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Carolina Hurricanes Announce 2017-18 Season Ticket Plans

It’s that time again; here’s what you need to know about next season’s ticket plans and renewals.

By Jamie Kellner
Jamie Kellner

In the midst of a trade deadline and between back-to-back games in Florida, the Carolina Hurricanes revealed their 2017-18 Season Ticket Member (STM) campaign Wednesday, complete with pricing, special deals, deadlines, and member benefits. Here’s what fans can expect, whether dipping toes into the season ticket pool for the first time or renewing as a long-time customer.

Relevant Links

Press Release and STM Benefit Highlights

Overall, the Canes 2017-18 ticket plans remain relatively consistent with past seasons in terms of pricing by location, plan flexibility (in addition to full season plans, 22- and 11-game flex plans return), and member benefits. However, 2017-18 ticket plans are increasing next season, reported by the team as a three percent increase on average over equivalent plans from 2016-17.

Tickets for individual purchase will still be subject to tiered pricing (Gold/Silver/Bronze) based on opponent and game date, but all season ticket plans will feature one consistent price per game. This is a change from last season for 22- and 11-game flex plan members who saw their invoice fluctuate once they selected the specific games for their plan based on tier designation.

New for next season, and a perk being met with much rejoicing across the fan base, all Season Ticket Members will enjoy a 15% discount on most food and beverage items purchased at PNC Arena. Alcoholic beverages are excluded from the discount per North Carolina law along with a few third-party food kiosks not under arena ownership, but otherwise eat, drink and be merry for a bit less next year.

Sitting upstairs and want to watch the game from down low? Also new this season for early renewals is a credit of up to $500 for the purchase of in-game seat upgrades, which is managed through the Canes mobile app. In a nutshell, the app allows a ticket holder to check in with their STM ID, scour the arena for available seats in a better section, and use the app to upgrade to the new location.

The early renewal date to take advantage of most benefits, including the aforementioned seat upgrade credit, is Thursday, Mar. 30. Popular returning benefits for early renewals include food and beverage credits, prepaid parking discounts, vouchers for additional tickets, and access to the 30 Prizes in 30 Days promotion which features daily prizes ranging from gift cards to signed memorabilia to one-of-a-kind team events like lunch with the general manager or a road trip with the team.

The STM star rating system returns, which rewards membership loyalty with access to events based on tenure, plan, and seating location. In addition to many access events that were made available last season such as the team autograph party and holiday photo session, several new events have been added to the membership experience. “First Star” STMs will have access to a Front Office Town Hall, Chalk Talk Breakfast with Ron Francis, and a $300 food credit for suite rental. Second Star STMs will have access to a Player Photo event, and all members will have access to a new movie night event.

In conjunction with the 20th anniversary of their inaugural season in 1997-98, the Canes are offering a limited number of full season tickets in lower level premiere sections 101 and 107 for a deeply discounted price of $1,997. There are limitations and exclusions to this deal (most of the membership and access benefits listed above do NOT apply with this offer), but for fans looking for a great deal in a great section of the arena, the price can’t be beat.

Full Season Ticket Plans

With the exception of the $1,997 ticket special, full season ticket members enjoy the benefits of exclusive seating locations, the best discounts on per-ticket and parking pricing, the most vouchers, and the largest food and beverage credit, along with an exclusive STM gift and in-arena acknowledgement on the STM wall.

Many full-season ticket members did not see a price increase last season but that won’t be the case this year. Long-time season ticket members who renewed in 2016-17 were eligible for a price freeze as long as they were renewing an equivalent plan, while new 2016-17 STMs were subject to a higher ticket plan price. That higher ticket price is in effect for this season, so long-time STMs are going to see an increase from last season’s invoice.

For example, a long-time STM renewing in Sideline Premiere will see their ticket price increase from $88 per game to $92 per game (last year’s price for new STMs), which increases the total plan by $164. In the Club level, the increase is $205 per plan, and on the third level prices increase from $41 (Fan Zone) to $123 (Mezzanine and Terrace Value) per plan.

The Canes have added pre-game ticket exchange eligibility to Fan Zone plan holders, a benefit that was carved out from their plan last season (allows a plan holder to exchange a ticket from an upcoming game for a ticket to another upcoming eligible game).

Last season’s early bird food and beverage credit has been reduced from 10% to 7% of the total ticket plan purchase price.

22- and 11-game Flex Plans

The good news is that tiered pricing (Gold/Silver/Bronze based on opponent and/or game date) has been removed from the Flex Plans. The bad news is that the new Flex Plan pricing is based on last season’s ticket pricing for Silver plans which weights the per-ticket pricing higher than last season’s average ticket price. While it’s not possible to calculate an exact price difference because each plan holder can select a variety of games from each tier, here are comparisons based on weighted pricing (assumes a proportional mix of games selected from each tier) and Bronze game pricing only (which was in effect for 70% of last season’s games):

  • A 22-game STM will pay an additional $30-$60 per plan in the upper level, $71 in Club level, and $64-$76 per plan in the lower level compared to a weighted purchase of games across pricing tiers from last season. Those numbers increase to $44-$88 per plan in the upper level, $132 in Club level, and $110-$154 in the lower level based on last season’s pricing for Bronze games.
  • An 11-game STM will pay $9-$27 more in upper level, $27 in Club Level, and $31-$36 in lower level versus last season’s weighted pricing, and $22-$55 in upper level, $66 in Club level, and $55-$66 more in lower level over last season’s Bronze pricing.

Post-game ticket exchange benefits have been removed for all Flex plans and is now an exclusive benefit for full season plans only. Last season 22-game plan holders were allowed to exchange tickets after a game had been missed.

Food and beverage credit for the 22-game plan has been reduced from 7% to 5% (11-game plan discount remains at 3%).

Existing Season Ticket Members can access all the details at STM Central and forward questions to their assigned account representative or the @CanesSTM twitter account. Newcomers can visit the Canes STM site or contact a representative at 1-866-645-2263.

Are you a current STM, if so, what do you think of the new plans and benefits? Did your cost change for next season? Are you considering making a change, to a different section or to another plan? Let us know your thoughts in the comments, thanks!

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