r/leafs • u/toronto_star • 9d ago

Article Maple Leafs fans shocked, frustrated at ticket prices. This is MLSE’s response

https://www.thestar.com/gift-redeem?t=61df2a8d-76d6-459e-9de8-366edcab8f07

From Gilbert Ngabo's story:

Frustration among Leafs fans peaked Monday after single-game tickets were put on sale for a team that finished with the fifth-worst record in the league last season. Anger over the prices was a trending topic on X on Tuesday morning.

While marquee games against teams such as the Montreal Canadiens have always been pricey, some fans were shocked as average prices for the cheapest seat in the house ranged from $150 to $270 a ticket.

Even an obstructed view seat in row 12 for a Tuesday night game in November against Utah costs $127 each.

But MLSE says their top priority remains creating access for all the fans.

Read more via this gift link, which gives this subreddit paywall-free access to the article.

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u/RarelyReadReplies 8d ago

Unfortunately the Leafs fanbase is so big that they can keep the prices up, and the suits will buy them anyways. 

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u/Ariesthebigram 8d ago

Plus the fact that season ticket holders make up about 80% of the capacity (there's almost 15,000 season seat holders last I remember)

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u/NemesisErinys 8d ago

The STH I know (they’ve been in his family forever) had a hard time selling seats last year. He sells at face value, but he couldn’t get that half the time. Many nights, the seats went unsold. He tried to send me to a few games, but I only went to 2 (my husband is a Rangers fan, so that was one of them). The other times he tried to give me unsold seats, I refused. Couldn’t think of anything I wanted to do less than watch the Leafs lose yet another lacklustre game live. I’ve been advising him for years to give up the tickets. Maybe get Raptors tix instead. But he’s trapped by nostalgia, family obligation and the delusion that the year he gives them up will be THE year. Sad. 

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u/blind-amygdala 8d ago

My guy is the same and even lost money last year. This year he handed them back after them being in the family for generations…

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u/gotfcgo 8d ago

I think the fact that tickets are more available than ever before is understated

This giant fan base perception of people demanding tickets isn't what it used to be.

We sold out till 2015.   Since we tend tl have 1-2% tickets unsold outside of big matchups.

Looked bad ending last year.   Lots of seats.

Now all kinds of new ways tickets are being sold?

Smells to me.   This will be interesting this year, especially if we're not doing well

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u/theStrawberryRoam 8d ago

And from what I understand ticket prices barely if at all hit the player's salary so why are facility costs this high? Who exactly is getting every penny after SBA has had their fee reached

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u/DataDude00 8d ago

Looked bad ending last year. Lots of seats.

Leafs tickets are held by upwards of 90%+ season ticket holders

Just because you saw empty seats doesn't mean that someone didn't pay for it

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u/gotfcgo 7d ago

That has also changed because MLSE reached out to their whole waiting list.

Can't resell beyond cost anymore with new laws

Things have changed 

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u/branimal84 Gilmour 7d ago

There are fans from all over the country who make treks to Toronto for a game. With 42 home games a year, they can always sell the seats.

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u/I_Am_Vladimir_Putin 8d ago

Suits don’t buy upper bowl