Montreal chosen as host for 2020 figure skating world championships

[peibeck]

You can have Vanessa James but send Morgan Cipres to my overpriced hotel room

You wouldn't remember what to do with him. I, on the other hand....

 

[Debbie S]

You wouldn't remember what to do with him. I, on the other hand....

Ouch!

@jkl The LOC rate at the Marriott is actually pretty cheap in U.S. dollars. Well, cheaper than the Greensboro Sheraton anyway.

 

[Aceon6]

If this wasn’t a milestone birthday gift to myself, I’d say f it, but that obfuscates the part about milestone birthday gift. I may end up in the cheap seats, but I’m still going.

ETA, if you want the Marriott, you need to book through the link on the Worlds website. The entire hotel is blocked out for Worlds unless you want a luxury suite at $1000+ per night. I called Marriott and was told I can link my Bonvoy account once reservations are confirmed.

 

[SandraMGfan]

Wow. Those prices. Might have to reconsider if they don’t open the 300 section.
Boston really was a treat!

 

[Catherine M]

Add me to the list of those reconsidering. One thing is I've been to Montreal four other times over the past 10 years or so for various events including the Rogers Cup and I'm not sure if I want to go back a fifth time at those prices.

Might just do Skate Canada for the third year in a row.

 

[Madhatter]

I imagine there's going to be quite a bit reselling going on closer to the competition. That's always a good way to get decent tickets at a lower price.

 

[skategal]

I really wonder about ticket sales at these prices. Skating in the U.S. has faded so much. The recent Stars on Ice closest to me (Fort Myers) had very poor sales and SOI sales in my cousin’s area (Providence) this weekend looks not very good. I know Canada has great fans and Grand Prix Final in Vancouver sold out fast, however. And the Japanese fans seem to travel everywhere.

I think many Canadians will be priced out for this one. Price is not so bad if you are from a country with a currency that is strong against the Canadian dollar.

I am considering scaling back the amount of days I was going to go to Montreal and only go just for the weekend. I originally planned for 4 days.

We’ll see.....

 

[dramagrrl]

Also reconsidering. I may wait until individual event tickets go on sale.

 

[peibeck]

Every Twitter comment on the Skate Canada's Worlds2020 page is at the prices.

I also don't understand how the "venue fee" increases in price the closer you are to the ice. WTF is that about? Makes ZERO sense.

 

[Debbie S]

Every Twitter comment on the Skate Canada's Worlds2020 page is at the prices.

I also don't understand how the "venue fee" increases in price the closer you are to the ice. WTF is that about? Makes ZERO sense.

Skating fans unite!

The venue fee may be a percentage of the ticket cost.

 

[peibeck]

• Gold Circle, 100L rows 1-3 = $2,410 ($2,300 ticket + $110 venue fee)
• P1, 100L rows 4-6 & 100L centre lower bowl = $2,100 ($2,000 ticket + $100 venue fee)
• P2, 100L centre sections = $1,675 ($1,600 ticket + $75 venue fee)
• P3, 100L lower end & 200L centre sections = $1,365 ($1,300 ticket + $65 venue fee)
• P4, 100L upper end & 200L side sections = $1,080 ($1,025 ticket + $55 venue fee)
• P5, 200L end sections = $845 ($800 ticket + $45 venue fee).

The venue fee may be a percentage of the ticket cost.

Actually it looks quite random.

 

[marbri]

Are there any expenses in foreign currency that a host for worlds has to pay for? With the state of the CAD it could explain the current price.

 

[marbri]

Actually it looks quite random.

It's looks to be about 5% to me.

 

[Erin]

I really wonder about ticket sales at these prices. Skating in the U.S. has faded so much. The recent Stars on Ice closest to me (Fort Myers) had very poor sales and SOI sales in my cousin’s area (Providence) this weekend looks not very good. I know Canada has great fans and Grand Prix Final in Vancouver sold out fast, however. And the Japanese fans seem to travel everywhere.

I think the last sentence is the key. If Canadian and US fans won’t buy, Japanese fans will. Organizers don’t care where the fans come from.

 

[skategal]

Every Twitter comment on the Skate Canada's Worlds2020 page is at the prices.

Same with the comments on Facebook.

 

[Susy]

I know someone posted it earlier but something else to consider might be whether tax is included or not in these prices. Or if there any other "ticketing fees" or other charges.

Sales tax in Quebec is 14.975%...

 

[AJ Skatefan]

WTH is a venue fee?

 

[marbri]

WTH is a venue fee?

VENUE, SERVICE AND HANDLING FEES
A venue fee is a fixed fee making it possible to cover the maintenance and repair costs of the amphitheatre such as renovations or restoration and upgrade work. It's applicable on every purchased ticket.

A service fee corresponds to the service that is offered to you during the purchase of your tickets. This fee is billed by the intermediary who sells tickets to you in order to cover operating costs such as call centers, box offices, managing and maintaining the websites, etc. The service fee varies from one show to another and from one venue to another. It is applicable on every purchased ticket.

