Sugarbush's New Pass Aims to Capture the '20 something' Market

[thetrailboss]

Sugarbush just announced a bold initiative to sell $299 passes to anyone 19-29 years of age. They issued an announcement on their webpage and via Email. This is not a college pass. One only needs to be 19-29 years old to get the deal, with valid ID. This is a nice gesture to the younger folks who have lower paying jobs, high student debt, and are just getting started.

Sugarbush previously had offered the student pass rate to recent grads the year after they graduated from college or grad school. This expands that program.

For the first time ever, Sugarbush is rolling out a season pass option for skiers and snowboarders in their 20s. The For20s Pass is available to anyone aged 19-29 and provides All Mountain access for only $299, if purchased before September 14th. We are offering this pass because we know it can be difficult for skiers and riders of this age to afford doing what they love, and many never return to the sport.

A very nice move. Will others take note and step up to match them?

 

[WJenness]

I would have jumped on that last year...

Too bad I just joined the ranks of 'over the hill' (at least in respect to this pass) in March.

-w

 

[TheBEast]

Saw that this morning too. Certainly an interesting move. If other's don't follow this year, I bet we'll see some more of this next year.

But alas I'm too damn old for deals like this......best I have to look forward to is senior discounts 30 years from now ;-0

 

[o3jeff]

Someone needs to do a discounted 40-50 year old pass.

 

[steamboat1]

I guess they figure daddy is still paying for the 7-18 year old passes which are still $429 (early season)...:smile:... No discounts for daddy.

It's a nice gesture on their part offering the 20 pass.

If only I was young again.

 

[deadheadskier]

Definitely a great deal. I think the number one reason why participation in skiing/riding is flat is the lack of marketing towards people just out of college. I have plenty of friends from college who gave up the sport in their 20s mainly due to lack of affordable season passes. Now in their mid-30s they've found new hobbies and don't have a desire to get back into skiing/riding due to the high upfront costs of getting near gear.

 

[AdironRider]

Most of my buddies who I rode with in college no longer ski or ride anymore without the college passes. In fact, outside of the ones who have jobs in a ski town or on a ski hill proper, none of them do.

This is a great initiative. Good for them.

 

[bigbog]

Someone needs to do a discounted 40-50 year old pass.

You're right on target o3jeff...more accurately...a 40-to-Senior Pass..IF below 50k-salary.

 

[HD333]

How about a discount for the parents buying all the 7-18 year old passes. Something like a family pass. $xxxx.xx for a family of 4.

 

[bobbutts]

for 20
very clever

 

[thetrailboss]

How about a discount for the parents buying all the 7-18 year old passes. Something like a family pass. $xxxx.xx for a family of 4.

SB gives one free matching kid's pass for every adult pass purchased. E.g. buy an adult ME Pass, get a free child ME pass.

 

[bobbutts]

SB gives one free matching kid's pass for every adult pass purchased. E.g. by an adult ME Pass, get a free child ME pass.

I wish I was a bit closer to me.. Sugarbush has the best pass deals and options I've seen..
The cost of child's pass kills the deal at most of the other resorts I've looked at..
For instance on the Peak Granite Pass adult is $699 - perfectly reasonable 11 Attitash weekdays to break even
But the child is $649, 17 days to break even, talks me out of getting this pass & not worth it if the kid isn't covered

 

[jimmywilson69]

I saw this and I think its great, except I'm 34 and live in PA.:x:x In all seriousness, this is very smart marketing move by them to draw in a younger generation and get them hooked.

 

[HowieT2]

How about a discount for the parents buying all the 7-18 year old passes. Something like a family pass. $xxxx.xx for a family of 4.

Sugarbush does offer a family pass but it is super all inclusive and is crazy expensive.

 

[HowieT2]

SB gives one free matching kid's pass for every adult pass purchased. E.g. buy an adult ME Pass, get a free child ME pass.

true, until my son aged out, the season passes for the 4 of us were about $2,000. Now I think it costs me $2500.

 

[thetrailboss]

Sugarbush does offer a family pass but it is super all inclusive and is crazy expensive.

Well, if you are talking about the Fancy Pass, yes, it is really overpriced. I was looking to see if it gave lift line cutting privileges, but I did not see that information listed.

 

[thetrailboss]

Sugarbush does offer a family pass but it is super all inclusive and is crazy expensive.

Again, any Adult 7-Day Pass gets a matching child pass for free (ages 4-12 or something like that).

 

[deadheadskier]

I wonder how Stowe is going to react to this. They haven't released their season pass prices yet. I believe their pass last year was around $1500. As much as I like Stowe more than Sugarbush, I'd be hard pressed to pay that huge of a premium to ski there if I were a local looking for a pass.

 

[thetrailboss]

I wonder how Stowe is going to react to this. They haven't released their season pass prices yet. I believe their pass last year was around $1500. As much as I like Stowe more than Sugarbush, I'd be hard pressed to pay that huge of a premium to ski there if I were a local looking for a pass.

I don't think they care.

 

[HowieT2]

Well, if you are talking about the Fancy Pass, yes, it is really overpriced. I was looking to see if it gave lift line cutting privileges, but I did not see that information listed.

I think it does as well as first tracks, but not sure.