Writer’s Note: this is with information available on team’s websites only. The views of this piece are strictly the opinion of the writer and not factual in nature, unless you agree.

It goes without saying that season tickets are the perfect deal for teams and fans. Teams get a bare minimum guarantee for attendance each night, and locals pay a substantially smaller fee, one-time, to see their favorite team.

Often, Season Ticket Packages come with even more goodies to entice the fans to buy, from affordability to exclusive benefits. Especially in minor league sports, the packages are essential sells for the Front Office, providing definitive fan-financial support.

The Federal Hockey League is especially known for its affordability, a way to get hockey fans to see all the things they love, or things that bring in new fans – big hits, fights, and the passion of low-level players. With that in mind, I sat down and compiled who has the best season ticket packages based on perks, price, and other factors to decide what the best puck for your buck is.

#6 – North Shore

There is literally no info on tickets for this team on their website. They don’t have a rink at the moment but are reportedly coming back. Really though, if you buy season tickets to this, you need help.

#5 – Anything else

Literally anything else is better than North Shore. ANYTHING.

#4 – Watertown

Price:

• High: $12.50 ($350/28 games)
• Low: $10.71 ($300/28 games)
• TROOPS DISCOUNT: $8.93 ($250/28 games)

Features

• Significant savings over gate price ($15 IIRC)
• Invitations to exclusive events
• First right to purchase Commissioner’s Cup Playoff tickets
• Reserved seat for each Wolves game

The Wolves have the bad combo of having both the highest ticket prices for just regular seats, and very limited features of being a season ticket holder. Really, the only real perk on there is invitations to events. They’re selling you on the hockey alone and making sure you get the same seat every night. It’s not much, but it’s better than nothing I suppose.

For a team that has seen attendance dip over the past couple seasons, it might not hurt to try and throw in a few other incentives to try and get people to buy season seats. Even the usual stuff like a couple buddy passes, or the ability to trade in tickets for another game if you miss one. Little things like that.

#3 – Carolina

Price:

• High: $16.96 Glass ($475/28 games, most expensive seat in the league)
• Premium: sides, rows 2-4: $11.60 ($325/28 games)
• Mid: upper sides, rows 5+ $9.11 ($255/28 games)
• Low: End and goal lines $7.50 ($210/28 games, cheapest season seat in the league)

Features

• Savings over regular season prices
• Game preview and recap for each game
• Same seat every game
• Playoff ticket priority
• Tickets never wasted
• VIP access
• Promo giveaway guarantee
• Pre-Game Chalk Talk
• Pre-Season Open House
• Buddy Passes for Select Games
• Public Skating Passes
• Merchandise Savings

Honestly, Carolina, Danville, and Port Huron were insanely hard to separate, because they’re all owned by the same person, so the prices are all pretty similar, and so are the perks. It’s just a matter of what you may prefer in one package over another. So spots 3, 2, and 1 are pretty fluid.

Alright, now that’s how season tickets should be. The ‘Birds are in third because they have two premium options that can get pricey to sit on the glass or in rows 2-4, but if you want to sit higher up or in the ends, this might move up your list, because those are very affordable, including the cheapest season seat in the league at $210.

Great perks here including the Tickets Never Wasted, which is huge if you miss a game and then want to bring friends to the next one. The Public Skating passes are a nice toss-in too, and a fun night out.

#2 – Danville

Price:

• High: $8.57 ($240/28 games) That’s it. There’s one price point.
• TROOP DISCOUNT: $7.86 ($220/28 games)
• *EDITOR NOTE: Danville is one of two teams to offer early bird prices, $195 through end of the month*

Features

• Savings over single game tickets
• Guaranteed same seats at all home games – have the comfort of knowing your seat is available
• 10% off Dashers merchandise
• Exclusive events with the Dashers players and coaches – dates and events will be announced throughout the season
• 2  “Bring a Friend” ticket vouchers – share your hockey experience with a friend
• Personalized Dashers Card – shows that you are a Season Ticket holder and your seats
• Dashers Window Sticker
• Option to purchase replica jersey
• Exclusive post-game Meet and Greet
• Free Kids Club Membership (12 & under)
• Exclusive prize drawings and much more!

The reason I put this one ahead of Carolina is there is one price point, it doesn’t get any more simple than that. You want to sit on the glass, at the end, center ice, high, low, doesn’t matter, $240 for your seat.

Pretty similar perks to Carolina, but they do have the option to purchase jerseys, that was not listed on Carolina. The window sticker is a nice touch, as is the Kids Club.

#1 – Port Huron

Price:

• High: $10 center ice ($280/28 games)
• Low: $8.57 offensive zones ($240/28 games)
• *EDITOR NOTE: Port Huron also offers early bird through the end of the month, $245 and $195*

Features

• Savings over walk-up tickets
• Avoid $1 facility fee per ticket
• Meet & Greet pickup event
• Playoff Ticket priority
• Premium Souvenir Tickets
• Opportunity to purchase replica jersey
• Postgame events with players
• Pre-game coach’s corner
• Season ticket holder gift
• Promo giveaway guarantee
• Merchandise savings
• Voucher for 5 free chuck a pucks
• Kids Club Membership
• Discount Parking
• Auto enter to win exclusive game-night prizes

The prices are right (all seats are on the side at McMorran Place) and they have the longest list of perks of any teams, even if they are similar to Carolina and Danville, but they seem to combine all the best parts of Carolina and Danville into one.

The one that stands out for me: Premium Souvenir Tickets. That’s really cool that they went above and beyond to give you cool tickets rather than just the bland white ones you get at the box office.

Again though, those top three were really tough to try and differentiate. If you want the cheapest seat possible, you might like Carolina best, if you want to sit as close as possible for as little as possible, Danville is your team, but if you want the best combo of prices and perks, Port Huron is for you.

Those three teams clearly know how to market to fans and reward them for spending their money with the team.