It had been awhile since I was at a game in canada, and all I can say is wow--what a difference.
The game experience is actually about the game, and not a grab-fest of freebies.
There were two (tops) 'contests' that were brief during the tv timeouts and the rest of the time they just played music and showed the crowd.
There were no 'ice girls'--just arena guys in sneakers who cleaned the ice and then got off.
There was a few prompts from the scoreboard to get the crowd going before the puck dropped so that they were revved when the play resumed.
There were NO movie clips--not even one.
They had a 'smooch cam' that was shown later in the third period as well.
The three stars actually came right out onto the ice and chucked hats to the fans. It wasn't just the standard tight turn and off thing, but they actually took the time to skate to the different areas of the arena and toss the hats up. It was great fan interaction (not sure if this is actually game ops, but it is a very nice touch and totally doable from the jackets standpoint).
The whole feeling was that you were there to watch the game and not carry on with everything else or stare at the jumbotron like a pack of zombies.
There were a few other things but they have slipped my mind--I will edit them in as I recall.
Willien makes some good observations. I wish our experience was more like that.
But this is Amurka!
We have ADHD, hence the freebies. And the jumbotron is like training wheels for fans who don't grow up with rinks in the backyard. (I DID grow up with a rink in our backyard in UA in the early 70's, but that was back before global warming)
My beef is what they choose to put ON the jumbotron and in the arena (and on the ice).
I think one problem is they think our fans are to hockey stupid for us to be entertained by just the game. And that may be true to some point but I think there are at least 12K + fans that are just there for the game and do not need the extra.
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It had been awhile since I was at a game in canada, and all I can say is wow--what a difference.
The game experience is actually about the game, and not a grab-fest of freebies.
There were two (tops) 'contests' that were brief during the tv timeouts and the rest of the time they just played music and showed the crowd.
There were no 'ice girls'--just arena guys in sneakers who cleaned the ice and then got off.
There was a few prompts from the scoreboard to get the crowd going before the puck dropped so that they were revved when the play resumed.
There were NO movie clips--not even one.
They had a 'smooch cam' that was shown later in the third period as well.
The three stars actually came right out onto the ice and chucked hats to the fans. It wasn't just the standard tight turn and off thing, but they actually took the time to skate to the different areas of the arena and toss the hats up. It was great fan interaction (not sure if this is actually game ops, but it is a very nice touch and totally doable from the jackets standpoint).
The whole feeling was that you were there to watch the game and not carry on with everything else or stare at the jumbotron like a pack of zombies.
There were a few other things but they have slipped my mind--I will edit them in as I recall.
This has always been my biggest beef with the organization(Maclean). They marketed the Arena atmosphere to the public likes it is a circus rather than marketing hockey to the public. Hockey fans keep going to games, Circus fans take their family to the circus once or twice a year. I'd rather have a loyal fan base of true hockey fans, than a circus that attracts families down to the arena once or twice a season.
I think one problem is they think our fans are to hockey stupid for us to be entertained by just the game. And that may be true to some point but I think there are at least 12K + fans that are just there for the game and do not need the extra.
I agree. If they think that the people in the arena don't know hockey, then put some interesting rule explanations with video clips to educate people (like they did with the Novotny situation where he was awarded the goal that never crossed the goal line). The more you dumb it down, the more people will act like dummies.
This has always been my biggest beef with the organization(Maclean). They marketed the Arena atmosphere to the public likes it is a circus rather than marketing hockey to the public. Hockey fans keep going to games, Circus fans take their family to the circus once or twice a year. I'd rather have a loyal fan base of true hockey fans, than a circus that attracts families down to the arena once or twice a season.
I'm with you to a degree in spirit. But let's not get full of ourselves here.
Sports and Hockey are about entertainment. Sport is modern circus.
When did you become a hockey fan? If you're like most, it was when you were a kid. So realize that some of the stuff in the Nat is for the kids, and for the proto-fans. The sport needs them as much as it needs "real" fans, as some describe themselves. I complain about some of the 'dumb' fans in the arena, but fact is, their ticket sales keep the franchise in Cbus. It's a trade-off.
I grew up going to Checkers and Owl games. As a kid, the game was only half the show. When we were young most of us loved the mascots and crazy atmosphere. Granted, they didn't have much "show" in the Fairgrounds Collesium, but I pined for all the stuff the vendors were hawking. And I desperately waited for a puck to come over the chainlink fencing. But I went home and pretended to be Bobby Orr. And now I'm a PSL holder.
I think the problem is that those of us who attend a lot of games are bored with the circus, and upset about some of the hockey. Both need to improve.
I'm with you to a degree in spirit. But let's not get full of ourselves here.
Sports and Hockey are about entertainment. Sport is modern circus.
When did you become a hockey fan? If you're like most, it was when you were a kid. So realize that some of the stuff in the Nat is for the kids, and for the proto-fans. The sport needs them as much as it needs "real" fans, as some describe themselves. I complain about some of the 'dumb' fans in the arena, but fact is, their ticket sales keep the franchise in Cbus. It's a trade-off.
