Jets clinch playoff spot, owner urges local biz to buy in By: Martin Cash Posted: 3:57 PM CDT Tuesday, Apr. 11, 2023 Last Modified: 10:07 PM CDT Tuesday, Apr. 11, 2023 Updates

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This article was published 11/04/2023 (880 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg Jets recaptured an NHL playoff spot Tuesday night — but off the ice, the organization is out to recapture paying customers.

The Jets have launched a campaign — called Forever Winnipeg — to significantly boost season-ticket sales for 2023-24.

It’s being deemed the “largest season ticket member sales drive” since 2011 when the franchise moved from Atlanta to the Manitoba capital. Back then, the goal to sell 13,000 season tickets was reached within 17 minutes.

On Tuesday, True North Sports and Entertainment chairman Mark Chipman told a crowd at a Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce luncheon the hockey team has lost 3,000 season-ticket holders since the COVID-19 pandemic.

“That challenge has become far more daunting now that the effect of the pandemic is fully understood,” he said. “After 10 years of consecutive sellouts, we now find ourselves in a very different world.”

Chipman said the local business community does not drive season-ticket sales, as is the case in other Canadian markets.

That needs to change, said Chipman.

“Eighty-five per cent of our season-ticket base is made up of personal accounts. Only 15 per cent held by biz. Compared to our Canadian counterparts who enjoy a range of 45 per cent to 85 per cent of accounts being held by business.

“You’re now figuring out why we are here (at the business luncheon) today.”

“That challenge has become far more daunting now that the effect of the pandemic is fully understood. After 10 years of consecutive sellouts, we now find ourselves in a very different world.”–Mark Chipman

The team has had limited success in the dozen seasons since relocating. It has qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs six times and won only three post-season rounds. That said, no Canadian team has played more playoff games than the Jets in the past five seasons.

The Jets defeated the Minnesota Wild 3-1 Tuesday night to claim the final wild card spot in the Western Conference. It wasn’t easy. The team was 34-19-1 on Valentine’s Day to sit near the top of the Western Conference standings but has gone 12-13-2 since then.

True North kicked off the campaign with a 90-second promotional video — narrated by Winnipegger and international pro wrestling star Kenny Omega — that asks a pivotal question of the market: “Is Winnipeg an NHL city?”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaFSXu5V0V0

A statement from the organization said: “The answer lies within the collective act of will that brought the NHL back in 2011, and the strong community of fans that continue to answer a resounding ‘Yes, Winnipeg is an NHL city.’”

The video features scenes from the demise of the Jets 1.0 in 1996, the team’s celebrated return to the city 15 years later, and a packed Canada Life Centre during memorable nights at the downtown rink.

In the coming weeks, billboards and digital advertising will be used to generate renewed interest, focusing on four main themes: family; community; memories; and pride.

Fans will be directed to visit ForeverWinnipeg.ca and sign up to receive more information about season-ticket packages and the benefits of being on board for the 2023-24 campaign.

Jets attendance has certainly dropped, with just a handful of home games reaching capacity (15,325) this season.

The average crowd is 14,045, which places the team 30th in the league, ahead of only the San Jose Sharks and Arizona Coyotes (who play in a 5,000-seat U.S. college rink).

In Monday’s wrap-up of a crucial five-game homestand, just 13,428 fans watched the Jets thump the Sharks 6-2.

Winnipeg is 22nd out of 32 NHL teams in terms of capacity, with 93.7 per cent attendance.

Chipman told the gathering Tuesday tickets are affordable when compared to other Canadian teams in the loop.

“You might also be interested to know that our average ticket price has consistently ranked sixth of seven (the others being Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa),” he said.

“As we enter another post-season… we thought this was an opportune time to humbly remind the community that we need your support.

“There’s something about a sold-out building. As the smallest market in the NHL, it is something that we have come to rely on in many ways.”

The plea was met with a large amount of derision via social media.

On the Jets official Twitter page, highly viewed tweets responding to the video included messages such as: “Nothing like a subtle threat of the Jets leaving again to really get the fan base going” (@ciportom) and “Absolutely begging for a sellout in the playoff is top-tier franchise material” (@mattythehammer).

Complaints ranged from the quality of the arena game night experience to ticket prices to team management to its on-ice efforts.

Many, however, praised the video’s voiceover work by Omega.

martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca