Back from the midst of a Peewee Playoff first rounder.... Between that and work and life it's been a bit of a dry spell in terms of WHL hockey.
But not completely...
Ice GM Jeff Chynoweth sounded off on the club's attendance over at Regan Bartel's blog when the Rockets were in town Tuesday. Chynoweth talks about the 14% drop in attendance over the last two years. This season the drop has been much more noticable with the club averaging just under 2500 a game and the norm of 2200 more and more, at least earlier in the season.
It looks as though the reality of a small market is finally settling in after 13 seasons of WHL hockey in the East Kootenay. Where the club used to draw from all over the valley it's mostly Cranbrook and Kimberley that supply the fan base... And a quick look around the rink will find a majority of grey on the rooftops of the fans. In otherwords, the 20-40 demographic isn't coming in droves. Where 8-10 years ago when the building opened that wasn't the case.
More ideas are needed to target that younger demographic and younger families after the club signed a 15-year lease with the City last year.
On the ice things continue to go well for the club, the 5-4 Shootout loss to the Rebels included. Some highlites here for the Sportsnet-televised game.
Some chatter about burning out the top three lines during that game against the Rebels. Unfortunately, if I'm a coach I'm doing the same thing Knoblauch did in that TV timeouts give your top lines more rest. Combine that with the lack of a last change and you have to match up. I'm not using rookie fourth-liners to kill penalties against the likes of RNG or Byron Froese. With three, two minute breaks a period, the fourth line won't play much.
On the line combinations I like Fraser up front with King and Eakin. It puts more eggs in one basket but there's a chemistry there that I like. Reinhart, Czerwonka and Pearce along with Boomer, Antilla and Ismond round out the top three units. Such is the problem with one too many pivots on this club.
Kootenay sits tied for third in the Eastern Conference with a 39-18-1-3 record and 82points with the Tigers. The Raiders are in town tonight with the Kamloops Blazers here Saturday night in the race for third. That'll be the difference between getting an opponent such as Edmonton as opposed to Moose Jaw in the first round.
17 comments:
nice BS whine about attendance by Jeff. Half the damn time you dont even know there is a game here at night.
The music is absolutely frigging terrible.
The marketing is total garbage and the nightly entertainment is painfully geeky and lame.
sorry to the front end but things need to change up front, the girl tiffany is the marketing girl and she is in way over her head. She's kinda annoying in ways and Im sure sponsors are just through dealing with the same personality asking for handouts(sorry tiffany).
The ticket price change this year has pretty much taken my ass out of the seats for 80% of the games.
There is no atmosphere to be a part of at the rink, a bunch of geriatrics that want the music turned down and the heat turned up aint helping one bit.
Prizes are lame, and the building is pinkish purple inside which is horrible to look at.
Bob Cartier wont allow any other food vendors into the building without threatening to pull his buisness out, a total joke of a buisness man in that respect. Man Im tired of A&W everytime I go there.
How much more do you want?
I thought that they really tuned up the in-game music.
If you don't go to 80% of the games, how do you know what goes on at them? Don't lie and at least admit you still go to games. I agree with most of your points though.
I see we are back to the same old complaints again. Firstly, the music has improved. Even Shivers enjoys it more. I agree the marketing is pretty much non-existent. I must ask the same question I asked again? Do you go to the games to be entertained by music and gimmicks or do you go to the game to watch our team play? I am a season ticket holder and don't miss a single game. I don't care about the entertainment. I go to watch our boys play a good hockey game. As to ticket prices, I say again, get season tickets through the Power Payment Plan at the ICE office. It will end up costing you roughly $11.00 a game. If you don't use them all, you can give them to someone you know. They can bring them in and pay $8.00 for a ticket to a game of their choice. Who knows, maybe you can help another person become a permanent fan. I will admit that they need a real marketing person at the front end. Should our team suffer because of it? Who cares what color the building is. Thanks for that, though, I had no clue what color it was since I actually don't go to look at the building. If you don't like A&W eat at home. I do. All I see here are a pile of excuses to not go to the game. How about going to the game because we have one of the best teams in the league, year in and year out. How about going because we are privileged to be such a small market with an actual WHL team right here for us to cherish and enjoy. How about going just because we have such a wonderful group of young men who deserve to play to a full arena, not an empty one. I am only one small person in a very big world, but I've taken upon myself to personally market this team in my church, on Facebook, and anywhere else I can think of. If I can manage to get one or two more people to a game, that's a big step in the right direction. If we are true Kootenay ICE fans, none of that other stuff should matter. Come on people. We've got a team that can do great things. How about we forget the front end, the lack of prizes and marketing, the so called crappy music, the lack of food choices, the color of the building, and see what's right in front of our noses. We have an awesome hockey team that is doing awesome things, but imagine how much better they'd probably do if they had a full house to play in. I think its time that this town, who won third place in Hockeyville last year, and always claims to be a "hockey town" gets off its hiney, gets its head out of the sand, and get back to supporting this team. OUR TEAM. GO ICE GO!
