No two teams in the world of professional hockey are alike, and shocking evidence suggests that the same is true of fan experiences.
Attending an NHL game can cost a lot differently around the nation, and where you go to games can determine how much it will cost you.
Online gambling site Time2Play has crunched the numbers of what it costs a fan to attend an NHL game in every franchise city and while it’s not exactly cheap to attend any arena, the cost of an average fan experience in some Canadian cities is nothing short of staggering.
In order to determine their rankings, Time2Play added up the costs of each of the four items—a single ticket plus two beers, one hot dog (sorry, just one), and parking.
Toronto, where a single person will pay $240.78 to attend a Maple Leafs game, is by far the most expensive city in Canada. In fact, the New York Rangers charge $247. 99 for a ticket to a game, making Leafs supporters the second most expensive league-wide.
On the other hand, Ottawa Senators supporters in Canada receive the most value for their money with an average ticket price of about $123.
However, the Sens aren’t the most affordable team in the league; tickets to visit the Florida Panthers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Buffalo Sabres, and Arizona Coyotes are less expensive.
The five remaining clubs in Canada are fairly evenly distributed, with the Montreal Canadiens ranking as the second-most expensive fan experience in the country at $196.79 a game. Vancouver Canucks fans pay the third-highest amount of Canadian NHL fans, with a cost of $159. 49 per game.
Edmonton Oilers fans are paying somewhere in the middle of the pack, with a game experience going for $159. 18, while Winnipeg Jets fans have the third-cheapest games to attend in Canada, costing $139. 11.
Fans of the Calgary Flames pay only $4 more each game than those of the Ottawa Senators, or $127.48, on gameday.
Ben Treanor of Time2Play, a devoted Chicago Blackhawks supporter, told Global News that he was keen to investigate the price of going to an NHL game.
“I’ve noticed in the last ten years or so the cost of taking a family to a game in Chicago has grown out of control,” Treanor, a digital PR specialist, told Global News.
When parking and concessions are taken into account, it is not uncommon for a family of four to spend $500 or more to attend a single game, and that is with mediocre seats.
There is some good news, though: Treanor remarked that some of the facts startled him and emphasised that some places have a lot to offer.
Phoenix is the location of the cheapest experience on the list, and it’s a lovely spot to be in the winter when hockey season is in full force.
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Treanor expresses his hope that the NHL recognises how rapidly the typical fan is priced out of going to games in person and takes action to address this.
“If we want today’s young people to maintain an interest in the NHL as they grow older, we have to make sure they have access to live games in their formative years so they can build those memories that last a lifetime,” he said.
To make things a little more reasonable, “I’d advise teams provide family days more frequently, or even offer discounted tickets for youngsters who come with a parent.
Canadians can still find comfort in the fact that they do not have to pay the highest costs in the league for beer and hot dogs before the hockey season officially begins this week.
According to Time2Play, Rangers fans pay an outrageous $19.75 for a single beer and Seattle Kraken supporters must spend more than $10.50 on a single hot dog.
Let’s hope the league doesn’t shift the blame in this case.
Ranking of the price of tickets to NHL games in each Canadian city
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