Tickets Available For All Games
The availability of tickets for the Memorial Cup has become an urban legend.
Contrary to some reports, tickets are still available for every game of the junior hockey championships.
“Because of the success we’ve had during the regular season - we set an attendance record for the third straight year and we sell out most every Saturday night - there is the assumption we’re sold out,” Mark Miles, Chiefs director of ticket sales, said. “We have good seats for every game.”
With today’s game between the Spokane Chiefs and Val-d’Or of the Quebec league changing from a 1 p.m. start to 7:30 p.m., the 600 tickets won’t last long. The time change also means the game will not be on local television.
There are more than 1,500 tickets for Spokane’s game on Monday against Guelph of the Ontario league and a little fewer than 1,500 for Thursday’s Spokane game against Western league rival Portland.
More than 2,000 tickets remain for games not involving Spokane and for next Saturday’s semifinal.
The competing teams were given 600 tickets to sell but Guelph and Val-d’Or didn’t take all of their packages.
Tickets are available in all price ranges, from $15 to $20.
Prices are $5 higher for the championship game a week from Sunday. Less than 250 tickets were unsold at last report.
Complimentary tickets provided for “VIPs of the hockey world,” that are turned back also will be put on sale.
Midway through the week, more than 75,000 tickets had been sold. The Memorial Cup record is 77,296, set in Saskatoon in 1989.
The company you keep
Practice for Portland ended just prior to the coaches press conference Friday afternoon and Winter Hawks coach Brent Peterson poked his ahead into the interview room.
“Should I change clothes?” he asked.
Seeing just two Spokane reporters, he answered his own question.
“If it’s just going to be you cement heads, I’m not going to change.”
Peterson was fined two years ago by the Western Hockey League for referring to some Chiefs as cement heads.
Just like batting practice
Arena doors will open 90 minutes prior to game time to allow spectators time to watch warm-ups, eat, wander through the Arena, buy souvenirs, etc.
Tonight and before weekday games, the gates open at 6 p.m. Gates open at 11:30 a.m. on Mother’s Day and next weekend for the semifinals and championships.
TV timeouts
There will be four TV timeouts per period in all games, including Monday’s, which won’t be broadcast.
The timeouts will last between 75 and 90 seconds.
Spectators can watch the red light above the penalty boxes and when it’s on, that’s a TV timeout and action won’t resume until the commercials are over.
Timeouts will come at the first whistle after the 17-, 13-, 9- and 5-minute marks.
Monday’s game will have the timeouts included to make every game equal.
Satellite alert
TSN, the Canadian television network which will broadcast all games except Monday’s, planned to switch to the Toronto Blue Jays at Seattle Mariners baseball game after this afternoon’s game. With the switch, they’ll join the hockey game at the conclusion of the baseball game.