Following last year’s John Tortorella-led debacle and subsequent playoff miss, the Vancouver Canucks were bracing for a hit in the ol’ ticket-selling department.
Well on Friday, they took it:Canucks announce via ticket to season-ticket holders that the team’s sellout streak is over, after 474 games. It began on Nov14th, 2002
— TSN Radio Vancouver (@TSN1040) October 17, 2014
The Canucks addressed the news with a fancy infographic on the team website.
Vancouver ended last season on a 473-game streak, then sold out its home opener against the Oilers on Saturday. That means the streak will end with a visit from the Tampa Bay Lightning, who will play at Rogers Arena tomorrow night.
The snapped streak, while noteworthy, shouldn’t come as a major surprise. Upon being named new president of the club back in April, Trevor Linden sent a personalized message to ticket-holders, offering a “fully refundable” season ticket deposit if they were unsatisfied with the moves made prior to July 11 (which was after the NHL Entry Draft and the start of free agency.)
Yesterday, Canucks COO Victor de Bonis told The Province that “in terms of overall sales for the regular season, we’re currently sitting at a base at approximately 97 per cent of last year’s season-ticket base.”