The Washington Capitals finished 10th in the NHL in paid attendance this year. Only Detroit, Minnesota, Philadelphia and Buffalo sold more tickets than we did in the United States. Who said Washington wasn’t a town that was in love with hockey and its team?
We sold more tickets than even Edmonton in Canada and we sold more tickets than the New York Rangers as an example.
However, we finished 20th in the NHL in ticketing revenues due to our very reasonable ticket pricing policy. We wish to thank all of our fans who bought tickets this year. You all rock! Thank you so much.
Ted – Just wanted to say that there are always going to be people who disagree with your decisions, but know that people recognize how much you care. Thanks for bringing back Hockey to DC! C-A-P-S CAPS CAPS CAPS
Ted, looks like all that badgering about not marketing in baltimore area finally paid off!
I’m sure the STH prices are an awesome deal, and you are an awesome owner to do that, but as a single working mom I can’t afford a STH package and can’t go to so many games anyway. I splurge on 1 game per season so that I can take my 8-year old son to see his beloved Caps. It’s always a great experience once we get into the arena; just wish it was closer. Thank you Ted and thank you Caps!
Brian L…Dunkin Donuts sells coffee downstairs – and hot chocolate
For this season ticket holder, it is indeed a great value. Thanks keeping the prices reasonable, Ted! The Caps’ true fans appreciate it greatly.
Ted –
As a full season ticket holder, I must thank you. Offering discounts from gate prices for full-season ticket holders is a practice that should be more widespread, as it rewards the dedicated fans who are willing to commit (as you have) to the long-term success of the team.
I find the Caps tickets to be an excellent value and bargain – and honestly, it is one of the greatest purchases I have ever made.
And the ONLY way I would have ever bought a full season to any sport, is if that sport had an owner like Ted that was committed to putting a great team and wonderful experience out there, night in and night out. I must say, the Caps have delivered that beyond my wildest expectations.
I’m just amazed that there is a waiting list of over 100k people for another local team that offers NO discounts for season ticket holders, poor management, a poor team, and even gouges their fans with parking and other costs.
Thank you for keeping the ticket prices so reasonable! I want to be able to afford to continue rocking the red for years to come!
Well I personally have flown in from Alaska a total of 5 times this Caps season, two of the times (season opener and game 7) have only been a one day visit specifically for the Caps games. So I can understand how the numbers have gone way up. Fans are coming from all over, and fans close by are showing up in multitudes. It’s amazing how much the fanbase has grown in the last couple of years. I’ve been a Caps fan for well over 10 years and I have never been prouder then these last couple years to be a fan.
I will be in Virgina for round 2 and any other rounds that may follow. I will try my hardest to resist buying more then 500 pacifiers for this round. Maybe I’ll do something else though
I’m so happy for our attendance numbers Mr. Leonsis! You’ve stood by this team when times were really ahrd, and just like Bruce said to our boys last year fighting for a post season berth “you keep doing what you need to, and good things will happen, you will be rewarded” You sure have been rewarded. CONGRATS!!! You deserve it!
See you in round 2!!!
…and thanks to _you_, Ted, for extending those reasonable ticket prices into the playoffs! -JW
I believe that is pretty impressive. I remember years when there was a echo in the arena during a game. Please keep tickets reasonable so I can to continue to enjoy the games live.
Quick tip to make more money…
Sell COFFEE at the games!
Was the low revenue due to “reasonable” ticket prices or the lack of club seat and suite revenue? You are quite the salesman if you can call any ticket to a pro sporting event reasonably priced with a straight face. Of course, the building is full so you must be close to the intersection of supply and demand.
Is there a public source for those attendance numbers? The ESPN attendance numbers show the Caps ranked lower, trailing the Rangers.
$50 was the premium price for a few select games. They were mostly in the $30 range. BTW, I imagine with the increase in Full Season Tickets that the revenue will drop, since the season ticket price of the tickets are dirt cheap (in the $20 range). They will sell out every game but people will be paying much less for the tickets next season.