Good stuff, all comments, though to be realistic, I don't hear a lot of ideas on how to get those young families into the building. That's the difference here. Those who visit here and are passionate one way or the other - go to the games.
It's the one who don't - that's the problem.
I think the reason why they'd have entertainment other than hockey is to draw some of the people there who aren't totally into the game. Create some excitement etc.
A start would be getting a profesional radio add set done that is exciting and boldy voiced and roll that on the air. The radio station here is about as lame as you can possibly get when it comes to creating and voicing adds. The Radio Play by play guy is hopelessly dry and drabb so the radio end of it has no excitement to it nor does it have personality. Not to mention Holick is a homer extrordinaire. the on ice entertainment needs to be there to get people happy to be there with fun stuff to watch.
I really like those remote controlled blimps that shoot tshirts and balls ect, people love that stuff.
A replay screen would be cool but thats already coming here sometime soon
Let me see if I've got this correct. It's the customer's fault for not buying your product? Sounds like the Edmonton experience taught somebody absolutely nothing.
I think it's the customer's fault for not supporting their team!
I can totally understand what he is saying. The people are kinda lame in this town. But that interview was totally not the best way to garner community support. Probably say goodbye to another 100 people. I guess we won't have to worry about it in a few years, we'll just be mad at paying taxes on a big empty building with no team in it to call home. And if anyone thinks that the lease agreement for 15 years is a guarantee that the team will stay. It's not at all! And Jeff is correct in saying "what DO people do in this town"
Jeff needs to focus on the hockey - him and his support team are pretty good at that. He needs to back off anything to do with people and the community. That radio bit was bad - not only does it alienate the supportive fan, comments like that keep others away - thank goodness I like the hockey because I sure as heck don't want to support someone like Jeff. But with that, he needs to relinquish some "power" to others with people skills and marketing prowess to get butts in the seats. Make people see how important the ICE are to this town. Jeff - whether or not you personally want to be here is immaterial, no one cares. Perhaps though, a positive approach in truly making the ICE Kootenay's team and not simply your profit center would connect people more. This is a team for the Kootenay's but I would hazard a guess most people don't feel that it's "our" team.
Maybe I'm out to lunch but when I feel connected to something I'm much more committed to support it. Most people now, just go to the games. Some ideas:
1. Drop off 50 tickets to each elementary school for weekend games. The rink is empty anyway and at the least the parent has to buy a ticket
2. Every weekend game game is family night - half price tickets for a family of four
3. Offer a family package season ticket - $800
4. Give free tickets to every out of town minor hockey team that is in town on game night - again - parents have to buy tickets
5. Sponsor an "owners" suite where people less fortunate can watch a game in the box (Boys & Girls club etc.)
6. Turn the music up - it's more fun
7. Do some intermission stuff to catch kids eyes - it's them you want dragging their parents back because of the flying blimp or the gun that shoots t-shirts
8. Have the players be visible at every community function they possible can be. Be at the schools every friday. Be at the old folks home for an hour here and there. It's stuff like this that shows you care about the community.
9. If you get the proceeds from parking, maybe donate once per month to minor hockey
I guess in the end, one important rule to remember is that you have to spend money to make money. That hasn't really happened.
