The Most Expensive Tickets in Sports

The Most Expensive Tickets in the National Hockey League

5. Vancouver Canucks
> Avg. ticket price: $158.09
> W-L past 10 years: 921 (3rd highest)
> Championships past 10 years: none
> Avg. home attendance: 18,884

The Vancouver Canucks have been the most dominant Canadian hockey team in recent years. Due in part to their success, demand for tickets is high, with secondary sales yielding a shade over $158 on average. Over the past 10 seasons, the team recorded the third-most points in the NHL, behind only the Red Wings and the San Jose Sharks. During the 2010-2011 season, the team made it to the Stanley Cup finals before losing to the Boston Bruins. At the end of the 2011-2012 season, the team put together a strong performance during the final stretch to earn the Presidents’ Trophy — awarded to the team with the best record during the regular season — for the second year in a row. In 2011, Forbes estimated the Canucks to be worth $300 million, the seventh-most valuable team in the NHL. The team also brought in an estimated $23.5 million in operating income, more than all but the Maple Leafs, Rangers and Canadiens.

4. Pittsburgh Penguins
> Avg. ticket price: $160.28
> W-L past 10 years: 802 (13th lowest)
> Championships past 10 years: 1
> Avg. home attendance: 18,566

The Pittsburgh Penguins are the only American team in hockey to make the list. The team is currently led by star centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin and goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, whose performances have led the team to six consecutive playoff appearances. The Penguins also won the Stanley Cup during the 2008-2009 season. The following year, the team moved out of the Civic Arena, or The Igloo, and into the CONSOL Energy Center, and started playing there in July 2010. The new building sold out every game during its inaugural season with the team.

3. Montreal Canadiens
> Avg. ticket price: $186.67
> W-L past 10 years: 812 (15th highest)
> Championships last 10 years: none
> Avg. home attendance: 21,273

The Canadiens have been a professional hockey team since 1909, predating the NHL, and were one of the league’s original six teams. Needless to say, the team has maintained a strong fan base through bad times and good. Those times are usually good, however — the Canadiens have won 24 Stanley Cup championships. This year, however, was the worst the team had seen in a very long time. The “Habs” recorded the third-worst record in the NHL and fired their coach, assistant coach and general manager. Recent troubles have not dragged down ticket prices too much, the average second-market ticket was over $186 per person. According to Forbes, the Canadiens franchise earned $47.4 million in 2011, more than all but one team.

2. Winnipeg Jets
> Avg. ticket price: $197.26
> W-L past 10 years: N/A
> Championships past 10 years: none
> Avg. home attendance: 15,004

The 2010-2011 season for the NHL’s Atlanta Thrashers would prove to be the last in the United States for the hapless franchise. The Thrashers had been struggling both on the ice and financially. They had not won a single postseason game in their 11-season history, and they had posted a net operating loss every year since the 2004-2005 lockout. The franchise was purchased and moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba, giving the city a new Jets franchise, which it had been lacking for 16 years since the old Jets had moved to Phoenix. Fan fervor in the 15,000 capacity MTS Centre was exceptional during the Jets first year back, and the stadium averaged sellout crowds in the 41 games played there. While the Jets failed to make the playoffs in their first year, they kept fans on their toes, remaining in the running until the final few games of the season.

1. Toronto Maple Leafs
> Avg. ticket price: $199.62
> W-L past 10 years: 785 (11th lowest)
> Championships past 10 years: none
> Avg. home attendance: 19,506

The Toronto Maple Leafs have not made the playoffs since before the NHL lockout, which occurred during what would have been the 2004-2005 season. But that has not prevented the team from being the most valuable and profitable in the NHL. The Leafs had $81.8 million in operating income in 2011, $34.1 million more than the second-most profitable team. The Leafs regularly sold over capacity in the Air Canada Centre during the 2011-2012 season. However, a large new arena designed to seat 20,000 occupants could possibly threaten the team’s profitability. According to the Toronto Star, the new arena is being built approximately 25 miles from the Leafs’ Air Canada Centre in downtown Toronto.