Discussion Session Video - Unique Ticket Packs (May 14, 2025)

In this session, with guest Mark Metz from the Columbus Blue Jackets, we discussed how teams are creating unique ticket packages that allow flexibility, drive revenue, and boost attendance.

Here's a video recording of the session along with a summary of what was discussed.

Holiday Packs That Pair Tickets + Premium Merch

The Columbus Blue Jackets’ long-running “Holiday Pack” bundles two tickets to two games with an exclusive, locally made Homage T-shirt. Moving the offer from paper tickets and signed-puck pick-ups to a digital code redeemed online cut the fulfillment headaches and let the recipient—not the giver—choose games at their convenience. Since shifting to this “redeem-a-code” model three seasons ago, the Jackets have grown holiday-pack volume significantly—simply by adding flexibility and a collectible, high-quality shirt.

Flex Plans Re-imagined for Gifting—and Everyday Fans

Giving the recipient control proved so successful that the Jackets now see true flexibility as the future of mini-plans. Instead of forcing buyers to lock in five or six specific dates, the club envisions season-long links where fans draw down ticket credits as their schedules allow—much like a gift card. The same backend that powers gift redemptions could eventally track usage and unlock rewards (e.g., a T-shirt after game 5), creating a built-in loyalty ladder without up-front friction.

Off-Season “Giftable” Campaigns Keep Cash Flowing

To stay top-of-mind once the schedule ends, the Jackets launched Mother’s- and Father’s-Day offers: a dummy event sold at two price points ($99 upper-bowl, $129 mezzanine) that later converts to real tickets plus a $25–$50 team-store gift card. With no dates required at purchase, the club can market aggressively in May and June, then email redemption links when fixtures drop. Ticket sales for Mother’s Day alone have tripled in three years (from ~80 to 226 seats), proving distressed-inventory plays can drive meaningful offseason revenue.

Theme Nights, Merch Series & Cross-Property Bundles

There's lots of opportunity to turn popular theme nights into multi-game “fan gear” series: buy four games, pick up a different branded item—T-shirt, beanie, socks, scarf—each time you scan in. Other clubs bundle major-league and G-League (or MLS/USL) tickets, sometimes with reversible jerseys (if a player switched between both leagues), while zoos, ballparks or back-to-back homestands can be packaged under one "pack" price. The guiding principle: make the merch exclusive to the pack so the only path to the collectible is purchasing multiple games.

Dynamic-Pricing Hurdles & the Next Loyalty Frontier

Teams facing late schedule releases and dynamic pricing are considering selling prepaid gift cards—“pay $80, get $100 in credit”—redeemable for any match once dates and price tiers publish. Looking ahead, there could maybe be a true pay-as-you-go flex ecosystem: fans buy game 1 at list price, systems track cumulative spend, and perks unlock at thresholds (On third game get this. On fifth game get that).