If the numbers truly don’t lie, then the early financial forecasts for the Swift Current Broncos in 2011-12 are likely not positive.
With only a few weeks until the season opener the Broncos season ticket sales are lagging well behind last season, which was hardly a success at the gates in its own right.
Broncos Director of Business Operations, Jordan Wall, explained late last week that the team had only sold 1,232 season tickets, a drop of 225 from the same time last year, which was down from the season before that as well.
Wall noted that there were about 125-150 season tickets cancelled and only 36 new season ticket holders.
“There are definitely some areas of concern. Realistically, in a tougher season, we want to at least get back to where we were and then push gradually higher,” said Wall.
The team ended up with 1,707 season tickets last season when it was all said and done.
“We obviously want to be at least that high and pushing incrementally higher until we get to a point in the near future where we are around 2,000,” he said.
“I think that we are getting to a point where 2,000 season ticket holders will probably be something we need to have in the fairly close future. Something is going to have to happen pretty soon.”
Wall said that season tickets sales are the most important factor for the club’s business side of operations.
“It is absolutely paramount. It is the biggest driver for our team. There are always ups and downs in gate revenue and other areas, but it is the one area that really is your solid foundation.”
“There are lots of other things you can do in terms of fundraising and corporate but it always comes back to how many season tickets and how many walk up tickets, mini packs, and half season tickets you can sell because it is still the foundation,” he added.
The hockey club is trying everything it can to entice more season ticket sales.
Something is going to have to happen pretty soon - Broncos Director of Business Operations, Jordan Wall
“Well we are trying to do a little bit of everything. I think the main part of it is that we are trying to put more benefits on the season ticket packages. We are not foolish, we understand that people don’t have as much time as they used to. Sometime it is not always realistic to say that you can come to 36 games. So for us it is about putting new benefits on there.”
Among the benefits to season ticket holders will be first access to the Pro Bull Riding event that was a huge success this year, GM Luncheons where season tickets holders can meet the hockey operations staff, a season ticket holder barbeque to open the season, as well as coupons for game-day discounts and first access to the locker room sale.
Wall said that price-wise the team’s season ticket packages fall in line with other Western Hockey League teams even though they are hampered by having a very small building compared to teams like the Calgary Hitmen and Vancouver Giants.
“When you are comparing to Calgary and Vancouver and everybody else, we all operate on the same kind of system and we still try and put the same type of product on the ice. So for us to be able to come close to try and match them in certain areas you have to be able to pull in more and more revenue off of what we have. So if our building is a lot smaller than theirs, it usually stands to reason that you have to charge a lot more than they do. At this point we don’t, we fall right in the average and I think we are very affordable. Then you add in the fact that our concession items and alcohol items aren’t very expensive on the league standard, we don’t have parking fees and our rink is very easily accessible.”
Season tickets can be purchased by visiting The Stable at the Credit Union iplex or by calling (306) 773-1509.
