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Allowing fans back doesn’t make business sense for Amerks
Allowing fans back doesn’t make business sense for Amerks
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The Rochester Americans have opted to continue to play their abbreviated American Hockey League season without fans, even though state guidelines would allow a limited number of ticket buyers in the arena.
Arenas in New York with at least 10,000 seats are allowed to admit 10 percent of capacity for sporting events. Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial seats approximately 10,550 for hockey, although close to 2,000 seats would be unavailable because league protocols prohibit seating within 25 feet of the boards. That means at most there could have been about 850 fans.
In order to enter the building, fans would be required to provide proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test, and must pay the cost of that PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test themselves. They also must submit contact tracing information. A test would be necessary for every game.
Between the added expense for fans and the team, the Amerks believe it is cost prohibitive to sell tickets for the remaining 13 home games.
A fan might pay $18 for a ticket and $90 for a PCR test. The team would have normal game-night employee expenses, but also would be required to pay for testing verification personnel, temperature-taking staff and restroom attendants (necessary to enforce capacity restrictions), plus PCR testing for every game-night employee, including concession workers.
Game expenses also would be higher on a per-fan basis because social distancing mandates would require more sections to be used, meaning ushers and security personnel.
“Our decision is based on capacity restrictions and the logistical challenges surrounding COVID protocols within a consolidated AHL schedule,” the team said in a news release. “We thank all of our fans for their continued support and look forward to the time when we can safely welcome them all back to the Blue Cross Arena.”
During a normal AHL season, about 50 percent of the Amerks revenue is derived from ticket sales. Sponsorship packages make up perhaps 40 percent of revenue. The team has been able to partner with Wegmans, ESL Federal Credit Union and other advertisers on promotional signage in the area that is visible during hockey telecasts.
The Amerks schedule has been sliced from 72 games to 32, and the season started on Feb. 5, four months late. It will end in mid- to late May instead of mid-April.
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