The Memorial Cup doesn’t come around very often, so when it does, tickets are in high demand.
For the second time in 19 years, the Halifax Mooseheads are hosting the Canadian major junior championship and -- just like the last time -- ticket packages are being snapped up even though they cost upwards of $450 a pop.
"It's not too late but it will be soon,” said Mat Harris, the Memorial Cup host committee chairman.
In this age of online purchasing, there wasn't much action at the box office today.
Harris said Wednesday there were some really good seats left; some, but not many.
Mooseheads season ticket holders have already scooped up some of the best seats.
Steve marsh just wants to catch a game, and doesn’t want to buy a whole package, but he’ll have to wait.
"We’re selling for the eight-game package,” Harris said.
Single-game tickets won't be made available until the New Year.
But there's no guarantee any will be left.
“My anticipation is the all the tickets will be sold as packages,” Harris said.
And even if Marsh is lucky and snags a coveted ticket, he'll need to follow the arrows, climb the stairs, and sit in the upper bowl.
“You're getting up to nosebleeds now,” Marsh said.
The Mooseheads hosted the Memorial Cup back in 2000. Since them franchise has grown, the brand has grown, and the Scotiabank Centre has been fixed up, renovated, and is better equipped to host a world-class event.
“Frankly, it’s a new facility compared to what it was in 2000,” Harris said. “It will enhance the event, but there's more than just this facility. It's the entire downtown area from Argyle Street where we will hold a street fest concert every night. It's going to be a celebration of hockey.”
And a tough ticket to get.
Organizers are expecting ticket sales for the 2019 memorial cup to be higher than 84,000 for the eight-game tournament.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Paul Hollingsworth.
