Jaromir Blagr: The Hockey Blog

UAA season tickets are up 111 percent, so there's that

Rough start to the season for UAA — 1-6-0 after Friday's 5-2 home loss to Alabama-Huntsville — but there's some good news on one front: Season ticket numbers have more than doubled.

The threat to Seawolves hockey appears gone — skiing and indoor track are targeted for elimination in the University of Alaska's budget cutting — yet that threat spurred UAA to make available $150 season-ticket deals for balcony seating at Sullivan Arena. Previously, the balcony was closed off because, well, UAA's shrinking attendance left plenty of seats available in the lower bowl.

In any event, the latest report from UAA — stick salute to Chris Gerace at the athletic department for quick updates — puts season ticket purchases at 706. Ordinarily, that's not overly impressive. But consider last season's number — 334.

So, season tickets are up 111.4 percent. And 368 of those tickets — more than UAA had overall last season — are in the balcony. My Bartlett High math tells me UAA has pulled in $55,000 in revenue from the balcony tickets alone, a not insignificant number for a athletic department that could use every buck it can get.

Anyhow, season-ticket purchases don't necessarily mean those folks who bought in will come to all the games.

And, after starting 0-3-0 on home ice entering tonight's rematch with the Chargers, the Seawolves could do themselves a marketing favor by winning. Almost nothing chases away fans as efficiently as losing. Just ask the Alaska Aces. Two non-playoff seasons — after 11 straight playoff appearances and three ECHL Kelly Cups — has impacted the Aces' crowds the last two seasons.

Doyle Woody

Doyle Woody covered hockey and other sports for the Anchorage Daily News for 34 years.

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