Canucks season ticket holder speaks out after membership revoked
Peter Wortman has been a Vancouver Canucks season ticket holder for 33 years, and was planning to sign on again for 2024/2025.
But earlier this month, he got an email saying his full-season membership had been revoked, because the team believes he’s a ticket broker.
“I get why they’re calling me a ticket reseller because I do,” said Wortman, who went to 17 regular season games this past year and sold his tickets to the rest, including the playoffs. “One of the season benefits is the ability to resell them on Ticketmaster, but the fees are ridiculous.”
To avoid those fees, Wortman sold his tickets on social media instead.
“Brokers were buying my tickets because of my pricing, they were making money off me. I don’t really care who buys them,” said Wortman who priced his tickets under what Ticketmaster was asking. “I’ve been losing money for a long time the last few years, so it was kind of nice that this year was a bit pricier, which helped the bottom line,” he added.
Canucks season ticket holder terms and conditions state selling individual games commercially outside Ticketmaster isn’t allowed. So Wortman and others who the team determined have been selling most or all of their seats have had their memberships revoked.
“The fan in me is hugely disappointed. You know, I’ve been a huge fan for a long time,” said Wortman.
“Unfortunately for the fans that have been around for 30 to 35 years, that have put up with the mediocrity of this organization, now all of a sudden they’re looking at it going — all this time and I’m not getting anything out of it anymore, because they don’t value me as a season ticket holder,” said broker Kingsley Bailey, the owner of Vancouver Ticket.
In a statement, the Vancouver Canucks said: “Our goal with season ticket memberships is to create a sense of community and allow fans to attend as many games as possible. Restricting ticket brokers from purchasing memberships and tickets will help create the best possible experience for our fans and protect the integrity of our season ticket members.”
Wortman is not convinced.
“The integrity of season ticket holders, like, I have to laugh at that. They’re showing none at all, so that’s the pot calling the kettle black there,” he said, adding that he believes this is only happening now because the Canucks are suddenly a hot ticket again
“We have been there for years while they’ve been having issues selling tickets, and we have gutted it out, and all of a sudden we are persona non grata,” said Wortman.
“They don’t really appreciate the season ticket holders, even if they have to sell off half or three-quarters of their tickets, what they have brought to the table. They’ve helped them to get to this point right now,” added Bailey.
While he’s angry and disappointed he’s no longer a season ticket holder, Wortman does want to attend some Canucks games.
“I’m torn,” he said. “I know deep down I love going, so I will probably. But the whole thing sucks.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6778341.1708561001!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
'I got no remorse': Greg Fertuck, convicted of murdering missing spouse, sentenced to life in prison
Greg Fertuck will spend life behind bars with no chance of parole until he is 90 years old, a judge ruled on Thursday at Saskatoon's Court of King's Bench.
'Ford's dry summer begins': All LCBO stores closed as workers go on strike
All LCBO stores are closed on Friday as thousands of workers hit the picket lines after their union and employer failed to reach an agreement.
Britain's Labour on track for landslide victory, exit poll suggests, amid anger with Conservatives
Britain's Labour Party headed for a landslide victory Friday in a parliamentary election, an exit poll suggested, as voters punished the governing Conservatives after 14 years of economic and political upheaval.
Saskatchewan has the lowest hourly minimum wage. How does it stack up to the rest of Canada?
Hourly minimum wages increased in several Canadian provinces this spring with more on the horizon, which economists say will likely impact workers and businesses differently.
Trying to sell or buy a home this summer? What a realtor says you should know
In the first few weeks of summer, the real estate sector is experiencing an upturn marked by more housing inventory, a Canadian realtor says
No Frills grocery stores drop 'multi-buy' offer
As receipts tick ever higher for Canadians at the grocery store and shoppers continue to search for savings, one Canadian grocer has ended a perceived deal.
Hurricane Beryl churns toward Mexico after leaving destruction in Jamaica and eastern Caribbean
After leaving a trail of destruction across the eastern Caribbean and at least nine people dead, Hurricane Beryl weakened as it chugged over open water toward Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula on Thursday, going from the earliest Category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic to Category 2 by the afternoon.
CSIS director David Vigneault stepping down after seven years on the job
David Vigneault says he is stepping down from his job at the head of Canada’s spy agency. The director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, who spent seven years at the helm, is leaving the public service altogether.
Biden tells Democratic governors he needs more sleep and plans to stop scheduling events after 8 p.m.
U.S. President Joe Biden told Democratic governors during a meeting at the White House on Wednesday that part of his plan going forward is to stop scheduling events after 8 p.m. so that he can get more sleep, according to three sources briefed on his comments.