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Post by dogcatcher on Jan 25, 2008 9:11:57 GMT -4
What can we do to get the people into Harbour Station?
Any ideas about this? We can't say that we have to "ice a better team"...we've got the best in the division.....
What else can the Sea Dogs management do to get people into Harbour Station? Your thoughts!? Let's think about this a bit and give some real suggestions.
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Post by J4M13 on Jan 25, 2008 9:27:45 GMT -4
Start targeting the 25-35 crowd.
Forget the 55 year old crowd. They'll go anyway, and complain regardless of what changes management tries to make. They're going to piss and moan, and no matter what you do, it's not going to be good enough for them. So why bother?
Why 25-35? 2 reasons.
1. They're the upwardly-mobile sector of the population, with salaries to match.
2. They're the group with the elementary and middle school kids. If the kids already want to be there, and the game experience is enjoyable for the parents, it means they'll go as a family more often, instead of taking the kids to a movie or something, or just shipping the kids off with their friends.
Also, make cheering legal. Noisemakers, horns, all of it. Anything below a certain decibel level should be legal anywhere. If you don't like it, get up and move. There are plenty of places to stand and watch the game. I've done this on occasion because I really don't like the same repetitive "Let's go Sea Dogs!" chant for entire periods. But I like the fact they're cheering so I don't say a word.
Get the crowd invested in the game. I mean, I've seen a kid cheering "Go Sea Dogs Go!" over and over, and some old people yelling at him to shut up. That is unacceptable. It all goes back to the "you can't please the old people" comment I made earlier. If you lose the fifty or 100 (I realize it's not all the old people in HS, just a group of them, but if they're going to paint all young people with the same brush, I reserve the right to do the same with them) who've sat in the same seats since the Flames were here, in my opinion, it's acceptable if you sell 300 or 400 tickets to others who actually want to have fun more than just be seen.
One horn or excessively loud fan is annoying. Hundreds in unison is atmosphere.
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Post by Judas In My Mind on Jan 25, 2008 9:51:46 GMT -4
You can't use horns outside sections 6 & 7 because some old people bring little radios and earphones to listen to the radio broadcast of the game while watching it inside the rink and they complained that the horns make it hard for them to hear their radios. Yes, this is true. For once I'm not just joking around. It was one of the reasons seriously given for why horns will never be allowed beyond sections 6 & 7.
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Post by dogcatcher on Jan 25, 2008 10:06:21 GMT -4
A few comments about the Game Night Experience....
1. Why does the Pizza & the Subway sub get given away in the same section & row?? I've seen it happen three times this season.
2. If your going to play a contest on the ice...like seeing how many pucks you can get in the net...make sure that you are accurate with it. Christina Rogers needs to count and pay attention to what's going on. Twice they've had that contest on the ice, and it's been the wrong person winning.
3. Let's do the singing of the anthem right. Turn on the microphone & sing the proper words!! Make sure your singer is prepared!! Too often this season they have something happen during the anthem. It's not hard to find someone who is professional to sing in this city.
4. Change the type of contest they are playing in the stands. Giving a picture away, or a coffee mug is not much of an incentive and is kind of a joke!
5. Please please please, GET RID OF THE ENTRANCE DOORS!!! You don't need them! They serve no purpose!! Have the flag girls make the entrance like they do now. Use more colorful lights from the ceiling. The Cyrderman years are over...get rid of it!!
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Post by J4M13 on Jan 25, 2008 10:21:00 GMT -4
You can't use horns outside sections 6 & 7 because some old people bring little radios and earphones to listen to the radio broadcast of the game while watching it inside the rink and they complained that the horns make it hard for them to hear their radios. Yes, this is true. For once I'm not just joking around. It was one of the reasons seriously given for why horns will never be allowed beyond sections 6 & 7. Wow. That's all. Just wow. Maybe the guy on the radio should start commenting on how bad the atmosphere inside the building is. |
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Post by elementz on Jan 25, 2008 12:05:15 GMT -4
I think they need to do something about ticket sales before the game. As mentioned before, I seen so many people walk up to the box office before the game and have to wait in the lineup for over an hour. Granted, I blame the people for going so late, but I am sure marketing/management can come up with a solution to this.
