Coyotes borrow from Willy Wonka to sell tickets

On Valentine's Day, while most people celebrated love and romance, the Phoenix Coyotes made a unique ticket offer to their fans but neglected to bring them long stemmed roses. Borrowing from the classic movie Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, the Coyotes announced their GOALden Ticket offer in an effort to boost ticket sales and improve the sagging attendance at Jobing.com Arena.

Courtesy of the PhoenixCoyotes:

By purchasing the first ticket package for $100, a fan will receive five (5) goals on their GOALden Ticket. Beginning on March 9 versus the Dallas Stars, fans will be able to see up to 10 Coyotes home games until the team gives up five (5) goals at Jobing.com Arena. Once that happens, the GOALden Ticket is void.

The second ticket package provides the fan with 25 goals on their GOALden Ticket for the price of $250. Beginning on March 9 versus the Dallas Stars, fans will have an opportunity to attend up to 10 Coyotes home games until the team gives up 25 goals at Jobing.com Arena. Once this occurs, the GOALden Ticket is void.

As a bonus, if the Coyotes should record a shutout during any of the final 10 regular season home games from March 9 to April 26, during which their GOALden ticket is still valid, purchasers of the GOALden Ticket package will receive a free additional ticket to the Coyotes Fan Appreciation Night on April 26 versus the Colorado Avalanche. This offer if only valid for one Coyotes shutout during this time period.

So if I understand this correctly the Coyotes are banking on two things:

1. The possible gambling tendencies of their fans. Which seems logical since the Coyotes are business partners with Gila River Casinos.
2. That their goalie, Mike Smith, will bring his ‘A’ game to each and every contest from March 9 onward. To date, Smith’s goals against average is 2.78. Based on Smith’s performance, if you had the first ticket package you would get to see two Coyotes’ games. If you purchased the second ticket package you would get to enjoy nine-games.

I’m not much of gambler, despite graduating from the University of Nevada-Reno and living in a city that had video poker machines inside grocery stores, but I like the bold move that the Coyotes are taking. Fortune favors the bold and maybe the Coyotes will entice more fans to visit Jobing.com Arena.

Coyotes home attendance isn’t too good. Even after their great run to the Stanley Cup Western Conference finals last season they are pulling up the rear in average attendance per game in the NHL. The Coyotes have been consistently in the lower echelon in average attendance amongst their fellow franchises. Since 2009 the Coyotes have been last or second to last in average attendance per game.

Poor attendance figures aside, there is a bigger question to ponder: If Willy Wonka gets wind of the GOALden Ticket promotion will he lead an army of Oompa Loompas to Jobing.com Arena and demand his share of the ticket revenue from a promotion that borrowed from his marketing genius?