this year... that does bode well for their chances in the regular season... though it is no guarantee.

Velmeran wrote:

and the fact that Aurora is currently unemployed.

Crap, sorry to hear that Vel, you two have both been hit the past couple years... hope she's able to find something.

i can't believe they had sell out numbers during the preseason.......i went to one preseason game last year and it was pretty empty.

but maybe people are THAT pumped for the new system eh?

Remember, the tickets don't have to be used to count as a ticket sold. A ticket sold is a ticket sold, and a ticket sold and unused is still a ticket sold.

How the building "looks" means nothing when talking sellout. I don't get how some people don't understand that one. *cough*Antti_Laxative*cough*

Season ticket holders don't put high value in their pre-season tickets, and often times can't get rid of them when they can't make it to one. Personally when I can't make it to a pre-season game, I give the tickets away for free.

00Xtremeninja wrote:

i can't believe they had sell out numbers during the preseason.......i went to one preseason game last year and it was pretty empty.

but maybe people are THAT pumped for the new system eh?

Well, the STH's account for what? 16,000 tickets or so, and they're forced to purchase the preseason games.
There are also a lot of people who like to try and see prospects. Me, I've been to 2 preseason games and I felt both were pretty boring and couldn't quite figure out why I paid the same price for those games as a regular game.

TaLoN wrote:

Also, with the Wild being able to reach sellout level for both pre-season games this year... that does bode well for their chances in the regular season... though it is no guarantee.

Velmeran wrote:

and the fact that Aurora is currently unemployed.

Crap, sorry to hear that Vel, you two have both been hit the past couple years... hope she's able to find something.

2 layoffs for me (though this last one removed any and all potential legal blockers preventing me from applying for where I currently work, and I LOVE where I'm now working). This is her 2nd cut because of lower enrollment or class size juggling. She's going to sub this year (she has a 'training' session on the districts online systems for subs this week and then should start). We've managed so far and should be fine (just makes it hard to put cash aside for those Wild tickets I want!)

and preseason tix should be sold at a discounted price anyways it floored me when i paid 24 and extra last year for the preseason game i went to.

I've been lucky myself. Started working where I do way back in '95, and have survived 7 layoffs in 14yrs. They pay me extremely well, thus am kind of trapped as I highly doubt that I'd get the same pay somewhere else local.

00Xtremeninja wrote:

and preseason tix should be sold at a discounted price anyways it floored me when i paid 24 and extra last year for the preseason game i went to.

That's unfortunately a standard for all leagues. By comparison though, pre-season hockey is a hell of a lot more entertaining than pre-season football. I've been a Vikes season ticket holder for several years as well, yet I've only gone to about 2 pre-season games... EVER. Usually leave before the 4th qtr because it becomes too painful to watch!

jesus Tal, what do you do for a living that you can afford Wild and Vikes season tix?!?

and even more curious if you have 2 seats!!! lol

Well, Vikes tickets are so much cheaper it's crazy, since you only pay for 10 games (8 regular season and 2 preseason).

Thus even though my Vikes tickets are $2 more per ticket face value, I am paying THOUSANDS less!

I split Vikes season tickets with my brother, and we both go to every game. Tailgating is a ritual for us, it's a fricking blast!

As for Wild tickets, I have a pair I pay for myself on the lower level end behind and to the left of Backstrom/Harding (when facing the same way they do).

So Vikes tickets 10th row upper level on the 5 yardline (opposite side of Vikes bench) cost me $670.

Wild tickets section 124 row 4 seat 7 and row 5 seat 7 (in several years have not been able to get tickets anywhere as close being side-by-side, and I sure as hell don't want to move all the way back to row 17+) costs me over $5200.

As for what I do for a living? I'm a "Defect Engineering Tech" for Cypress Semiconductor.

I never knew you had a brother...
Learn something new everyday.

damn man, the 5200 for Wild tix would leave me shitting myself until no tomorrow. The Vikes are pretty reasonable.

I can't remember how much season tix are for the Packers, but I know they are pretty spendy.

With how much you pay for the Wild tix it is a shame they don't include the playoffs. If they make a cup run, it is like buying a used car all in one shot for a year, lol.

Velmeran wrote:

I never knew you had a brother...
Learn something new everyday.

That's because he's not much of a hockey fan.

00Xtremeninja wrote:

damn man, the 5200 for Wild tix would leave me shitting myself until no tomorrow. The Vikes are pretty reasonable.

I can't remember how much season tix are for the Packers, but I know they are pretty spendy.

With how much you pay for the Wild tix it is a shame they don't include the playoffs. If they make a cup run, it is like buying a used car all in one shot for a year, lol.

Keep in mind the price I listed for my Vikes ticket is only the half I pay for, thus just a single seat. Double that for the entire account cost.

As for the expense of the Wild tickets, that's for 44 games (including pre-season). That's why the high expense.

TaLoN wrote:

Velmeran wrote:

I never knew you had a brother...
Learn something new everyday.

That's because he's not much of a hockey fan. :lo:

Dis-own him.

BTW - I'm a very generous Wild season ticket holder. I bring various friends/family to games, and never charge a single person for the ticket they use.

that is big of you Tal, especially when you see on the Ticketexchange on Ticketmaster people charging tons of money for a ticket.

Although, my theory is this. They intend to go to the game, but if someone is willing to pay the price then missing that game won't kill em.

Yep, Talon is great at bringing people to games, I've gotten to see some great games from one of his seats several times, and all it cost me was beer



Does anyone know how corporate seat sales are doing this year? I think that will be the more telling information in regards to the sellout streak possibly ending.

Velmeran wrote:

Yep, Talon is great at bringing people to games, I've gotten to see some great games from one of his seats several times, and all it cost me was beer



Does anyone know how corporate seat sales are doing this year? I think that will be the more telling information in regards to the sellout streak possibly ending.

Hey, you're more than welcome to go to another, just let me know which games work best, and I'll let you know if it's open or not!

TaLoN wrote:

Velmeran wrote:

Yep, Talon is great at bringing people to games, I've gotten to see some great games from one of his seats several times, and all it cost me was beer



Does anyone know how corporate seat sales are doing this year? I think that will be the more telling information in regards to the sellout streak possibly ending.

Hey, you're more than welcome to go to another, just let me know which games work best, and I'll let you know if it's open or not!

Will do! Only tickets I've actually purchased so far this year for me and Aurora are the final home game of the year

We're off to Italy on a missions trip over the home opener (Oct 1 - Oct 12) or we'd be going to that game as well.

Wow, cool, what type of Missions?

TaLoN wrote:

Wow, cool, what type of Missions?

We're going to be working with the International Church in Padua (or Padova) and hosting a mini-retreat for some of there college members; and doing some coffee shop nights around campus helping students work on their English.

(and I've hijacked my first thread on a new boards )

Wow, sounds like a trip!

Velmeran wrote:

TaLoN wrote:

Wow, cool, what type of Missions?

We're going to be working with the International Church in Padua (or Padova) and hosting a mini-retreat for some of there college members; and doing some coffee shop nights around campus helping students work on their English.

(and I've hijacked my first thread on a new boards )

Hmm, I think I infected you, my bad.

Have fun Vel. That sounds like a whole lotta fun!