Before the drop of the puck at the first Winter Classic, I was emailing Gary Bettman about the possibility of the Capitals participating in what has become a signature event for the league. We wanted to host a game, but the NHL wanted to pair us with Pittsburgh, showcasing one of the best rivalries in the NHL. Since Pittsburgh had been the visiting team in a prior Winter Classic, the thought was the Penguins should be given the opportunity to host a game. So we agreed, but also were assured we would be able to host a Winter Classic in the upcoming years. That’s a win-win for us.
As our fan base has grown and its level of interest and intensity has escalated, we knew a significant number of Caps fans would want to be a part of the franchise’s first Winter Classic appearance. Therefore, one of the most important aspects of our Winter Classic discussions was our ability to secure enough tickets to accommodate our season-ticket holders.
This was an extremely challenging process, but a necessary one for our plan holders. And I thank Commissioner Bettman and his staff for working with us and making this a reality for Caps fans.
I am excited to announce that ALL suite and club seat holders as well as ALL full and partial season-ticket accounts will have the opportunity to purchase tickets to the 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh. In the upcoming days plan holders will be receiving details in the mail pertaining to the Winter Classic and their season-ticket account.
As you might imagine, we have received thousands of requests from Caps fans who would like to buy tickets but don’t own season tickets. We will have an extremely limited amount of travel packages that will be available for the general public, including a three-day, two-night option and a one-day trip opportunity. Please keep an eye out in the next couple of weeks for those details on WashingtonCaps.com and through our Ice Chips newsletter.
We’re playing at Heinz Field, and I know they have a huge ketchup bottle that turns the scoreboard red whenever the Steelers enter the “red zone.” I think it would be hospitable of us to bring our own version of “red” and show the NBC audience how to Rock the Red on New Year’s Day.
See you in Pittsburgh!
Thats great Ted but how about a Hockey junkie from way back trying to get tickets and the NHL is just pricing them so far out there that just a regular joe can not afford them. When this all started in Buffalo we paid $75.00 for the tickets. Last year in Boston we paid $250.00 and now in Pittsburg they are $400.00 good luck trying to fill the Heinz Field.Just like some of the teams around the league they cannot fill their rink with 20,000 seats let alone fill a football field with 70,000 seats
Soon this will stop cause of the price of tickets and the NHL will have screwed up another good thing
Holy cow. Okay, firstly this is *not* a home-game for the Penguins. It’s a league sponsored neutral site game. In exchange for the game being in Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh foregoing a home-date for it, Pittsburgh is considered the home-team. Thus the analogy of this game to a home game at either the Consol Energy Center or the Verizon Center is absolutely incorrect.
Now, let’s talk about the economics of hosting the Winter Classic. It’s clearly aids the economy of the host-city and it brings much needed publicity to the home-city. Thus, it’s in the financial best interest of the city to want there to be many extra tickets available to people from the other team. Those people, generally, will come to town the day before, stay in hotels, consume, consume, consume.
With regards to the FIRST Winter Classic, that was the FIRST one; the league was still learning how to host these. We should look at the deals struck by other visiting teams such as the Red Wings and Flyers to see if Ted was a better negotiater than Mario. I strongly suspect the league really wanted the Caps to play the Penguins and Ted used this desire as leverage to get a larger percentage of tickets available to Cap fans.
Finally… would you Penguin fans quit whining. Anytime something does not go absolutely in your favor it becomes some a whinefest to rival anything in Sonoma. You get to host the game, you get to participate in it for the second time (many teams haven’t even been in the darn thing), you’re on national TV more than any other team (save the Caps)… quite your fricking whining and enjoy your time in the spotlight and stop focusing on the slightest of slights.
So Ted, are you going to allow or lift blocking people with area codes of 412 to buy Pens-Caps tickets at Verizon or are you still going to shut them out? I don’t know how that is not illegal as you are telling certain people they aren’t allowed to buy from you.
So exactly how is it fair that Caps’ Season Ticket holders are given an opportunity to buy tickets before fans in Pittsburgh? When it was held in Buffalo Pittsburgh Season Ticket holders were given 1500. I repeat 1500. I don’t know the exact amount of Caps’ STH but I would guess it’s at least 15000. I believe last year Philly was given 3000. That’s not even close to the amount allotted for Washington. We were told be patient you’ll get your turn at a home Winter Classic and here it is. I got shut out in Buffalo now I along with many other Pittsburghers will get shut out of this one. You can’t even come close to trying to justify this crap. No other Winter Classic has given the visitors this amount of tickets. If this was how it was done all along I wouldn’t complain but all of a sudden it has to change. To top it all off you block people from this area from buying tickets to Caps’ games. Since your fans are getting an extra home game this year you could at least take that block off from fans in Pennsylvania. For this garbage you should actually give us all tickets. Again spare me any kind of justification, there simply isn’t any.
Nice. You expect Pittsburgh to accomodate your fans, but you won’t accomodate them at the Verizon Center. Way to go. Typically classless.
Wow, thanks Teddy. Glad you could share that plan that almost guarantees that NOT ALL of Caps Season plan holders will attend. Therefore, more tix will be available to Pens fans from Caps fans. As always is in D.C.
