Frozen Four Tickets - Priority Purchase Process

[BC/HE]

Closing in on the end of the presale. Here is what is still available. Single seats between the goal lines except a few pairs or more of the premium first two row seats. There are about 4 seats and another pair on the goal line in the highest row top level. About 75 seats in top and lower levels together on the corners and ends. In club there are about a dozen pairs/triples still left on the ends. Also, some multiple seats in the premium first two rows.

[BC/HE]

Careful on the 8 ticket limit. That's certainly true at Levels B & D. But in the past, the limit has shifted to a 4 tickets at the lower levels. I honestly don't know what the current rule is. Just figure out how you would handle either limit before logging in to purchase.

See you in St. Paul.

For those who bought tickets already and did not reach their limit, they can go back and still order more up to their limit. They don't have to purchase all at one time. It also gives one a chance to see how the arena is filling out as you can check for more seats without buying. However, if you purchase your limit, you no longer can go in and check for more seats.

[pgb-ohio]

Priority ticket holders can purchase until November 2 when they go on sale to the general public. Each Priority group (based upon how many Frozen 4's you have attended) gets a date they can start.

Good post; I'll elaborate.

We started earning Priority Points in 1997 by attending the tournament in Milwaukee. A second point was earned by attending in Boston in 1998. And so on.

This will sound weird if you're hearing it for the first time. But we didn't even know we were earning points until St. Paul in 2002. The points for 1997-2001 were awarded retroactively.

Mine was Group D. I have no idea how many groups there are.

FWIW, I'm in Group B. For many years, annual attendees knew their Priority Level as a number -- the number of tournaments attended from 1997 forward. A few years back the NCAA changed to the lettering system.

Reading the tea leaves, there were apparently two motivations. First, with fewer levels deal with, the lottery was a little easier to manage. Specifically they could run through all of the levels in a shorter period of time. Second, the ticket buyer can keep the same letter designation year after year, provided they keep attending. Having your numeric level change every year was a little hard to keep track of, since you're only ordering once per season. Not a big deal, but a small plus for the lettering system.

I would assume you will be attending for the first time and would fall in after those that attended once seeing that you signed up for the presale. The next day they go off presale so if you have been given November 1 you would have to purchase that day or the next day to avoid a public buy. I don't believe that there will be any left by that time however.

To get the best possible seats, you should definitely purchase right when your window opens. If you're in the pre-sale, definitely take advantage of that. However I'm going to respectfully disagree that the tournament will be sold out before the Public Sale begins.

For many years, the tournament has been a soft sellout. At most. Arena comfortably filled, but tickets available right up until the tournament. Even newbies should be able to purchase from the box office. And in the unlikely event that the box office runs out of ducats, there will be tickets available on the secondary market. Even if you're new, keep planning your Journey: Don't Stop Believing.

Yes, the host city matters. Yes, along with Boston, St. Paul has the highest demand. Maybe if the Gopher fanbase truly believes they're going win a Natty on State of Hockey Ice, some fans will be turned away. Maybe. That will occur if the hometown school qualifies for the last group of 4 teams. But anyone inquiring about the pre-sale will have purchased their seats months before that scenario has a chance to kick in.

As stated in my email from the NCAA: You may purchase up to a maximum of eight (8) all-session tickets. Ticket orders will be accepted through Thursday, November 2, or until available inventory is sold out, whichever occurs first.

Careful on the 8 ticket limit. That's certainly true at Levels B & D. But in the past, the limit has shifted to a 4 tickets at the lower levels. I honestly don't know what the current rule is. Just figure out how you would handle either limit before logging in to purchase.

See you in St. Paul.

[BC/HE]

Where are you able to buy tickets already. I signed up for the presale months ago, and received an email saying tickets go on sale November 1.

Priority ticket holders can purchase until November 2 when they go on sale to the general public. Each Priority group (based upon how many Frozen 4's you have attended) gets a date they can start. Mine was Group D. I have no idea how many groups there are. I would assume you will be attending for the first time and would fall in after those that attended once seeing that you signed up for the presale. The next day they go off presale so if you have been given November 1 you would have to purchase that day or the next day to avoid a public buy. I don't believe that there will be any left by that time however. As stated in my email from the NCAA: You may purchase up to a maximum of eight (8) all-session tickets. Ticket orders will be accepted through Thursday, November 2, or until available inventory is sold out, whichever occurs first.

[pgb-ohio]

Do anyone else's tickets say "Tickets not available to be managed", and not have the barcodes showing yet?
If so, will they become available later?
I can't remember this happening last year.

I did get an email receipt from the NCAA confirming the location of the seats, the price paid, and that the purchase was successful. I don't remember "Tickets Not Available to be Managed" from previous years either. But this isn't unprecedented for Ticketmaster.

As just one example, I've had Major League Soccer (MLS) Ducats sit in "Ticket Purgatory" for a while. Every time this has happened to me the tickets have become "manageable" well before the event. But even if ultimately harmless, this is a nuisance.

First Guess: They don't want you putting up tickets for resale until the Priority Lottery is complete. In other words, they don't competition from the secondary market until they've had a first chance to sell to the whole pool of applicants.

