Baby won't have to pay after all: NHL allows infants to attend special games without tickets

NHL fans can now bring children under the age of two to the upcoming Heritage Classic in Winnipeg without having to pay for a seat, after the league reversed a policy that had long frustrated parents of infants and toddlers.

The league announced on Tuesday that children under two years old can attend special events such as the NHL All-Star, Winter Classic, Heritage Classic and Stadium Series games without a ticket, provided they sit on the lap of an accompanying adult.

Children two years and up will still be required to have their own ticket, the league said.

It's a change from the NHL's previous policy, which required all fans to have paid tickets to special event games.

• NHL says 6-month-old needs ticket to see Heritage Classic
• Winnipeg parents plan human rights complaint over NHL policy requiring ticket for baby

"Over the last number of years, the league's procedure for its special event games ... has required that any fan, regardless of age, be required to have a ticket to gain entry," the NHL said in a statement.

"After reviewing this practice, the league has decided to adopt a standard that more closely mirrors that of similar entertainment events and that to which local NHL clubs adhere. While the league will strive to adopt such policy for these special event games, in some instances, it may not be possible or practical in a particular venue."

Human rights issue

The Manitoba Human Rights Commission also took some of the credit for the NHL's decision to allow babies to attend its outdoor Winnipeg game.

I hope that a lot of families are going to be able to take advantage of it and [that it will] get moms out of the house now.–Shalyn Meady

Commission chair Yvonne Peters said the timely resolution of the dispute between the league and Winnipeg parents Clifford Anderson and Shalyn Meady shows human-rights disputes can be settled through mediation.

"Rather than filing a complaint, they both came to the table and entered into mediation to find a solution that was satisfactory to both parties," Peters said. "The commission helped facilitate that from a human rights perspective."

Parents happy with decision

The old policy had outraged Winnipeg parents Anderson and Meady, who learned they would have to spend an extra $400 for their six-month-old son, William, to attend the 2016 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic with them on Sunday.

William is still breastfeeding and isn't old enough to sit up without help, said the parents, who had planned to launch a human-rights complaint over the issue.

Meady said she is glad it didn't come to that.

We're very excited to have this positive ending to this story and get to enjoy the game.- Shalyn Meady

"I think it was a good decision to have the policy changed to be more in line with all the other franchises and hockey venues," she said Tuesday after the announcement. "I hope that a lot of families are going to be able to take advantage of it and [that it will] get moms out of the house now."

Sell or donate tickets

Prior to the change, the couple was mulling their options, considering what they might do with their tickets. They thought they might sell or donate their tickets because they weren't able to go without their child, Meady said.

"We didn't really have a second option," she said. "Today was kind of our deadline."

The league cited safety concerns at the time, especially since the Heritage Classic game is outdoors.

On Tuesday, the NHL said fans who have already bought tickets to the Heritage Classic for children under the age of two can get a refund on game day by bringing their ticket and their child to the main box office at Investor Group Field.

As for Anderson, Meady and their six-month-old, the young family is really looking forward to taking in the Heritage Classic. They're even more fired up about watching Wayne Gretzky, Teemu Selanne and others play in the legends game on Saturday.

"We're very excited to have this positive ending to this story and get to enjoy the game that we were so excited for at the start of all this," Meady said.