I grew up going to Checkers and Owl games. As a kid, the game was only half the show. When we were young most of us loved the mascots and crazy atmosphere. Granted, they didn't have much "show" in the Fairgrounds Collesium, but I pined for all the stuff the vendors were hawking. And I desperately waited for a puck to come over the chainlink fencing. But I went home and pretended to be Bobby Orr. And now I'm a PSL holder.
I think the problem is that those of us who attend a lot of games are bored with the circus, and upset about some of the hockey. Both need to improve.
As much as I hate agreeing with JF, I’m agreeing with JF on this.
Could a better balance be struck between the pure game and the bells-and-whistles? I think so.
But to forgo all of that (promotions, jumbotron antics, kiss cams, stupid on-ice races, etc.) is to neglect a portion of the ticket-buying public.
I think hockey in many places in the U.S., including this town, needs to have an enteratinment element beyond the ice for part of the population. Sad but true. Fringe fans are gravy for this sport and this franchise and this league needs all the gravy it can get.
In truth, the crazy hockey fans like us - they have us, we’re going to the games regardless. They don’t need to aim in-arena entertainment at us because we’re there to watch the games whether or not they use a Casio keyboard or shoot a wadded up tee-shirt at the crowd with a potato gun.
But some people like those things and I don’t have a problem with that.
After all, I’m there to watch the games.
Who cares about movie clips on the jumbotron during stopages in play?
I do not mind in game entertainment and I understand that it is needed for the fringe fans. But it needs to be done right. Guess I am just getting old.
As much as I hate agreeing with JF, I’m agreeing with JF on this.
Could a better balance be struck between the pure game and the bells-and-whistles? I think so.
But to forgo all of that (promotions, jumbotron antics, kiss cams, stupid on-ice races, etc.) is to neglect a portion of the ticket-buying public.
I think hockey in many places in the U.S., including this town, needs to have an enteratinment element beyond the ice for part of the population. Sad but true. Fringe fans are gravy for this sport and this franchise and this league needs all the gravy it can get.
In truth, the crazy hockey fans like us - they have us, we’re going to the games regardless. They don’t need to aim in-arena entertainment at us because we’re there to watch the games whether or not they use a Casio keyboard or shoot a wadded up tee-shirt at the crowd with a potato gun.
But some people like those things and I don’t have a problem with that.
After all, I’m there to watch the games.
Who cares about movie clips on the jumbotron during stopages in play?
A balance between the two would be nice.
Who cares about the movie clips? I do. The players do. The energy that has been generated after a goal is completely sucked out of the arena because everyone stops cheering and start starting up at the screen like a bunch of droids. If they were clips that got you hyped up and actually had some sort of climax, then go crazy, but more often than not they don't.
The players appreciate playing in front of a lively crowd.
I'm with you to a degree in spirit. But let's not get full of ourselves here.
Sports and Hockey are about entertainment. Sport is modern circus.
Yep.
Quote:
Originally Posted by KallioWeHardlyKnewYe
Fringe fans are gravy for this sport and this franchise and this league needs all the gravy it can get.
Yep.
Quote:
Originally Posted by willien
A balance between the two would be nice.
Yep.
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Who cares about the movie clips? I do. The players do. The energy that has been generated after a goal is completely sucked out of the arena because everyone stops cheering and start starting up at the screen like a bunch of droids. If they were clips that got you hyped up and actually had some sort of climax, then go crazy, but more often than not they don't.
The players appreciate playing in front of a lively crowd.
Jim Carrey bellowing while sliding a glass door open and shut doesn't get your competitive juices flowing?
I definitely agree that things can be improved, but I'm against completely eschewing promotions and entertainment.
Jim Carrey bellowing while sliding a glass door open and shut doesn't get your competitive juices flowing?
I definitely agree that things can be improved, but I'm against completely eschewing promotions and entertainment.
There is no choice in the matter anyway, but there has got to be a better way. Like I said it is easy to have a lively building when it is near capacity, but you earn your money when there is 12 000 and can get the sound level up. Next to impossible in games like the Florida game, but they have played some good hockey in front of those 12 000 people and the in house stuff needs to up their game.
There is no choice in the matter anyway, but there has got to be a better way. Like I said it is easy to have a lively building when it is near capacity, but you earn your money when there is 12 000 and can get the sound level up. Next to impossible in games like the Florida game, but they have played some good hockey in front of those 12 000 people and the in house stuff needs to up their game.
I think they have tried to be too clever and they end of making things long and drawn out. None of the give away games are fast and to the point. They go on and on and by the time the game/give away is over people have forgotten what was going on on the ice. Things need to be fast and to the point. As stated above lots of fans have ADD.
Why when they give out the pizzas do they have to do some stupid game that has a predetemined winner? They do the roulette wheel and the thing just keeps going and going. Why do they need to do it? Its not like it is really going to stop on a ramdon number. Why not just say Heads up Sec. 210 he comes …………..
Sorry Mike (if you post here, which I believe you might), but your a little bit too "minor league" for my tastes. I know that during Saturday's pre-game video-thing, I was embarrassed to call myself a fan of this team. Theres corny/funny, and there's just plain corny. That video was just plain corny.