[JAM]

Where are you able to buy tickets already. I signed up for the presale months ago, and received an email saying tickets go on sale November 1.

[BC/HE]

Do anyone else's tickets say "Tickets not available to be managed", and not have the barcodes showing yet?
If so, will they become available later?
I can't remember this happening last year.

Mine do as well. I believe they do not release the tickets until later, possibly after the presale is finished. I have the same issue with some ECHL tickets as well but believe they release them when their season starts.

[BC/HE]

Interesting to note that all the tickets in the upper level are the same price $220 no matter where you select: side, end, top or bottom row. The same applies to the other levels, club are all $315 and lower level are all $345 except the first two rows around the rink are $650. Selecting early certainly gets you better seats in whatever price level you select. I got club level halfway between a face off circle and the blue line as Priority D. I don't believe there will be any left between the face off circles in club anymore as only about 3 pairs still show up.

[TigerFan86-87]

Do anyone else's tickets say "Tickets not available to be managed", and not have the barcodes showing yet?
If so, will they become available later?
I can't remember this happening last year.

[bruinsfan11]

Much better than the past two years; went club level between the blue lines

[pgb-ohio]

really weird experience- when I click frozen four from my laptop nothing comes up for frozen four
However, when i logged in from my phone it worked.

On the Homepage, there's a Drop Down Menu for "Buy Tickets." One of the options is "Frozen Four Priority." That worked for me. If you click on "NCAA Championship Tickets," I don't think it works.

Reading the tea leaves, I believe that our Priority Lottery is now being handled as a Pre-Sale. Once the Priority Lottery ends, the Championship Tickets option will probably work for everyone.

Agree- really good seats available- sometimes worse seats for priority holders when held in major hockey town

Yes. From the seating chart, it looks like the "Corporate Friends" allotments have been reigned in a little -- thus benefiting long term fans. Who would have thunk it?

[DLG]

really weird experience- when I click frozen four from my laptop nothing comes up for frozen four
However, when i logged in from my phone it worked
Agree- really good seats available- sometimes worse seats for priority holders when held in major hockey town

[pgb-ohio]

The Priority Lottery For St. Paul 2024 Is On!

The Top Priority Level has been open for a while. The priority level one step down from the top opened up at 10:00 AM this Monday morning. (That's my level; my purchase is complete.) Here's some information you may find helpful:

Lower Bowl/Center Ice
- The are still seats available in all 4 Center Ice Sections, meaning Sections 103, 104, 116 & 117.
- For higher rows, Section 116 has the most seats available.
- For middle rows, Section 117 has the best availability. I went with Section 117.
- These will be the best seats I've had for an Excel Energy Center Frozen Four. Obviously the Center Ice locations will go pretty quickly. If eligible to purchase, I recommend doing so without delay.
- Cost for the All-Sessions Pass was $345.
- Bad News is that's a fairly steep increase over 2023. Good News is that unless I'm missing something, that number includes most fees. There was one $26 Service Fee applied to my entire order. If you have a group of eight -- the maximum size at the current priority level -- that's $3.25 per person. Still annoying; but Ticketmaster usually hits you a lot harder.


Glass Seats
- Still seats available; both in the Ends & the Sides.
- As usual the issue is cost, with an asking price of $650 per seat.


Club Level
- The first three rows of Club are mostly gone, or at least not currently being offered for sale.
- Good availability in the higher rows of Club.
- Face Value of the All-Sessions Pass is $310 per seat.


Upper Bowl
- Some of the Row 1 Seats have been snapped up.
- Otherwise excellent availability on both sides & both ends of the arena.
- The All-Sessions Pass is $220.


Lower Bowl/Attack Zones
- Just Beyond the Center Ice Sections, you find Sections 102, 105, 115 & 118.
- Good Availability in all Four Sections.
- Same $345 Price.
- Once the Center Ice Seats sell, these sections will become the best available -- subject to your cost/benefit analysis, of course.


Odds & Ends
- Overall the process is now pretty painless. Unlike the bad old days, you didn't have to reload the seat map every time you want to check out a different section.
- No more "I'm Not A Robot" photos.
- By default, the website puts all of your seats in the same row. If you want a different configuration, you have to place two separate orders. Obviously you'd run a small risk that the seats in your second order will sell while you're completing your first purchase.
- Limit two orders per account. But two orders should be enough to accommodate most configurations involving four or eight tickets.

Best of luck to all buyers!

[StateofHockey78]

Yeah, I ended up buying $ 68 tickets up high behind the net, actually allowed me to take an aisle seat both days. I would call it a deal for $137 to get in the door for three games.

for sure, and like you said a good chance you can move around up there. I think mine are section 303 about half way up

[LTsatch]

when I got mine, all the sections left were $200 for all session tickets. It was basically the corners and the sections right next to the corners. All spots were the same when I looked.

Yeah, I ended up buying $ 68 tickets up high behind the net, actually allowed me to take an aisle seat both days. I would call it a deal for $137 to get in the door for three games.