Canucks could be out up to $1 million per game at 50% capacity
After 38 days away from home, the Vancouver Canucks took to the ice at Rogers Arena Friday for a home game against the league-leading Florida Panthers.
The return to home ice happened just in time for Robin Delisle, who happened to be in town for a few days.
“While I was here, decided to grab tickets online and go check out the Panthers being that they’re kind of dominating the league right now,” he said.
The Canucks last played at home on Dec. 14 when they beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3.
After that, several games had to be postponed due to a high number of players in COVID-19 protocol, both on the Canucks and their opponents.
For a brief period in December, the National Hockey League shut down all cross-border travel amidst a surge in new cases in Canada and the United States.
And most recently, the league and the Canucks postponed a pair of January games in the hopes of an imminent change to provincial health orders limiting attendance to 50 per cent of capacity.
The restrictions did not change, so the team will play the next several games in a half-empty arena.
Rogers Arena can accommodate 18,910 spectators for hockey — meaning about 9,500 fans were notified their tickets were no longer valid for Friday’s game.
“We had to make some decisions on who could come to the game and our first priority is our season ticket members,” said Michael Doyle, president of business operations for Canucks Sports and Entertainment.
Doyle was reluctant to put a dollar figure on the amount of money the Canucks expect to lose while operating at 50 per cent capacity.
“It’s obviously a significant impact. Not just for the Canucks but also everyone that works at Rogers Arena and for Canucks Sports and Entertainment,” he said.
Sports business analyst Tom Mayenknecht thinks the team could lose several million dollars over the next few weeks.
“Minimum $750K, up to a million dollars per game, especially when you add on concession sales,” he estimated.
But with the restrictions extended past their original mid-January end date, the team did not have the luxury of postponing any more games.
It will push ahead at 50 per cent capacity and hope that the restrictions are lifted as the pandemic situation evolves with the Omicron wave.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.