Ducks Give Ticket Prices Another Bump Up

Some NHL teams spend spring pursuing the Stanley Cup. The Mighty Ducks, who just missed joining that group, had to settle for their rite of spring--raising ticket prices.

The Ducks will increase prices on selective seats next season, finishing off what team officials called a three-year plan to reconfigure the price structure of the Pond’s 17,174 seats. Officials said next year’s increases would affect only 16.8% of the seats. In the past three years, prices for every seat have been raised.

“We didn’t want to push it all through the first year,” said Andy Roundtree, team vice president for finance and administration. “We wanted to avoid sticker shock. We didn’t want it to look like, ‘Ha, ha, we got you.’ ”

Some, though, heard a little snickering.

“They did get us,” said Jim Paliwoda, who has owned season tickets since the first season. “But what are you going to do?

“I don’t begrudge them making money. They are just treating this like another arm of the [Disney] empire. I’d rather they would try to endear some loyalty from their fans. But they know someone else will buy my ticket. Oh well, I’m a sucker, I’ll be back.”

The Ducks, who routinely sell out home games, had approximately 12,500 season-ticket holders last season, according to officials. Ticket applications for the 1996-97 season were mailed Friday.

Duck officials said half of the season-ticket holders were informed of the latest increases a year ago.

“This wasn’t done arbitrarily,” Roundtree said. “This was was something we wanted to evolve.”

Said season-ticket holder Brad Boardman: “Maybe evolution hasn’t gotten to me. My seats have gone up only $1.50 since the first year, so I’m not unhappy. But I have some friends who sit on the lower level who have taken some hefty jumps.

“With the type of players they are getting, I guess this was bound to happen.”

Among the players acquired this season was Teemu Selanne, who nearly pushed the Ducks into the playoffs. They finished 35-39-8 last season for 78 points, tying them with with Winnipeg for eighth place in Western Conference. Winnipeg advanced because it had one more victory, the first tiebreaker.

The price increases range from $1 to $25, depending on the section.

Front row, or glass seats, will cost $150 unless they’re behind the goals. Those will go for $125. It’s a $25 boost for both.

Plaza rear seat prices were raised for the third consecutive year. They were $32 in 1993-94, but will cost $55 next season after the latest $10 increase. All lower-bowl seats are one price.

Terrace seats behind the goals went up a dollar to $21 and the terrace single game seats went up a dollar to $15.

Team officials said the Ducks’ average price per ticket ($35.65) is below the 1995-96 NHL average ($38.65).