W'kings slash season tix prices

[Triton]

Brandon's Keystone Centre


Brandon, Manitoba – In an unprecedented move, the Western Hockey League’s Brandon Wheat Kings have announced plans to cut Season Ticket prices to $250 for the 2006-07 season, in an effort to sell over 2,500 season tickets for the first time in franchise history.

The Wheat Kings, who sold 1,700 ticket packages last season, averaged 3,154 fans during the 2005-06 campaign, ranking them sixteenth in the 20-team circuit. Although last year’s season ticket numbers were among the best ever, Brandon general manager/head coach/owner Kelly McCrimmon says those totals fall well short of other clubs in similar size markets.

“We have identified for some time that one of the organizations make or break challenges is to grow our season ticket base,” says McCrimmon. “While we have shown modest improvements over the past five years we still rank at the bottom of the WHL in terms of season tickets.”

“We are using this price shock to jump ticket sales dramatically,” McCrimmon went on to say. “$250 equates to a ticket price of $6.95 per game, less than half the regular admission price and down from $10.28 per game last year.”

To streamline and simplify the season ticket buying process, their will be two price points available this season. Adult tickets will be $250 and youth (ages 18 and under) will be $125.

Winners of three of the last five Eastern Division pennants, the Wheat Kings also announced that ticket prices at the door will remain the same (among the lowest in the league) for the third year in a row.

2006-07 Gate Admission Prices;

Adults $14.00
Seniors $11.00 (ages 60 and over)
Gen X $11.00 (ages 19-30)
Youth $ 9.00 (ages 13-18)
Children $ 6.00 (ages 6 to 12)



In other news, the Wheat Kings in conjunction with the Keystone Centre are pleased to announce that thanks to the efforts of the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba, Brandon will have the opportunity to host games one and two of their best of seven opening round playoff series in March, should Brandon have home ice advantage in round one. During recent years, the Wheat Kings have played game two on the road to accommodate the start of the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair.

“I personally am extremely grateful to Keystone general manager Patty Griffith, Provincial Exhibition President Jim Ferguson and general manager Karen Oliver for their efforts in accommodating our request for the Saturday preceding the Winter Fair,” says McCrimmon. “This is great news for Wheat King fans and players.”

As well as introducing their new Season Ticket prices, the Wheat Kings used Thursday’s news conference at the Royal Oak Inn to unveil their new 40th Anniversary Commemorative logo.

Designed by Keith Flynn of Flynnagain Productions in Toronto, the Anniversary logo recognizes Brandon’s 40th season in the WHL. After splitting time between the Manitoba and Saskatchewan Junior Hockey Leagues during the fifties and early sixties, the Wheat Kings joined the Western Canada Hockey League in 1967, finishing in eighth place with a record of 21-33-6 in sixty games.

Plans for what should be an exciting and eventful 40th Anniversary season are currently underway with details to be announced throughout the summer.

Fans wanting to purchase 2006-07 Season Tickets can phone 726-3535 or by emailing the hockey club at office@wheatkings.com

[HAF]

Thats awesome! I just paid for my Ams package and for 2 adult and one youth it cost me over a grand!!!

[Bully73]

I have mixed feelings. My pocketbook is thrilled to see the price per ticket go down by $80 per ticket (saves me $160 plus taxes), but this has me very worried about our city keeping a WHL franchise. It sucks that Kelly has to take such drastic measures to try and increase his ticket base. Its not like last years prices were expensive for a winter worth of entertainment. I'm sure we were likely already near the bottom of the league in prices and this surely has to put us at the very bottom if we were not already there.

For the sake of keeping WHL hockey in Brandon, I sure hope this gets a lot more bums in the seats (and hopefully will create a more lively atmosphere in the arena).

[Beaner]

I have mixed feelings. My pocketbook is thrilled to see the price per ticket go down by $80 per ticket (saves me $160 plus taxes), but this has me very worried about our city keeping a WHL franchise.


I see your point. But I dont think you have too much to worry about, I personally think this is a marketing job to fill the building and hopefully more people will stick for season tickets next year.

[Triton]

I have mixed feelings. My pocketbook is thrilled to see the price per ticket go down by $80 per ticket (saves me $160 plus taxes), but this has me very worried about our city keeping a WHL franchise. It sucks that Kelly has to take such drastic measures to try and increase his ticket base. Its not like last years prices were expensive for a winter worth of entertainment. I'm sure we were likely already near the bottom of the league in prices and this surely has to put us at the very bottom if we were not already there.

