The Regina Pats are betting that lower ticket prices today will lead to bigger crowds and a stronger business model tomorrow.
Brandt Sports & Entertainment announced sweeping changes to the Regina Pats' ticket pricing for the 2026-27 Western Hockey League season on Wednesday, highlighted by family tickets starting at just $12.50 and weekday tickets beginning at $12.25. The move comes after Brandt Sports & Entertainment's pending purchase of the Brandt Centre, a transaction executives say fundamentally changes how the organization generates revenue.
Rather than relying primarily on ticket sales, the organization says controlling the arena will allow it to earn revenue from food and beverage sales, sponsorships, merchandise and the overall game-day experience.
"It's one of the single biggest factors," Brandt Sports & Entertainment president Shaun Semple said when asked if arena revenues were making the price reductions possible.
"It's not just food and beverage, but it's sponsorship. It's really all the potential revenues that go into running the arena. We can now look beyond just a ticket for the revenue."
Semple acknowledged the financial success of the model will ultimately depend on attendance and spending inside the building.
"It is allowing us to kind of look at a total revenue model versus just a ticket revenue model," he said.
The announcement follows Brandt Sports & Entertainment's agreement to purchase key Real District assets, including the Brandt Centre. Although the transaction is expected to officially close Sept. 1, the Pats unveiled their new pricing structure now to allow season ticket sales to begin.
Pats CEO Gord Pritchard said owning both the hockey club and the building creates opportunities the organization has never had before.
"For the first time, one organization is responsible for the team, the venue, food and beverage, partnerships and the overall experience," Pritchard said during the announcement. "That creates opportunities we simply didn't have before, and it allows us to make decisions with a single lens."
Those opportunities translated directly into lower prices.
The new Family Zone, located in sections 200, 201 and 223, will feature tickets starting at $12.50, a 58 percent reduction compared to similar seats last season. Weekday games will start at $12.25, a 50 percent reduction, while all other single-game tickets have been reduced by 15 percent. Pritchard said accessibility and affordability were the driving forces behind the changes.
"We wanted to make Pats hockey more accessible," he said. "If we want to build the next generation of Pats fans, we need to make it easier for families to attend games together and create those experiences."
The organization also announced additional value for season ticket holders. Memberships will now include every pre-season home game plus a $5 food and beverage credit for every regular-season game, representing more than $170 in concession value over the season while keeping base prices unchanged.
Moving beyond ticket revenue
Pritchard said the Pats are adopting a business model already used successfully by many professional sports organizations.
"Other teams have had this for a while," he said. "There's lots of teams … that really look at the total revenue, so that the tickets don't become necessarily the barrier of entry."
He said larger crowds create additional opportunities across every aspect of the business.
"The more people in the arena you have, the more sponsors that want to attend, the more the sponsorships are worth. Obviously, if you're selling food and beverage, there's revenue there. The more people in the building, the more merchandise you sell as well. So you really can look at the whole thing."
Semple believes controlling every aspect of the arena experience is equally important.
"When you operate the building yourself, it allows you to control the entire fan experience from the moment that they choose to purchase a ticket to the time they come to the grounds, getting in and out of the building, cleanliness of the building, their food and beverage experience, the show that goes on before the games in between periods, and then how they leave after the game. When you're in control of all of that, it's much easier to make these types of decisions."
A calculated risk
Semple admitted lowering ticket prices before the arena purchase is even finalized carries significant financial risk.
"We're giving back a whole bunch of money before we get any money on top of substantial losses," he said. "No business really does that, but I think because of the other revenues, if we get it put together, I think it'll work. But it's not without its risk, for sure."
He said Brandt Sports & Entertainment has already invested between $12 million and $14 million into the Pats organization, not including the purchase price, making a new financial model necessary.
"I think the whole new revenue model allows us to reduce the price of the tickets, count on other revenues that don't always come from the fans because of corporate sponsorships and partnerships; that's not a fan thing. Those are the areas that we're focused on."
Bigger plans for the Brandt Centre
The lower ticket prices are only one piece of Brandt Sports & Entertainment's long-term vision. The company has already committed to investing at least $10 million in improvements to the Brandt Centre, although Semple suggested the final investment will be substantially higher.
Fans can expect upgraded mechanical systems, improved security, enhanced food and beverage offerings and, eventually, new LED displays, an upgraded sound system, improved lighting and additional premium seating options.
Semple also outlined plans to create a destination beyond hockey, including new food and beverage options, entertainment spaces and an enhanced digital experience around the arena. For now, however, the immediate goal is simple: make it easier for families to attend Pats games.
"We hope that reinforces the decision and that there's a thanks for that because now we're making it more affordable," Semple said. "A $12 ticket, I don't know if that gets you into a movie. We're trying to do our best to balance the scale here."