The handling fee is a fixed fee applicable once for the overall order, which makes it possible to cover the costs of printing and sending the tickets in the case of a mailing, the Internet connection fees and the costs associated with secure delivery in the case of electronic tickets, and the printing and handling of the tickets in the case of a Will Call.

 

[ross_hy]

I got a prompt but less than clear response back....

Thank you for your interest in the ISU World Figure Skating Championships ® 2020.
All event tickets will go on sale on May 31, 2019, should the event not sell out there will be single event tickets released closer to the event date.
The 300 upper bowl may be released at a later date.

I'm not sure how the event will sell out when they are actually not releasing all the tickets on May 31st (not even all of the 200 level)...but whatever...

That makes it sound like they're thinking about leaving the 300 level closed off - interesting.

 

[4rkidz]

Ooh, that's great to know there's an underground walkway from the Bonaventure station to the arena. My AirBnB is only a four-minute walk to the orange line which goes to the Bonaventure station. BTW if anyone is coming with a group and is looking for an AirBnB, there are a few other multi-bedroom apartments hosted by my AirBnB host in Le Plateau Mont-Royal neighborhood. They all have great reviews.

https://www.airbnb.com/users/show/57761284

Hotel bonaventure is right there and is a decent hotel and cheaper, we booked there so could walk to arena if we actually go, still not confirmed, wow those prices.. eta I’ve also booked Candlewood suites as stayed there last time my daughter was coaching in Montreal it was 5 mins from orange metro and ten minute walk from train, also at china town which I loved the dim sum lol. It’s $138 night or just over a hundred US a night. Clean and are suites

 

[laviemn]

I think the last sentence is the key. If Canadian and US fans won’t buy, Japanese fans will. Organizers don’t care where the fans come from.

The Japanese fans on Twitter seem just as appalled. If they tap out en masse this time, good luck to the organizers.

That Twitter thread of the announcement is kind of amusing: Is Beyonce performing? Will V/M sit next me for these prices? Have y'all lost your damn minds?

Bonus uber cred to the Hanyu fans complaining about his scores in response to Skate Canada using his image.

 

[jtpc]

I was expecting $1,300 to be a ballpark figure, but I wasn't expecting it to be the 4th category of tickets. I had looked up the prices for London in 2013, and even though there were no upper levels, all-event tickets were $1,130-$1,356 plus fees so I figured it would be close to that. I would be surprised if enough people bought $2,100+ tickets to fill 7 rows in 1 centre ice section opposite the judges, nevermind 7 rows across 5 centre ice sections.

 

[Japanfan]

I would guess that tax is not included in the prices. Even if it is, the cost is too high for me.

The Japanese fans on Twitter seem just as appalled. If they tap out en masse this time, good luck to the organizers.

That could rather spell disaster. My guess is that people will grumble about the prices, but pay them and attend anyway.

 

[MacMadame]

That could rather spell disaster. My guess is that people will grumble about the prices, but pay them and attend anyway.

Isn't that how it usually goes? People are talking about how great Boston prices are but at the time people were calling those prices crazy and ridiculous.

 

[SkateSand]

Isn't that how it usually goes? People are talking about how great Boston prices are but at the time people were calling those prices crazy and ridiculous.

Yep! But at least in Boston I could sit in a 4th row seat (which actually turned out to be 1st row because they took out the three rows ahead of it as it was next to the Kiss and Cry) for $1,200.00. I'd spend a lot more than that for a 4th row seat in Montreal. I had a feeling prices would be this high. So I've consoled myself that at least I will have the NBC Sports Gold pass and will be able to watch streaming coverage live and on demand. It's not the same as being there, though.

 

[whiteskates]

I hope they don't sell out. If they do we can expect prices like that everywhere in future.

 

[Japanfan]

I hope they don't sell out. If they do we can expect prices like that everywhere in future.

Should skating fans boycott?

I just don't think that is going to happen.

Skatings fans tend to be a relatively monied group of (most older female) people. The price of the ticket and hotels/meals/other expenses is seen as a fair exchange for the pleasure gained from attending an event.

I'm unfortunately not relatively monied but still considered paying to attend Montreal - but it just isn't feasible for me in terms of not only money, but also time and other considerations.

 

[Meoima]

I look at the price and almost faint. Japan was half expensive and Tokyo is not a cheaper location than Montreal.

 

[anonymoose_au]

Cripes that's expensive as heck! I know Japanese fans are known for coming far and wide, but as someone from Australia I'd be bankrupt trying to go! $845 is the cheapest and that doesn't even take into consideration air fares, hotel, food...

 

[Meoima]

I would guess that tax is not included in the prices. Even if it is, the cost is too high for me.
That could rather spell disaster. My guess is that people will grumble about the prices, but pay them and attend anyway.

Some Japanese fans might go, but the majority of international fans might not. The prices are ridiculous for skating fans in Europe. Many Canadian fans say they live in Canada and could not attend the events with such prices.