What's happening with Canucks tickets during 50% capacity restrictions
New restrictions in BC limiting the size of events to 50% capacity presents a logistical nightmare for the Vancouver Canucks.
The Canucks, who have the fifth-highest average home attendance in the NHL this season at 18,527, will be limited to 9,350 fans at Rogers Arena per game going forward. That’s the same restriction the Canucks worked with during preseason, when only a “limited number” of tickets were made available to the general public for their final two preseason games.
All season ticket members, including half- and quarter-season pack holders, as well as premium members like suite holders, received priority. While the Canucks haven’t shared their plan for the rest of the season publicly yet, a team source confirmed to Daily Hive that those groups will once again receive priority for regular season games held at 50% capacity.
Following the postponement of 50 games due to rising cases of COVID-19 fuelled by the Omicron variant, the NHL started its Christmas break two days early. Games are set to resume on December 27, including in Vancouver, where the Canucks are scheduled to play the Seattle Kraken at Rogers Arena.
In an email sent to season ticket members obtained by Daily Hive, the Canucks provided an explanation for what they plan to do for the upcoming game, while they figure out a plan for future games.
“We are currently focusing on our most immediate game, Monday, December 27 vs. Seattle,” the Canucks said in the email.
“All Canucks Season Ticket Members will get to keep their Membership seats for all Canucks home games. Members will also be permitted to sit in their seats.”
Single-game ticket buyers won’t be as lucky.
The Canucks explained that single-game tickets for the December 27 game against Seattle are no longer valid.
“If you have purchased single game tickets through us (including Ticketmaster purchase), these tickets will no longer be valid, and a refund will be provided via the payment method originally used. Due to the current volume of cancellations, you should expect to receive your refund in approximately 30 days.”
For season ticket members that have printed, gifted, transferred, sold, or posted their tickets, the Canucks explained that those will no longer be valid and will be loaded back onto each member’s online account.
“If you have secured tickets through a third party, you will have to reach out to them directly.”
The Canucks will provide further updates for their January home dates at a later date. The provincial health order is currently in place until January 31.
After the home game against the Kraken, the Canucks are scheduled to play in Anaheim (December 29), Los Angeles (December 30), and Seattle (January 1). The first home game of the new year is January 5 against the New York Islanders.
The Canucks, who have five home games scheduled in January, generate approximately $1.8 million in revenue per home game according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
As for the three home games that have already been postponed, the Canucks explained in the email that they will provide an update regarding options once new dates are announced by the NHL, and to hold on to existing tickets.
There will be rescheduled games played during the previously-planned Olympic break, as the NHL announced it is skipping the Beijing Games, though it is unclear exactly how that will be done.
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