With dust from the July 24 announcement of the Nashville Predators matching the Philadelphia Flyers’ offer sheet to Shea Weber finally settling, Preds’ chief executive officer Jeff Cogen recently talked about rallying the organization for some challenges.
The Predators have to pay Weber $27 million over the next calendar year — as part of a 14-year, $110 million contract — so there is more pressure on the small-market franchise to bring in more money.
“We come to work every day and we want to enhance the fan experience. We want to monetize some of the on-ice successes and re-invest it back into the team. …
“We hope to compete and not just survive in the NHL. I would argue we are (competing).”
Since joining the Predators in the summer of 2010, Cogen and team president/chief operating officer Sean Henry have hit their goals of boosting attendance. Sellouts increased from four in 2009-10 to 16 in 2010-11 and to a franchise-record 25 games last season.
“We said we were going to sell out 16 games; we did. We said we were going to sell out 25 game; we did,” Cogen said. “I haven’t been quoted as to how many we’re going to sell out this year.”
In an April 29 report in The Tennessean, Predators chairman and alternate governor Tom Cigarran said the ownership group had to sink $60 million of its own money into the team over the past five seasons.
Cogen reiterated that there was no immediate plan to increase current ticket prices or change business operations. Ticket prices, Cogen said, were decided in December — long before the Weber offer sheet or free-agent defenseman Ryan Suter’s decision to reject an offer from the Predators and sign a 13-year, $98 million contract from the Wild.
“We have shown steady growth over the past couple of years in increasing ticket price, and I would argue we’re giving the fans good value for their money still,” Cogen said. “As long as we continue to do that, I’m hopeful we can have normal price increases every year.”