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I had season tickets in row 12 in Section 110 for 4 seasons, but due to money constaints had to move to the upper bowl, section 212 this year. It is amazing how different the crowd is up in the "cheap seats". We recently sat back down in 110 for 1 game and I'll tell you, I'd much rather sit in the upper bowl. The upper bowl crowd (as a majority) is much more into the game itself. The lower bowl is filled with people all dressed up trying to make appearances, suits fresh from work and other people that have no clue about hockey... the ones that yell "SHOOT" whenever we have the puck on the power play. Don't get me wrong, there are people in the lower bowl that are there for the game and know hockey, but I'd say 50% are the other kind. I can't tell you how many times we've been in the lower bowl next to people that do nothing but chit chat all game long and don't pay any attention to what's going on. They apparently just go for the sake of going to an "event". If you haven't been, buy a pair of tickets in the upper bowl sometime. You'll not only save money, but probably be surrounded by people that actually are interested in the game itself. Just my $.02 rant.
Sorry Mike (if you post here, which I believe you might), but your a little bit too "minor league" for my tastes. I know that during Saturday's pre-game video-thing, I was embarrassed to call myself a fan of this team. Theres corny/funny, and there's just plain corny. That video was just plain corny.
I was not at the game Saturday can you fill me in on the video.
I grew up watching IHL hockey in Ft Wayne, IN(3 hours up rte 33). When Flint and Kalamazoo would come to town we'd have 6,000 fans cheering as loud as your typical CBJ home game, and all the bells and whistles we had was the drunk guy playing the organ. When Kevin Killer Kaminski(455 PIMs in 56 games) dropped the gloves the whole joint was on its feet.
I know small market hockey is different, but central Ohio with roundly 3x the populatioin of NE Indiana, shouldn't need to resort to gimmicks to fill seats.
I'm just saying Maclean could have focused more on marketing the game and team than the arena experience. Hockey is pretty much hockey no matter how you package it.
My beefs through the years with the Arena experience:
1. teen girls in skirts scooping the ice at intervals
2. the ole dance contest where *****'ish behavior is rewarded by applause and a free burrito
3. chilli
4. dew jackets/pepsi morons/stinger and anyone else that obstructs my view of the game while acting in the role of a cheerleader.
5. donatos pizza
Sorry Mike (if you post here, which I believe you might), but your a little bit too "minor league" for my tastes. I know that during Saturday's pre-game video-thing, I was embarrassed to call myself a fan of this team. Theres corny/funny, and there's just plain corny. That video was just plain corny.
There's Mike Todd... and then there's the magician they used to fill in for him against Florida.
I know a lot of people around here have a beef with him... but if you ask me, the problem isn't Mike, it's the things they make Mike do. Firing Mike doesn't change the video clips, stupid contests, or Pepsi girls that seem to make up a bulk of the issue.
I think they just need to get a new perspective as far as game operations go. The cannon was one step in the right direction. And unfortunately, until the team starts winning on a consistent basis and we're back to selling out the arena, it's more important to please the sponsors than to please those 12,000 fans.
There's Mike Todd... and then there's the magician they used to fill in for him against Florida.
I know a lot of people around here have a beef with him... but if you ask me, the problem isn't Mike, it's the things they make Mike do. Firing Mike doesn't change the video clips, stupid contests, or Pepsi girls that seem to make up a bulk of the issue.
I think they just need to get a new perspective as far as game operations go. The cannon was one step in the right direction. And unfortunately, until the team starts winning on a consistent basis and we're back to selling out the arena, it's more important to please the sponsors than to please those 12,000 fans.
I agree. I don't have a problem w/Mike -- just what he has to do. I don't like the ice tarts or the power patrol. Save that stuff for arena football. I basically don't like any of the games or entertainment that suck the energy out of the room, and there's plenty of that. And please -- no more card tricks. Ever.
They do have gals shoveling snow up at the Canucks games as well.
Since I've only been to the Nat twice, I really can't comment but I'll be there twice next month & you can bet I'll be keeping an eye out on this stuff.
I do, however, recall that even my wife commented about the over-use of bad movie scenes on the scoreboard.
We were watching the Wings game the other day & she said 'Chili' a couple times & I told her to zip it...
I agree. I don't have a problem w/Mike -- just what he has to do. I don't like the ice tarts or the power patrol. Save that stuff for arena football. I basically don't like any of the games or entertainment that suck the energy out of the room, and there's plenty of that. And please -- no more card tricks. Ever.
I'm glad that point came up...Mike is definately not the problem. He's a good announcer and great commentator. I don't think he's a magician
The issue is the convoluted games they try to put together for the radio/tv timeouts.
Some are OK but, several are too complex to put on in a couple of minutes.
The entertainment factor has to be there. We won't find 18000 die hard hockey fans to show up every night. But, if we can get a couple thousand to show up 'cause it's a good time, we'll have more $$ in the coffers to get the 1st line center and d-men we need!!
BTW - I thought the 'Saturday Night Live' skit was a riot!
