THE DETROIT RED WINGS PLAYED THE ANAHEIM DUCKS LAST NIGHT AT THE JOE LOUIS ARENA . THE WINGS WON BUT THE STORY ONCE AGAIN WAS EMPTY SEATS. GOING INTO THIS YEAR'S PLAYOFFS THE RED WINGS HAD A RECORD FOR CONSECUTIVE SELLOUTS THAT DWARFED EVEN THE CANADIENS MARK . 11 YEARS WITHOUT AN EMPTY SEAT UNTIL GAME ONE OF THIS YEAR'S PLAYOFFS. GAME ONE OF THE PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND AND 2500 REGULAR SEASON TICKET HOLDERS OPTED OUT.... 18 PERCENT OF THE WINGS SEASON TICKET BASE.
I HAVE ALWAYS WONDERED WHEN THE PAYING PUBLIC WOULD SAY "ENOUGH-IS-ENOUGH".
WHEN THEY DECIDE THE PAYBACK FROM AN ENTERTAINMENT STANDPOINT DOESN'T MATCH THE PRICE TAG. WELL, "HOCKEY-TOWN" IS HOCKEY-TOWN NO LONGER. THE WINGS REALLY DID IT TO THEIR FANS THIS TIME. A 54-DOLLAR REGULAR SEASON TICKET BECAME A 99 DOLLAR TICKET IN THE FIRST ROUND OF THE PLAYOFFS AND 108-DOLLARS IN THE SECOND ROUND. THOSE ARE SEATS IN NOSE-BLEED UPPER BOWL SECTION OF "THE JOE". STANDING ROOM IS RUNNING 108 DOLLARS.
33 YEARS AGO, HAROLD BALLARD OF THE LEAFS DECIDED HE WAS GOING TO GOUGE HIS PUBLIC BY INSTALLING WHAT HE CALLED "THE GOLD SEATS" IN MAPLE LEAF GARDENS. WHEN HE WAS QUESTIONED ABOUT HIS BLATANT CASH-GRAB HE SAID "I'LL KNOW I'VE GONE TOO FAR WHEN THEY STOP BUYING TICKETS." IN TORONTO YOU APPARENTLY CAN BEAT THE FANS UP ALL YOU WANT AND THEY'LL ALWAYS COME BACK.
THE GOLD SEATS HAVE TURNED TO PLATINUM SEATS AT THE AIR CANADA CENTRE AND EVEN WITH THE 40 YEAR STANLEY CUP DROUGHT THEY KEEP COMING BACK. NOT SO IN DETROIT WHERE ONLY BASKETBALL'S PISTONS ARE SELLING OUT CHARGING 18-DOLLARS FOR TICKETS THE REDWINGS CHARGE 100 DOLLARS. I WONDER IF ANYONE AT THE BELL CENTRE IS TRACKING THIS STORY.
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