Raiders fans who buy their season tickets this summer won't have to worry about the PST hike but it will be a factor next summer. (File Photo/paNOW Staff)

By Rob Mahon

Raiders Season Tickets

Raiders proceed with season ticket sales as PST hike looms

Aug 12, 2022 | 5:00 PM

The Saskatchewan Roughriders are trying to beat the clock by getting people to renew their season tickets before the new increase in taxes on leisure activities comes into effect on Oct. 1.

The Prince Albert Raiders won’t need to follow suit.

With their season starting before the Oct. 1 deadline, season ticket sales are already well under way and will be largely wrapped up by the time they have to worry about the hike.

“We get a bit of a benefit from the fact that our season starts before Oct. 1,” said Michael Scissons, Raiders’ business manager. “The way that the legislation reads is that any tickets bought before that Oct. 1 date for future games do not pertain to the PST being collected.”

In that way, the Raiders have an advantage in pushing season ticket sales. Once the calendar turns, however, walk-up tickets will be rising slightly in price.

National

Ottawa to remove 30% investment cap for Canadian pension funds

2h ago

Budget woes

Golf and curling centre faces grim season without financial boost

5h ago

Raiders AGM

Raiders impact on Prince Albert local economy continues to go up: AGM report

23h ago

“Oct. 1 we’ll have to start collecting the PST and submitting it to the Government of Saskatchewan,” said Scissons. “Some of our walk-up prices will be affected, but that’s it.”

According to Scissons, they’ll do their best to keep some of their group and minor hockey prices the same, even though that will come out of their bottom line. Regular walk-up tickets, however, will see an increase for PST collection starting Oct. 1.

“It’s a PST collection and submission back to the government,” Scissons said. “They deemed our league to be one of those ones that are collecting it so we’ll do our best to follow the legislation that way.”

With that in mind, it would be understandable if there was a little more urgency to the season ticket drive this year, as those tickets would not be subject to the PST hike. So far, Scissons said, the season ticket drive is going well.

“Any year, we do our best to try and get as many season ticket holders as we can, understanding that this is an additional approximate $30 charge on your season tickets for next year,” said Scissons. “It’s an unfortunate thing for the consumer to always be facing hikes in all sorts of different areas. Understand that this is a tax outside of the realm of possibility for any team to control.”

Scissons added they’ll do what they can to make sure people get a little extra value out of those season tickets moving forward to help justify the coming increase in costs. He also said the team has faith that season ticket holders will renew in spite of the hike as the city has always supported the team well.

—-

rob.mahon@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @RobMahonPxP