The Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group (OSEG) is cutting costs at Lansdowne Park, from parking to the price of a ticket to a 67’s game.
The goal is to attract more fans and make a visit to Lansdowne more affordable, OSEG says.
Many of our Lansdowne visitors perceived that prices for parking, 67’s tickets and food and beverage services were too high,” said OSEG President Jeff Hunt in a news release. “We’re announcing measures to deal with all those areas of concern and improving traffic flow within the parking garage.”
OSEG took to YouTube to post a tongue in cheek video featuring their corporate staff reading “mean Tweets.”
The Tweets are from disgruntled fans and visitors to Lansdowne voicing concern about parking and the price of 67’s tickets and food.
“Your food options look good, too bad I can't afford to actually taste them,” said one Tweet read aloud in the video by Hunt, “along with the hashtag “who do you think you are.”
“Between ticket prices and the cost of parking for a junior hockey game, not that surprising that #67s attendance has been bad,” said another Tweet read by OSEG Ticket Operations Manager Eric Childers.
The price of parking at Lansdowne is going from as much as $3.25 for half an hour to $1.50 for half an hour.
The lower rate will be in effect seven days a week in the underground parking garage, except for events where more than 15,000 people are expected to attend.
67’s fans will now pay about $9 for game-day parking compared to the previous $15 rate, and fans will be able to order parking online in advance for $8.
OSEG is also implementing new measures such as more exit lanes and a designated parking area to make it easier to leave Lansdowne after a game.
“There’s always a crush at the end of a game when a large number of fans leave the garage at the same time,” said Hunt. “That’s somewhat compound here at Lansdowne by the fact we have other activities on the site such as the Ottawa Farmers’ Market, Whole Foods, Sporting Life and other popular shops and restaurants.
“Over the last couple of months, we’ve learned a great deal about managing traffic flow within the garage and we are immediately implementing new measures that I think will make a noticeable difference.”
Game-day 67’s ticket prices will drop by $4, bringing adult tickets to as low as $18, and $13 for kids.
There will also be special group rates and a kid’s pass allowing kids 12 and under to attend games for less than $1.
A new menu will be introduced in January, offering concession stand items for less than $5, including a 12-oz. draft beer for $4.50.
“The lower game-day ticket price means you can make a last-minute decision to see the 67’s and get-in for under $20,” Hunt said, adding the new ticket prices are lower than the CHL average.
OSEG also encourages fans to take OC Transpo to 67’s games (game tickets get you a free ride on OC Transpo on game days), but Hunt says if fans want to drive and park, there will be ample, affordable parking.
