Canucks defend ticket price increase despite lacklustre regular season
Posted April 22, 2025 7:32 am.
After missing the playoffs for the eighth time in 10 years, the Vancouver Canucks are raising ticket prices for the 2025-26 regular season.
During Tuesday’s year-end news conference with general manager Patrik Allvin and president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford, team brass tried explaining to fans what’s behind the increase.
“I understand the frustration,” said Rutherford. “I don’t like to pay more for anything either, none of us do. But not being in the playoffs after having a price increase is hard for people to understand. I’m not responsible for the price of tickets, so I’ll make that clear; it’s not my lane.”
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO 1130 NEWSRADIO VANCOUVER LIVE!Rutherford said there are two main reasons behind the jump.
“The one thing I will say is part of that is not just about the hockey team, with the cap going up, that is part of it, but another part of it is the building that we have — is investing money back into an older building that we’re fortunate is almost filled for every game.”
This summer, the old red seats at Rogers Arena are being ripped out and replaced with sleek new black ones, a project expected to be completed in time for the beginning of the next regular season.
“I can understand the frustration of people, but they do have to understand the money is being invested back into the building and to offset the [salary] cap,” Rutherford continued.
The cap for next season is going up to $95.5 million USD, $104 million in 2026-27 and $113.5 million in 2027-28.
“Part of what we deal with here is, it’s not tariffs, fortunately, but it is the exchange rate,” Rutherford said.
“All our revenue is in Canadian funds. When we have an $88 million cap this year and going to $95 million next year, that’s really like a $130 million in our dollars with how we do our business. So, you’ve got these different variables that we have to deal with, and unfortunately for our very, very loyal fans, that we’re thankful for, we have to keep up.”
Rutherford suggests that as the salary cap goes up, so will national TV revenue, which will help.
“All indications with ownership are that we’re a team that will spend to the cap, and our ownership is very good about that. They give hockey ops all the tools necessary to do what we need to do.”
As 1130 NewsRadio reported two weeks ago, season ticket sales for next year are nearly sold out, with it being around the 95th percentile range.
What’s not going to help revenue streams is continuing to miss the postseason. When you include tickets, food, concessions, and merchandise, the team was leaving roughly $7.5 million to $8 million in profit on the table for each home game.
Fans react to ticket price increases for next season
For months, fans have been vocal regarding increased ticket prices, especially with the team struggling to find its identity.
Many have taken to various social media platforms to voice their anger, including threads on Reddit.
One thread is called “23-24 prices vs 25-26. Are they kidding?”
“The way you make change is with your money. Don’t buy tickets and voice why,” Reddit user Ahhgotreallots said.
Another user named ben_nova added: “It’s also a shame as someone who has moved here last year to watch the Canucks and come from a country with no hockey, it means I can’t watch the hockey, and I miss out on something I love.”
“I got on the list for season tickets, got an email with the above prices a week or two ago… Delusional. Telling the rep they’ve lost their minds. And PASS,” user feelingpeckish123 said.
Others chimed in with solutions, including keeping season tickets and selling them when possible, buying anything that’s available at the last minute, and checking out resell websites for a deal.
Team needs revenue to keep star players
One key component to the Canucks finding any success down the road will be locking captain Quinn Hughes to a long-term contract, but that will require a lot of money.
The president of hockey operations said Tuesday the team will do whatever it can to keep the Norris Trophy winner and is preparing for a massive extension when it’s time. Hughes has two seasons left on his current deal.
Rutherford also made controversial comments about Hughes, saying it may not be about money for him, adding Hughes had previously said he wants to play with his two brothers, who are currently under contract with the New Jersey Devils. Rutherford doubled down that keeping Hughes may not be in their control and then suggested bringing the Hughes brothers to Vancouver. He then realized he had potentially tampered with NHL rules.
Other players looking for an extension will be goaltender Thatcher Demko and Conor Garland. Both Pius Suter and Brock Boeser are unrestricted free agents this summer, and there are no guarantees they’ll be back with the club. The team also announced it will not exercise the team option on Tocchet, adding contract talks are ongoing and they expect Tocchet to make a decision on his future later this week.