Apologies for the ramble - this is a great product but I don't want feel forced to enjoy this team - I just want to enjoy it. Until Jeff makes some changes to support the community vs. threatening it i guess we will just have to keep saying "the hockey should be enough" and listen to more complaining until the team actually does move.
7.
This last poster has some great ideas. The way to bring the crowds back is to make the games "the place to be". Enticing the kids by handing out free tickets at the schools is a good start. I know that local businesses are already generous in their support, but maybe getting them to offer payroll payment plans for season ticket purchases is something to look at. I'm sure the ICE office has some payment plans as well. Marketing the team needs some huge improvement, but dissing the girl in office is pretty lame.(anonymous #1 if you're reading.)
My family has held season tickets since the team first came to town. We enjoy the hockey and feel privilaged to have a team of this level to watch live. I go to the games for an entertaining night out. By holding a season ticket, it costs just over $11 a night - pretty cheap entertainment I say.
I can't stand these posts complaining about the food or colour of the walls - who cares?? Please - no more complaints about the music! The level should be loud - its a hockey game! The prizes are actually pretty good I think. Again - thanks to the local businesses. As for the food - who expects gourmet at a hockey game?? There is a restaurant upstairs that will be happy to fix you up a meal to go if you don't want a burger from A&W. Or - eat at home before you come!
I'd like to see more entertainment - bring back the figure skaters, bring in some vocal groups, musicians...there's gotta be people out there looking for an audience.
I hope people like anonymous #1 arent out in the community spreading their negativity. That's sure not the way to generate more fans. If you're not happy with what's happening then why not try to help fix it? If you have some good ideas, share them with the ICE office.
Entertainment during the game is paramount. The first question by the Ice should not be how much will we receive for you to be here but rather encourage entertainment anyway possible. And yes paying for entertainment is also an option. Cranbrook is a small town and you need to wear your Kootenay passion on your sleeve and not just publicly state we like living here but business is business and we would move. Your actions and interactions often speak louder than words. Back to entertainment suggestions: Use the 50/50 tickets to do extra draws like two season pass holders win free horsderves during second period intermission. Mini putt competition in the foyer during intermission. Open mike upstairs in Finnigans. Have two weeks dedicated to an area showing off the best quilts. Or head to head artist of the week section with the top vote getter receiving perks. Give the fans something to do and highlight local talent. I could go on.
Entertainment during the game is paramount. The first question by the Ice should not be how much will we receive for you to be here but rather encourage entertainment anyway possible. And yes paying for entertainment is also an option. Cranbrook is a small town and you need to wear your Kootenay passion on your sleeve and not just publicly state we like living here but business is business and we would move. Your actions and interactions often speak louder than words. Back to entertainment suggestions: Use the 50/50 tickets to do extra draws like two season pass holders win free horsderves during second period intermission. Mini putt competition in the foyer during intermission. Open mike upstairs in Finnigans. Have two weeks dedicated to an area showing off the best quilts. Or head to head artist of the week section with the top vote getter receiving perks. Give the fans something to do and highlight local talent. I could go on.
Dear Jeff,
Read below:
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2011/01/30/1347794/ams-pay-tribute-to-biggest-fan.html#storylink=mirelated
I was going to write and totally agree with everything said but then I was talking to my wife and she made me think for a second.
It is easy to whine and discuss what is wrong with the Ice and say how managment isn't doing anything but what if Jeff is controlling everything and nobody gets a say?
What if he says what tickets are going to cost, what advertising is going to be done, where the players will be in the community, what money is to be spent where? I am one of the first to be negative about what can be done to change things but now that I think about it like that I wonder if my negative should really be directed at the team.
Maybe all their staff are just doing what they are told? Maybe not? Although I do agree the general price of tickets are a little expensive for my family and yes, things can be done better.
Oh about the players in the community though, I actually see them regularly and my kids have them visit them in school.
It would be interesting though to get inside Jeff's head
Being there and seeing the game live under any of the above conditions would be better than watching on web tv as we have have to do. The radio guys are so bad we turn the volume to mute. Who picks these guys ? They spend more time promoting every other player in the league than the Ice players. What a welcome relief when the Ice are on the road.
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