More advertising for online tickets, promote ticket sales at the mall, irving, imperial, etc.
I hear from various people that 7pm starts are a little early to make it too, why not move all the weekday starts to 730pm and keep Sat and Sun as is.
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Post by bjindaho on Jan 25, 2008 12:10:43 GMT -4
do you blame someone who goes for say 6:30 and misses the opening faceoff, because i've been there
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Post by reddogbluedog on Jan 25, 2008 12:24:24 GMT -4
25 -35 are also the age group with young families and getting out through the week is difficult.
Your 55+ age group although they don't like the noise are also the group with the income and time and they are the ones with season tickets. It's a tough balancing act with them and the kids in the crowd. Also our largest population group in the city is between 45 adn 70.
I would say have you youth event nights on weekends and have older crowd incentives on week nights.
What would be nice but I do not see the person in sight yet is a local kid who can really play. Fullerton from Riverview is the closest we have to a full time local player. Thomas is another but does not see a lot of ice.
I also think that Saint John fans like a tough physical style of play as well and we don't have that. I don't think that we have out hit any team we have played all month. We only have a couple of guys that like to bang and one sits on the bench most of the game. We are still blue collar fans for the most part. Just my thoughts but I would love to see 20 hits a game.
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Post by batterydude on Jan 25, 2008 12:42:33 GMT -4
The design of the front of HS is terrible! They have already changed it once at great cost. If I went to my first game and had to line up for almost an hour I wouldn't go back. I've seen the line up to the top of the stairs. There needs to be more ticket windows. If someone wanted to give me their money I sure as hell wouldn't make them wait an hour! I don't know what the solution is but there has to be a faster way to deal with the last minute sales. You can say that these people should buy their tickets in advance; but evidently they don't want to, so it has to be made easier for them to buy tickets just prior to the game.
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Post by mrlittlewolf on Jan 25, 2008 12:54:06 GMT -4
Christina lastnight told the kids to line up on the blue line any blue line!!!! She is totally NOT what we need around the building!!!!! I have been quiet too long about this the bobble-head crap has to go. this isnt American Idol FFS.. As for other things How about we welcome people to the building in the first period!!! Not with 5 min left and half have left because they didnt winn the 50/50... Another WTF is the playing with the mics all night during play this is just a GIANT pain in the butt
theres more after i calm down
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Post by dogcatcher on Jan 25, 2008 12:54:35 GMT -4
I don't know if they already do this because I don't buy my tickets at the box office...but I've seen in other cities where they have a wicket that sells tickets where it's "best seat available", and the only choice you have is upper or lower bowl. Maybe there should do that?
Another idea which they had rolling around, was that the Flex Ticket holders should be able to pick their seat on the Harbour Station website. That may alleviate alot of issues there as well.
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Post by bjindaho on Jan 25, 2008 13:01:21 GMT -4
or find some ways to have external ticket sales...even if they are only available at garden street, it would be SO much better.
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Post by fbr2075 on Jan 25, 2008 13:43:10 GMT -4
They have made it very easy to buy tickets on line and print your ticket off at home or work. This is what I do, takes two minutes to buy your ticket online, you also have the option of having your ticket picked up at the rink. i tried this once also (messed up my order) and no waiting again. Went in went to the desk gave them my name and there was my ticket in a nice little envelope.
I did say to myself last nite in particular, what a dead rink, at point in the 3rd period there were a bunch of kids chanting lets go Drummondville. I expected the fans to take up a sea dog chant and drown them out, never happened.
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Post by batterydude on Jan 25, 2008 13:45:01 GMT -4
I've come to conclussion that ease of buying tickets is the #1 way to put people in the rink. All posters on here are die hard Seadogs fans and would stand in line. But the majority of fans that are on the fence wether to go to a game or not will not stand in line. The " best seat available is a great idea; as is Garden street Irving. I think Seadog Staff and the Management of HS need to address this and not worry about who is going to win the "mug" at the next game!
I agree that you should buy your tickets online; but the lineups prove people are not doing this.
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Post by bjindaho on Jan 25, 2008 13:46:33 GMT -4
but can you use debit online? and would you want to?
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