Game experience improvements

[Navin R Slavin]

Moar tifu

 

[FreshSeabass]

my company was talking about sponsoring the bobbleheads since they disappeared.

 

[HisIceness]

This is Rock the Rooftop at Spectrum Center in Charlotte. It's basically an open-air bar and viewing area above one the arenas end zones. You can buy any ticket and sit/stand here the entire game. There's also a bar with wines and craft beers on the left where the glow is which is always busy during Hornets game. Behind it is what is now known as Hugos Hangout, it's a basketball court and playground area for the kids.

IIRC, Tampa recently did something like this for their arena and the fans there seem to like it. I sat here once for a Checkers game (they never had it open except for 1 or 2 times so I took advantage of it when they did), and it was a lot of fun. It would take out a chunk of the overall seating capacity but it would add to the overall atmosphere. Then have some kind of family-friendly interaction zone behind it, add in something where you can test your slapshot skills. I'm confident kids and adults would love it.

 

[garnetpalmetto]

There has to be some way to include some fans in something like the “glove tap line” the players go through after a goal. Maybe between periods, before the game or after wins. That would be cool...


...or maybe a little window that opens in the glass along the boards so all the first row STM can stick a glove through and the players can get a tap all the way around.

The fan tunnel idea is something there doing before select games for STMs. You can enter into a drawing to take part and they'll let you know if you won. I think this far they've done it twice, once before the Pittsburgh game. When they do it, the team takes the ice through the Olympia entrance rather than the runway by the bench.

 

[MisterEd89]

Taking a page out of the Dallas Mavericks playbook here, a drumline.

Why not, it would tie in well with the college sports that dominate the area. We're all familiar with it at Football games here. Plus the HBCUs in the area (Shaw, NCCU, St. Augustines) would love it, maybe recruit a couple of their drummers to join in.



Look at how much fun the fans are having. Does any NHL team have such a thing?

The Golden Knights do. They are called the Drumbots.

During the game they are upstairs behind the goal, but they do a 2nd period intermission show. When I went to the game in Vegas last month I got to see it live and it was pretty interesting. I loved the combination of the drum line and the projection on the ice. I will say I wasn't expecting a drum line when I went to the game, but they make it work with their whole fan experience.

Here is a video of the 2nd period intermission show:


Here is a video of the Drumbots up in their area of the arena:

 

[bluedevil58]

I would like more NC craft brews. Maybe foot trucks outside for tail gaiting.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

It's already been said here, but more on ice projection and a better entrance would be great. Also, something better when the Canes score a goal, not sure what that would be, but it would be cool to have.

Also, would be nice if the Canes could work with Fans and make some sections truly rowdy. I knew 328 tries it, but needs more and needs to almost be marketed and targeted like the Dog Pound, Bleacher Bums, etc... Promote it and help the fans in those sections become a bigger part of the in game experience. If it was done right, there would be a waiting list for STH's to get into those sections eventually.

 

[Unsustainable]

MORE local food and beer options at the arena. I'll be honest we have some of the better beer options in the league already, but there's so much available locally that we could kick the beersatan that is AB-InBev and their distro entirely out and not miss a beat. Can keep Coors/Coors Light for those that don't drink anything but macro I guess.

Rooftop Bar and Lounge that's open on game days starting around 4PM and until Midnight after games.

Top Golf as close to the arena as possible.

I'm sure part of it is just me being who I am in terms of generation and all that, but drop most of the pop during stoppages (some of it is good but 90+% blows), get more hard rock going and more classic rock (Bowie, etc).

Sell him the fair grounds and let him build a Top Golf there.

 

[geehaad]

Bear in mind: there's a nonzero chance that he may actually read this thread.

Well, that honeymoon was short-lived. Too bad...such a promising beginning.

 

[tarheelhockey]

I’d say the biggest thing is simply getting people into the arena.

That, without any other changes, would dramatically improve the experience.

 

[NotOpie]

"Buy one, get one free" parking (to be used at upcoming games)
College Student commuter buses (more marketing to all NC colleges)
Do even more to grow youth hockey in NC (and market the Canes in combination)
Create rivalries - it's very hard to do artificially, but we have one w/Buffalo based on playoff history, we used to have something like that with the Devils for the same reason, and geographically, see if we could do the same for the Caps.

 

[the halleJOKEL]

this is all stupid, you aren't thinking big enough... rock during intermissions... smh

i want pnc arena to turn into an upscale jazz lounge, kind of like a speakeasy, that just so happens to have a hockey game going on in the center. i'm talking BIG comfy leather chairs, a cigar room, good cocktails and an outstanding scotch whisky selection. make the club level a giant library where you can tuck away for a period or so to catch up on a good novel. intermissions can have live jazz performances or poetry readings

i want to be HYPE when i go to games.

please kill dj mista illz

 

[Svechhammer]

More on ice projections.

A massive screen on the jumbo. I know we just replaced it not too long ago but it's already out of date. And if you go big, put screens underneath for the lower bowl seats.

Project the game on the back of the banners in the upper deck. Makes it easier for those fans to follow at times.

Open air sit down bar where you can legitimately watch the game.

Renovated and enlarged concourses. The layout there hasn't changed in 20 years. It's time.

Overhaul the entry areas to allow a large volume of people to pass more quickly. A little ridiculous the lines get as long as they do.

More giveaways over the course of the season. We used to have 2 a month and now we have 1 a season. Love the idea of the Hurricane flags, maybe we can either do them as flags on a stick or towels and make that our 'thing' going forward.

Better and more consistent free WiFi in the arena with a dedicated Canes Gameday app that gives real time updates on stats throughout the game. Maybe even include some way to check line lengths to the concessions and bathrooms with it in real time as well.