For the sake of keeping WHL hockey in Brandon, I sure hope this gets a lot more bums in the seats (and hopefully will create a more lively atmosphere in the arena).


I think this is an idea Kelly had for their 40th season.And something special was to lower season ticket prices.The wouldn't shut down operations or move one of the leagues oldest franchises.The day the Regina Pats,and the Blades move is a day to be worried.

Brandon did have one of the lowest season ticket prices,and that even featured the gen X.Walk up prices are pretty low for a team that ice's a competative team each year.I would kill to live in Brandon.I would have season tickets every year till I die.

I'am still trying to convince the Mrs. to move to the Wheat City.

[Bully73]

I personally think this is a marketing job.


[QUOTE=canadian eh]The wouldn't shut down operations or move one of the leagues oldest franchises.


I don't disagree that it is partly a marketing job, but you have to understand the recent past history of this club and the sweetheart lease Kelly negotiated at the Keystone quite a few years ago (can't remember exactly how many years now). The lease was for ten years and has to be coming up for renewal soon. Kelly threatened to move the club at that time as leverage to negotiate the deal he got (which is one of the best lease deals in the league). I don't think he has a chance of getting such a sweet deal when it comes up for renewal (which has to be soon), as there was a lot of bad press as a result of the deal.

There is a lot of money being offered for WHL franchises and Kelly has to be frustrated with how well other clubs are doing attendance wise in the league compared to what he is drawing. I don't know if the WHL would allow him to sell or move the team, given the importance of the Manitoba market for keeping Manitoba players funnelled to the WHL, but it is obviously something he has explored previously with his threats from a number of years ago to move the team.

Ever since the lease was negotiated quite a few years ago, there hasn't been any further talk of moving the team, but you will have to forgive me for seeing ulterior motives in this ticket price decrease. I sure hope the season ticket base jumps exponentially with this deal and if there are any ulterior motives, they won't be given a chance to be used.

[Triton]

Where was Kelly planning on moving them?

[Bully73]

Back then, there was no team in Everett (I'm not sure about T.C.?) and there was a lot of talk about moving the team to the U.S.

[Triton]

k now you got me worried that my greatest fear may come true one day.Thats just scary to think about.

[Beaner]

I do believe though that if the WHL has no team in Manitoba that they could lose their exclusivity rights to draft players from that province.

IE: Manitoba players could go to the OHL or the WHL.

As far as I know the WHL has a vested interest in keeping a team in Manitoba.

[WHEATMAN]

there is no way the WHL would ever allow the wheaties to move. Mainly due to the fact that they are the only manitoba based team, If the wheaties were to relocate, the WHL would lose all prospects based in Manitoba. The only way this could ever become a reality is if the team moved to Winnipeg, otherwise there will always be a team in Manitoba

[SectionNDeserter]

there is no way the WHL would ever allow the wheaties to move. Mainly due to the fact that they are the only manitoba based team, If the wheaties were to relocate, the WHL would lose all prospects based in Manitoba. The only way this could ever become a reality is if the team moved to Winnipeg, otherwise there will always be a team in ManitobaBillings used to have a team as I recall, OMG there is no longer a team in Montana, how could the league allow this...... :)

[Bully73]

there is no way the WHL would ever allow the wheaties to move.

I'm not trying to be a fear monger, but only pointing out it is a possibility. I am simply a fan and have no inside info and am only basing my conclusions on past happenings, but I think to say "would never happen" is naive.

I agree (as I also stated this in a previous post) that the WHL would have a problem on their hands with the loss of the Manitoba market, due to no longer having Manitoba players exclusively to themselves. At the same time, they would get rid of a team that causes enormous amounts of travel for other teams (and Winnipeg would only be worse). Three and a half hours further east than the next closest team (would be five and a half hours with Wpg). In addition, if it is so for sure that the WHL would not allow it to happen, it seems odd that there was so much fuss over the team potentially being moved during the last Keystone lease negotiations.

