THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, May 23, 1995 TAG: 9505230045
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY HARRY MINIUM, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 97 lines
It'll cost more to watch the Hampton Roads Admirals next season at Scope, though ticket prices will remain among the cheapest in minor league hockey.
The price increases announced Monday, which had been expected, include a general-admission price of $8 for all seats, up from from $7 and $6. The team's 3,900 season-ticket holders will experience a $15 increase, to $225. Because the Admirals will play 35 regular-season games instead of 34, the per-ticket cost of season tickets will rise only slightly, from $6.10 to $6.43. An exhibition game also is included in the package.
Admirals president Blake Cullen said spiraling costs have forced him to raise prices for the fourth time in six seasons. Tickets cost $5 in the inaugural season of 1989-90, went to $5.50 and $6.50 the following season, and to $6 and $7 two years ago.
``We still have the cheapest ticket in hockey,'' Cullen said.
That won't quite be true next season, but it was last season, when a study by the Portland Pirates of the American Hockey League tabbed Hampton Roads the least-costly ticket among five minor pro leagues.
Teams in most other comparable East Coast Hockey League markets charge much more. Charlotte's season-ticket prices range from $175 to $560 and single-game admissions from $7.50 to $16. Season tickets in Richmond cost from $210 to $420, and single tickets are $6, $8, $9 and $12.
Raleigh is an exception. The IceCaps, who haven't increased ticket prices, and Hampton Roads will charge the same for most tickets next season.
Only three small-market ECHL teams charge less than Hampton Roads for general admission - Wheeling's single-game prices of $6, $7 and $8 are the lowest in the league. Erie and Johnstown charge $7 and $8.
Although season-ticket plans vary, Hampton Roads and Raleigh have the cheapest price for prime seats, and only Erie offers a substantial number of season tickets at less than $225.
Many ECHL teams are raising prices in part because the players have unionized. Most expect the salary cap of $6,000 per week to increase or be abolished, and for the union to push for expanded medical insurance. Negotiations between the ECHL and the union have not yet begun.
``Most people will charge more,'' said Gregg DeVitto, marketing and media relations director in Johnstown. ``Everyone expects costs to rise because of the union.''
Cullen said other factors weighed more heavily than the players' union.
``We used to get $34 hotel rooms. Now they're $53,'' he said. ``We fly some places now. Insurance went from $6,800 to $125,000 in the course of a couple of seasons. I can't absorb those costs. You have to make a profit.''
The Admirals will continue to offer discounted tickets. Groups can purchase tickets for $7 apiece, up 50 cents from last season. Coupon books that can be exchanged for six tickets at $7 apiece also will be available for purchase soon.
Letters describing the price hike were mailed to season-ticket holders Monday night. Cullen said the initial reaction from those who've called and asked about ticket prices ``has been better than we thought.''
``The reaction hasn't been bad,'' he said. ``Nobody likes to pay more. But a number of season ticket holders say the ($15) increase is reasonable.
``Any time you raise prices you worry about the reaction. . . . But we had to do it.'' ILLUSTRATION: Chart
ECHL TICKET PRICES
Team Season tickets General admission
Birmingham $340, $250, $200 $11, $9, $7
Charlotte $560, $385, $367, $262, $175 $16, $11,
$10.50, $7.50
Columbus $400, $320 $10, $7
Dayton $420, $350, $280, $210 $11, $9, $7
Erie $235, $165 $8, $7
Hampton Roads $225 $8
Huntington $532, $358, $288, $188 $11, $8
Johnstown* $280, $245 $8, $7
Knoxville* $550, $295, $255 $25, $10, $8
Nashville $597, $346, $283 $25, $10, $8
Raleigh $225 $8
Richmond* $420, $315, $272, $210 $12, $9, $8, $6
Roanoke* $298, $263, $210 $8.50, $7.50
South Carolina $350, $280, $262, $227, $192 $9.50, $7.50
Tallahassee $530, $236, $187 $15, $8, $6
Toledo $308, $224, $182 $11, $8, $6.50
Wheeling $280, $245, $210 $8, $7, $6
* Offer sizeable discounts for paying this spring or summer for
season tickets.
Source: Virginian-Pilot and Ledger-Star phone survey of ECHL
clubs. All ticket prices are for adult admissions. Season ticket
prices are for 1995-96. General admission prices for some teams are
for 1994-95, since they haven't decided whether to raise prices.
Expansion teams in Jacksonville, Louisville, Mobile and Lafayette,
La., and Greensboro, which has left the ECHL, were not included.
by CNB