The Vancouver Canucks and Mayor Gregor Robertson hyped the upcoming Heritage Classic at BC Place Thursday as tickets went on sale, but not all fans were sharing their excitement.
The Canucks will take on the Ottawa Senators March 2 in one of six outdoor games happening around the National Hockey League this season.
At a press conference at BC Place, Robertson said the game is a welcome event.
"I think it’s a rare opportunity to host a big spectacle and hockey at its finest," Robertson said.
Two of the Canucks’ assistant captains said they were looking forward to the electrifying energy in the 55,000-seat stadium.
“The atmosphere in this arena is going to be something special,” said Daniel Sedin.
"You look at the way it’s decorated and you picture the rink right in the middle, and right away, it’s going to be exciting," said Kevin Bieksa.
But many Vancouver fans say they can't afford ticket prices for the Heritage Classic, which start at just under $100.
“I would wanna go, but there’s no way I could afford that,” one fan told CTV News.
“[I’m] not that interested. I can watch it on television,” another Vancouver resident said.
Kingsley Bailey of Vancouver Tickets said the ticket costs should have been made more accessible to fans.
“They definitely dropped the ball, they could have had prices a lot more reasonable and a lot more families that could…afford to go,” he said.
While many fans expressed their displeasure with the prices, tickets in the two lowest price tiers sold out by Friday.
With a report from CTV Brtish Columbia’s Scott Hurst.