Bargain? Abso-freakin’-lutely. With all due respect to the first comments’ author, I think the high school-debate team-water boy (for instance) could present winning arguments to that effect. Consider objectively, accounting for league average ticket prices factored-in with some product quality indicators (team/player performance rankings) and consumer demand heuristics, you find that with the 6th lowest avg ticket price, a second-place, highest-scoring team in the eastern conference, whose allure has reached an entire globe of even the most casual hockey fans and acts as the NHL’s proverbial fan recruitment juggernaut -50 bucks for a pristine view of how it all comes together is -well, a bargain at least worth dragging-out a sentence for.
Single game tickets are going to be more expensive at any venue. Try comparing it to other sporting events and you will see it’s a pretty great deal.
Mr. Leonsis also makes it extremely affordable to be a season ticket holder.
The other owners of local teams could learn a lot from Mr. Leonsis.
I’m surprised that Detroit finished so well with their dwindling economy and high gate prices. No matter kudos to you Mr.Leonsis for this bit of good news and the berth into the second round.
Congrats on the strong attendance figures. $50 for upper bowl sounds like a deal. Try travelling 10 hours to Montreal to see the Caps play in December at the Bell Center. $50 doesn’t get you in the door. Someday I will make the 15 hour drive to DC the see my team on home ice. I’ll gladly pay $50.
Don’t even think it Ted!
Okay, you can think about it. As long as you offer discounted flights as part of the package
Seems ready to get bigger. One great thing for the Caps in DC is that it has not been a big hockey town; so vast untapped market who will come.
- Jeff
I beg to differ, Patrick! Ted, thank you so much for your reasonable pricing, and for allowing us working class fans to continue to rock the red at Verizon! With a season ticket plan, our playoff ticket prices were TERRIFIC! We had been saving up, thinking we’d break the bank if the Caps advanced to Round 2; but tickets ended up being 1/3 of what we anticipated! We spent what we would normally dish out for ONE Redskins game for the entirety of Round 1. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! Unfortunately, I’m home tonight because I have to teach school early tomorrow and my husband took my dad instead. Of course, it was the night they met you before the game and had a photo op! Sorry I missed it, and please know that they were honored!
To be fair, Edmonton doesn’t have as many seats in their arena as they could sell. That’s a big reason why they’re going to get a new one. So that’s somewhat misleading.
Congratulations Ted, that’s great, & you deserve many thanks from hockey fans in the DC area!
I remember going to games in the early years at the Capital Centre. General admission for upstairs was $4.00 but you could sit wherever you wanted to in the upper half of the arena. After the second period you could come down and sit wherever you wanted. My son must have ten broken game used sticks that would be given away after the game if you knew the right people.
A different time.
Ted,
Thanks for keeping it affordable. Pound for pound there is nothing in the world like a rocking Phone Booth! I have been to games elsewhere, and the Caps ARE a bargain.
Congratulations on the attendance numbers. The CAPS have come a long way. I longed for the day when the Capitals would hold a true home ice advantage and here we are. Been a fan of the CAPS for 27 Years. GO CAPS!!!
Patrick,
He didn’t call it a “bargain”. He said “reasonable”, and he means relative to the rest of the league. Its a factual claim. Caps ticket prices are simply lower than league average.
kudos to you, the players,coaching and related staff, and most of all to those that are in the trenches selling the tix
Whatever the single game attendees may think of the ticket pricing, we dedicated season ticket holders find the prices quite reasonable (under $20 for row A, home end, upper bowl). We appreciate the discounts you offer in exchange for our loyalty, as well as the ticket exchange options (although, with season tickets sold out next year, they may be harder to come by). Thanks for being a good owner and recognizing that building an established fan base is more important than maximizing revenues.
Mr. Leonsis-
I must say I am shocked that the Caps’ tickets are a bargain compared to the rest of the league. I truly am shocked – how is row K upper bowl corner for $50 a bargain? YIKES!