Utah Hockey Club Shocks NHL, Including the Toronto Maple Leafs, with Jaw-Dropping Arena Prices

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Daniel Lucente
October 1, 2024 (3:30 PM)

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The Utah Hockey Club have just revealed their new concession prices for their inaugural season, and they are changing the game and putting teams to shame.

The big move that the Utah Hockey Club is making in the league probably raises a few eyebrows on other NHL owners, especially the Toronto Maple Leafs. In this, their maiden season in a new city, they're trying to do something different, disruptive, if you will, by offering concessions at prices significantly lower than typical arena standards. Just ask Leafs fans, they have to take out a second mortgage just to buy a beer at Scotiabank Arena!

At Utah Hockey Club games this upcoming season, bottled water is available for just $2, while hot dogs, nachos, popcorn, and ice cream are all available at $3 each. You can literally buy one of each item, and overall it will still cost less than an alcoholic beverage at a Leafs game. It's not just a matter of keeping the prices low; this in fact has been a well-conceived effort right at the outset, to narrow the gap with the fans. Reasonable food prices go a long way toward satisfying a fanbase that forks over enough dough for tickets in the first place, let alone a debut season team.

The Utah Hockey Club relocated to the Delta Center in Salt Lake City this summer from Arizona. It happened because previous owner Alex Meruelo couldn't come to a long-term deal for an arena, which had the Coyotes playing in a college facility. Under new ownership with the Smith Entertainment Group led by Ryan and Ashley Smith, though, the team is looking at a fresh beginning. Even the Utah Jazz, belonging to the Smiths too, will be matching these lower concession prices for the next season to show the change in the game experience for fans across teams. That is a completely unexpected move, but very welcomed by the fans.

This isn't exactly a new idea. In 2017, the NFL's Atlanta Falcons made headlines by offering some of the cheapest concession prices when Mercedes-Benz Stadium opened. Fans could get $2 hot dogs, $2 sodas, $3 pizza slices, and $5 cheeseburgers and beer. Since then, a few other teams have followed suit, but not many. Some, such as the Kansas City Royals, still keep high-priced options on the menu, including a $25 taco this season.While it is true that, generally, economics allude to highly marked-up concession prices in running a sports franchise, there definitely is an elastic point.

When fans see the costs through the roof, for instance, a $40 chicken tender basket and beer combo in Toronto, they might believe some kind of public robbery has taken place. The approach Utah has adopted may indeed yield less profit derived from the sale of food, but it would make the fans leave more satisfied and, above all, more involved. If the fans have a great time and do not feel that they have been ripped off, they are more likely to spend on merchandise, tickets, and other in-arena purchases. Take note MLSE!

Utah Hockey Club's move to take the bold step of offering affordable concessions can be one of those highly experimental decisions that may redefine fan experiences. Though it does not seem like one of the most profitable decisions in the short run, its value in creating a loyal base of satisfied fans could be much more rewarding in the long run. If the atmosphere is right for valuing the fans, then the club stands a much better chance of winning lasting support in their new city.