Washington Capitals Learn from Redskins Owner Dan Snyder, Raise Ticket Prices

With their historic win streak ended at 14, three shy of the NHL record, and the Olympics well under way, the Capitals have decided now would be a good time to raise ticket prices for their season ticket holders.

It would appear that owner Ted Leonsis has been talking with Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder.

Snyder must have told him "Look for any excuse to raise prices."

Now I know hockey is a business, and, like any other business, operating costs change, but I doubt they've changed to the percentage at which the price has increased (anywhere from 13 percent to 50 percent, depending on where your seats are and when you renew).

The timing of such a thing also makes it seem a bit fishy to me. All of us Caps fans are still high off the 14-game winning streak, despite going into the break dropping their last three, so now would be a good time to announce a hike.

Right?

Well, when a team is winning as much as the Caps are, it's easy to announce a hike.  People will grumble but ultimately accept that as a fair trade-off to having a winning team.

But the Caps haven't won anything yet. They're tops in the league with 90 points and it would take a Titanic type catastrophe for them not to make the playoffs, but ask the Indianapolis Colts about being the top team in the league and what that guarantees.

What I'm trying to say here is that the Caps, as good as they are at scoring, have a terrible defense. In the last four games I've called it when the opposing team has scored the first goal. They've all been the same. A defenseman fails to clear the puck or turns it over in the defensive zone, and the Caps fall behind early.

If the team does nothing or very little at the trade deadline to improve the defense and then falls in the playoffs to the rival Pittsburgh Penguins again (or any team, for that matter) this hike might not be taken so well.

However, if the Caps do win the Stanley Cup (with or without a trade) I think fans will grumble a bit, but, in the end, they won't care.

So Ted, the challenge is on your team.  You've raised the price, now prove to us that it is justified.