Oh, and more wins

 

[RodTheBawd]

The Golden Knights do. They are called the Drumbots.

During the game they are upstairs behind the goal, but they do a 2nd period intermission show. When I went to the game in Vegas last month I got to see it live and it was pretty interesting. I loved the combination of the drum line and the projection on the ice. I will say I wasn't expecting a drum line when I went to the game, but they make it work with their whole fan experience.

Here is a video of the 2nd period intermission show:


Here is a video of the Drumbots up in their area of the arena:

Man, this is so close to being awesome. Too repetitive which makes it teeter on the lame side.

 

[Cardiac Jerks]

#1 way to improve the fan experience is to not have a shit hockey team. Put a good product on the ice and the fans will come back. Then worry about what they want to eat, drink and watch during breaks in gameplay.

 

[RodTheBawd]

#1 way to improve the fan experience is to not have a **** hockey team. Put a good product on the ice and the fans will come back. Then worry about what they want to eat, drink and watch during breaks in gameplay.

This. You can make it a Roman Empire era brothel and it won't make a difference if the on-ice product is terrible. Ok, maybe a small difference. Dick.

 

[Finnish Jerk Train]

Taking a page out of the Dallas Mavericks playbook here, a drumline.

Why not, it would tie in well with the college sports that dominate the area. We're all familiar with it at Football games here. Plus the HBCUs in the area (Shaw, NCCU, St. Augustines) would love it, maybe recruit a couple of their drummers to join in.



Look at how much fun the fans are having. Does any NHL team have such a thing?

I MUST HAVE THIS NOW

Also, in no particular order:

• Seconding on-ice projections. We were doing this years ago. Why did we stop?
• Also seconding better entrances. Make it feel like a storm, but in an exciting way. Just spitballing here - think of the All-Star entrances, with the guys skating through fog that had images projected on them. Have them enter through pouring rain and fill the arena with hurricane effects... strobe lights and/or Tesla coils, thunder and wind over the speakers. And the aforementioned on-ice projections... think trees bent over in the wind, storm tracks, etc. While we're at it, let's make it 4D. Hang some massive fans from the rafters to create a breeze through the stands. All while the siren is wailing.
• Speaking of the siren, we need a better siren. I like the idea, but for something that's supposed to wind up the crowd, I've always felt the sound of the device itself is a little underwhelming. Get something loud and proud.
• Giveaways to the first 10k people at the door. Another thing we used to do and stopped.
• Linda "Child-Eating Realtor" Craft is now banned from doing jumbotron entertainment. Nobody's entertained by watching an animation of three cars going around a track while three kids stand there holding color-coordinated cutouts of the cars. Let her have her arena ads and let that be the end of it.
• Still want Greenberg's waterpark.
• Bars and restaurants. Rooftop and club level. With bands and maybe a couple of players stopping by after the game when schedules allow.
• I've never really thought about it until now, but the walls of the concourse are kind of boring. Those could use some modernization/interesting stuff.
• Encourage the crowd to chant more. They used to put prompts up on the screen - anyone remember the football-esque "Irbe" chants, where half the arena said one syllable and the other half said the other? Yeah, more of that.
• Use those ribbons for more than just ads.

 

[geehaad]

This. You can make it a Roman Empire era brothel and it won't make a difference if the on-ice product is terrible. Ok, maybe a small difference. Dick.

Are we signing our posts now?

 

[Svechhammer]

This. You can make it a Roman Empire era brothel and it won't make a difference if the on-ice product is terrible. Ok, maybe a small difference. Dick.

With an unlimited budget, I'd stress to try and make the in-arena atmosphere to the level where you're entertained even if the team loses and the game itself turns to crap. I'll be willing to pay the kind of prices we're being asked to pay now if there was legitimate effort there to entertain the fans. The NFL is beginning to do this in all their new stadiums, and the NBA has almost adopted it as its mantra and its working. Make the whole evening feel like an event that just so happens to be accompanied by a hockey game and you'll have a difficult time not filling the arena on a nightly basis.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Are we signing our posts now?

Rod, Dick, it's really all the same, no?

 

[Ole Gil]

Do more for season ticket holders than jack up the price of non-season ticket holder's tickets. And once you do that, adjust the non STH price so there will be actual crowds.

Lowering parking cost would be nice too. The cost of attending a game has reached a level that just isn't matched by the value of the product.

 

[NotOpie]

This. You can make it a Roman Empire era brothel and it won't make a difference if the on-ice product is terrible. Ok, maybe a small difference. Dick.

I don't know, I'd kinda be down with a monthly Caligula night...

 

[Canes]

I’d say the biggest thing is simply getting people into the arena.

That, without any other changes, would dramatically improve the experience.

For the short term, we might have to resort to minor league baseball type promotions to increase attendance.

Also, I'm not sure how extensive their youth sports outreach is, but they need to invite kids in all kinds of youth sports leagues out. Get these young kids hooked on hockey games like Halloween candy and iPads. Adding kids and teenagers as fans will go a long way towards the long term health of this franchise. You'll also convert a few parents along the way.

 

[NotOpie]

For the short term, we might have to resort to minor league baseball type promotions to increase attendance.

Also, I'm not sure how extensive their youth sports outreach is, but they need to invite kids in all kinds of youth sports leagues out. Get these young kids hooked on hockey games like Halloween candy and iPads. Adding kids and teenagers as fans will go a long way towards the long term health of this franchise. You'll also convert a few parents along the way.

When my kids were younger there were regular Indian Guides (now Y-Guides) nights a couple of times a year. We'd get discounted tickets if you wore your vest...they gave away Hurricanes game patches too....these were usually Sunday games and there were always 13k to 14k people there on those afternoons.

 

[GoldiFox]

Fan First Pricing for vending.