Sharks Lose Big, Raise Ticket Prices

14 May 2012

Now I know this is a little behind, but it’s still a pretty hot topic with fans, and the heartbreak suffered from the playoffs this past season is still there.

Even after dropping the quarter finals to the St. Louis Blues, the San Jose Sharks are finding yet more ways to disappoint their fans.

According to David Pollak of the of the Mercury News,”They’ve increased the number of price levels from 11 to 18, in part because of the premium on sitting in San Jose’s offensive zone for two-thirds of the game.” So what does that mean and which sections are going to be higher priced? Well, if you’ve ever gone to a game at HP Pavilion, you would happen to know that the Sharks “offensive zone” is lower sections 103 through 113 and upper sections 203 through 213.

Not only are they raising the prices in those sections by 6.5 percent, but again, prices will vary based off opponent, day of the week and the high demand of the game. So pretty much games against all Eastern Conference teams, Detroit, Chicago, Vancouver, LA, Anaheim, Dallas will be higher priced games in those sections.

The last time the Sharks took to a hike in the ticket prices over 5 percent was in 2008, for the 2008-09 season when they jumped up 7 to 8 percent. At the end of the 2008 season, the Sharks ended the season in first place with a 49-23-10 record, earning them their third Pacific Division title. However, they lost in a triple overtime to the Dallas Stars in the Conference Semifinals.

After being eliminated by the Stars, prices did not go up for the 2009-10 season, and in fact, the Sharks have reduced prices just once for the 2005-06 season.

I may or may not be the only one baffled by this raise in prices, as my thinking is don’t you have to actually win games and do good to warrant the hike? It has made sense in the past as the Sharks have won games and done pretty well in the post season.

My question is why Sharks? You do want your fans to come to games right?

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Stephanie Lee

After being born and raised in Northern California, I'm often asked how I became a hockey fan. Simply put, I was born into it. Attended my first Sharks game in 1998 and fell in love. Marco Sturm is the reason I continue to love and watch the Sharks to this day. I've got this knack for naming players on teams just by being told their last name only. Test me. :)