Merry Christmas Pittsburgh fans. Ha Ha Ha.
I think maybe you should let opposing fans into your arena now. Or are you that big of a hypocrite?
Ted… Hopefully the favor will be returned to Pens fans who want to purchase tickets in Washington at the Verizon Center
You are “The Man” when it comes to NHL owners!
Oh yes – even though my friend and I are STH’s sitting side-by-side at the Verizon Center, we can’t be guaranteed seats side-by-side even if we leave my friend’s dad and brother behind, because our season tickets are on different accounts? That’s REALLY not cool.
I mean, I love my fellow Caps fans, and would probably be OK among them, but I don’t want to get a seat in the middle of a sea of Penguins…
Here’s the thing: I don’t want or need a travel package. I just want four bleeping tickets to the game: one for me, one for a friend, and one each for my friend’s dad and brother. And I want them in the same row, side by side. I don’t think that’s too much to ask for.
Heinz Field has a seating capacity of 65,050 seats, assuming they don’t add any for hockey, since a hockey rink is smaller than a football field. If our STH’s get one seat per butt on the account (sorry for being crude), and their STH’s get one seat per butt on the account, that won’t add up to anywhere near 65,050 seats. Verizon Center’s seating capacity is roughly 20,000. The Consol Energy Center’s seating capacity is 18,087. That’s 38,000 out of 65,000 available seats.
I’m a wee bit confused here.
What did the Penguins pull, two seats per STH or something? How is it that with something like 27,000 seats left after the 38,000 total seats from VC and CEC are filled, we get “an extremely limited amount of travel packages?” Is the general public going to be able to just go buy four tickets to the game somewhere? Please advise!
This post is downright laughable. For years under Teddy Logon – the Capitals have engaged in limiting the opportunity of fans of other teams to attend games at the Verizon center. Then, they cry to Bettman so that all of their season ticket holders (INCLUDING PARTIALS!!!!!) should get access to buy tickets. I just hope that when they get their chance to host the Classic — they’ll drop their policy of limiting orders to local area codes and their similar policies.
Bettman is a joke for allowing something like this to happen given the Caps past operations in this area – then again, it’s just a long line of failures in his position!
Ted,
On behalf of all of us, Thank You for what you’ve done for this hockey club, and town. I’m very much looking forward to starting my 2011 at Heinz Field.
Go Caps!!!!
Ted,
I’m a Pens fan but I enjoy occasionally reading your blog and giving you a hard time, but could you explain how all of this isn’t incredibly hypocritical? Your organization has gone to great lengths to keep Penguin fans out of your building. Now with national attention on a game in our city, one of our home games, you want to prominently “rock the red” in our stadium. That’s fine, but if it’s great for your fans to travel to other buildings, then shouldn’t it be fine for other fans to come into your building?
Sports are a great teaching tool for kids because they’re taught that everyone plays by the same rules. I think you need to take that lesson again.
What about those STH’s who are looking for extra tickets for family and friends to be able to go with them? Looks like if you need to be able to take others, you’re SOL.
Ted, thank you so much, and I have to say the seats we got are great!
Go Caps!
I wonder if the ketchup will fill the scoreboard during a powerplay?
Ted,
There are a bunch of us die-hard Caps fans who just can’t afford to make the trip for the Winter Classic no matter how badly we may want to. But, I was talking with my dad the other day and had a thought. What if you sold tickets for fans who couldn’t be at the game to watch it in the Verizon Center on the Jumbotron? I have no doubt that plenty of fans in similar positions to mine would jump at the chance and I know that my family and I would love to watch us play surrounded by other fans on our home turf. I completely understand if this can’t be done, but since you’re always so great about listening to us fans I didn’t think it’d hurt to share the suggestion.
Thanks for all that you do,
Elyssa
Awesome! I purchased my ticket today, but it seems that EVERYONE in my office is hoping for an opportunity to purchase. Crazy talk in the beginning of August, huh?!? It’s definitely a testament to you, Ted, and the entire Caps team/organization. The topic actually overshadowed the word “Albert Haynesworth” today… I noticed that you mentioned ‘travel packages’. Lots of us booked hotels as soon as the WC was announced to ensure we had a place to stay. Since these accomodations are non-refundable – I’m hoping that there will be a central location or two that can be arranged so we can hang out for New Year’s Eve with like-minded fans. Any plans?
Hey Ted…got the info yesterday…we may have to bring an oxygen mask for how high up we’ll be…with that being said we are looking forward to it….and when you say red…won’t we actually be wearing white or did you all work it out to where we will be in red…that would be sweet
Good work and thanks again!
Hi Ted, I don’t want to sound like a whiner, but, here it goes. This is my 3rd season as a season ticket holder in the 100′s and I was shocked to find my WC options in the nose bleed section. I have checked with others in my area and found their tickets to also in the 520′s, and the cost is quite high considering the location. I want to Rock the Red, but not sure that I will even see the ice from the altitude. I know a lot of season ticket holders were very excited about the opportunity, is there anything that can be done?