I hope my concerns are invalid, as I would be lost without my WHL fix in the winter, but given what has happened in the past, I think there is at least a small chance it could happen. Let's hope this new ticket pricing brings out new season ticket holders in droves and then there really will be no reason to be concerned as a full arena (even at reduced prices) will be a surefire way to keep Kelly happy with Brandon. A full arena will also help make it a more lively atmosphere in the arena.

I think what bugs me even more is that it takes this kind of drastic action to fill the seats. It was really irritating two years ago when we had a team that had so much talent and was such a joy to watch and yet there was often nights with only 3,000 - 3,500 at the games. If it bugs me as a fan, I can only imagine how irritated it must have made Kelly.

[Triton]

Exactly how much does the Keystone hold?Would Kelly ever consider hosting the Memorial Cup?I know he's expressed himself about his dislike to sell the farm for a championship,but after 40+ years I think the fans have waited far too long.If only the group in '79 would have gotten the job done or the '96 group...damn Petes.

It's frustrating seeing new teams like the Raiders winning it after they entered the league,Red Deer winning it,Kootenay has a title.

Maybe since London won it in their 40th season maybe Brandon will follow suit....(wishful thinking,but you never know,and we'll have a deadly team this season).

[Triton]

Brandon, Manitoba -- The Brandon Wheat Kings have announced that over 1,200 Season Tickets have been purchased for the 2005-2006 Western Hockey League season, including nearly two hundred new ones.

The Wheat Kings, who sold 1,700 ticket packages last season, have sold 1,230 Season Tickets since unveiling plans to cut Season Ticket prices back on June 8th.

The hockey club is hoping that by reducing prices this season, it can sell 2,500 Season Tickets for the first time in franchise history.

Brandon averaged 3,154 fans per game during the 2005-06 campaign, ranking them sixteenth in the 20-team circuit.

"$250 equates to a ticket price of $6.95 per game or less than half the regular admission price and down from $10.28 per game last year," Wheat Kings' general manager Kelly McCrimmon said during last month's news conference.

To streamline and simplify the season ticket buying process, their will be two price points available this season. Adult tickets will be $250 and youth (ages 18 and under) will be $125.

For more information on 2006-07 Season Tickets or to order, fans are encouraged to call 726-3535 or email the Wheat Kings at office@wheatkings.com

In other news, the WHL club has finalized its 4-game pre-season schedule.

Brandon will host the Swift Current Broncos on September 8th, before hitting the road for games in Swift Current on September 12th and Regina on September 15th. The Wheat Kings will close out their exhibition schedule on September 16th against the visiting Pats.

Brandon brings the curtain up on its 2006-07 campaign with a home and home weekend series with Moose Jaw, beginning Friday, September 22nd at the Keystone Centre.

[RunTheGoalie]

I do believe though that if the WHL has no team in Manitoba that they could lose their exclusivity rights to draft players from that province.

IE: Manitoba players could go to the OHL or the WHL.

As far as I know the WHL has a vested interest in keeping a team in Manitoba.

Chances are that would not happen. I would expect that the CHL would allow the WHL to retain rights to the Manitoba market if the Wheat Kings were to leave. Similar to how the WHL has exclusive rights to the western third of the US, despite having teams in only two states.

However, the WHL has mentioned a long term desire to put a team in Winnipeg. This is only possible with Brandon acting as a bridge between Winnipeg and Regina.

[Triton]

Brandon, Manitoba – The Western Hockey League’s Brandon Wheat Kings may be well on their way to establishing a new franchise record for Season Ticket Sales, but according to figures released on Monday, the team still has a long way to go in reaching their off-season goal of selling 2,500 for the 2006-2007 campaign.

As of Monday, July 31st, a total of 1,447 Season Tickets had been sold for the upcoming season, which kicks off with a weekend home and home series with the Moose Jaw Warriors on Friday, September 22nd. Of those, close to four hundred are new season tickets.

The Wheat Kings, who sold 1,700 ticket packages last season, averaged 3,154 fans during the 2005-06 season. Their season ticket total was among the lowest in the 20-team circuit.

In June, the WHL club announced plans to slash season ticket prices to $250 for adults and $125 for youth (ages 18 & under).

“The off-season sales has been encouraging,” says Wheat Kings’ director of marketing / media relations Rick Dillabough, “but we have a lot of work to do in order to reach our goal.”

For more information on 2006-07 Season Tickets, visit www.wheatkings.com or call the Wheat Kings’ office at 726-3535.