So much for our prognostications. Although Pete and I both nailed the highest priced games, and both of us successfully picked a Value game. Which means our challenge is declared a tie. (Take THAT Tim Schmitt and Matt Pearl!)

The Buffalo Sabres today announced their 2008-09 variable pricing formula for single game tickets, and a new tier, the “Platinum” category, has been added to the lineup, which also includes Gold, Silver, Bronze and Value priced games.

All three Toronto games, as well as the February 6 Montreal game, have been designated in the Platinum category… ticket prices will run from $78 in the 300 end zones to a high of $233 for club level seats for those four games.

At the other end of the spectrum, only three games, October 30 Tampa Bay, November 12 St. Louis and December 1 Nashville are the bargain value games. Those seats will run $22 to a high of $99 at the window.

A couple of surprises… the Sabres have assigned both Washington games, including a Tuesday night during the Christmas holidays, as a Gold game. I’m having a hard time buying that one… even with Alexander Ovechkin on the ice, Caps games are usually a snoozefest in my opinion.

Additionally, both Rangers games and both Flyers games are Gold games, and while all four are weekend games, I’m thinking that this whole Drury and Briere thing is part of what’s driving this to the premium category… Hasn’t all that gotten a bit old?

The entire breakdown is as follows:

Platinum - 4 games (3 weekend)
Gold - 10 games (8 weekend)
Silver - 15 games (11 weekend)
Bronze - 9 games (1 weekend)
Value - 3 games (0 weekend)

Best bargains on the schedule? In addition to the three Value games, the Sunday 2/15 Carolina game in the Bronze category could be a hot seller. The 12/22 Pittsburgh game is a Silver game, and although it is a Monday night game, look for that one to go fast. The 11/28 Pittsburgh game is listed as Gold, and that is always a big night out… I would have made that Platinum.

Interestingly, two of the three Ottawa games are Bronze, and those are always exciting to be at.

Biggest dogs? Besides the two Gold Washington games, the 11/14 Columbus and the 3/6 Phoenix got Silver designation, probably because they are on Friday nights. Bow-Wow!

The Sabres announced that single game tickets will go onsale on Saturday, September 20. As in the past there will be a presale for season ticket holders in the days leading up to that date.

Check out the entire Sabres schedule, prices and game designations at this link.

RSS 2.0 Respond Trackback