News Article: Bell Centre enhanced "client experience" aka hot dogs on steroids

[Habs]

So 18$ million... that's right around the total cap room from last season and this one combined...
Would be nice if we could improve the on ice product sometime.

We are only in year 7 of the 5 yr plan. Give it time

 

[Lshap]

I think the strategy here is to cater to your wealthy customers by offering more gourmet options. The business folks who own seasons tickets and can expense meals on business accounts and the rich one who don't really care about prices anyway. The guy who barely affords a ticket is not likely to shell another $100 on concessions. Heck you have to be a season ticket owner to be allowed there in the first place.

Sure, the Habs can continue to market exclusively to the elite while ignoring everyone else, but I doubt that's sustainable. I'd guess a sizeable amount of ticket revenue comes from individuals and smaller businesses. Montreal isn't corporate-heavy like Toronto. Piss off an owner of a smaller Quebec business and that's one less set of season tickets. Not even the Habs are immune to the turning of popular opinion.

 

[donghabs98]

Can a new goal song be next on the list of changes? Our next one is just so generic

 

[LeHab]

Sure, the Habs can continue to market exclusively to the elite while ignoring everyone else, but I doubt that's sustainable. I'd guess a sizeable amount of ticket revenue comes from individuals and smaller businesses. Montreal isn't corporate-heavy like Toronto. Piss off an owner of a smaller Quebec business and that's one less set of season tickets. Not even the Habs are immune to the turning of popular opinion.

I agree, some sort of discount for the mass on at least regular concessions would have been a nice PR move if anything. Since ticket prices were not increased, perhaps Molson feels he has already done enough.

 

[Lshap]

I'm no marketing guru but a lot of businesses have loyalty programs and things that would generate more traffic while giving back to loyal customers. Thing is...the habs are such a specific case I can't think of anything of that sort.

That's why their guys get big money...so they can figure this out.

Even Mercedes is marketing more populist and affordable models. No product is bigger than their customers.

I realize the Montreal Canadiens occupy a unique niche as the only major sports team in Montreal, but from a consumer point of view they're simply an entertainment option whose profits are based on nothing but habit and perception. We pay premium dollars because we perceive hockey as premium entertainment. If the product continues to be inferior, our perception shifts and our habits eventually change. Smart companies adapt to keep their clients' loyalty; the Habs have mostly coasted on inertia and done nothing for clients except allow them to line up.

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

im struggling to live with my surgeries and this shit waste 18m on shit hot dogs

give me the money so i can live and have my final surgery and go on

/rant

 

[neopreneur]

Improving the fan experience is definitely a topic I like hearing that Geoff Molson is focussed on, and executing on.

Winning hockey games is not something he can directly control, but ensuring fans have a great time watching his product and loving the arena experience is something well within his control. You can query season ticket holders, fans, media, and then invest effort/money to get it done.

Having said that, if the on-ice performance is boring, there isn't a menu in the world that will make the fan experience awesome. Montreal has great restaurants, may as well watch the game there on TV.

So far the on-ice product has been really good, I'm happy to see the Habs play up-tempo again and giving an honest effort. Combine that with improvements to the updated drinks/menu/side entertainment (light shows etc) and it should be a fun season watching the Habs on TV and worthwhile getting tickets to watch live.

 

[habsfan909]

We are only in year 7 of the 5 yr plan. Give it time

It's my understanding that the counter goes up and back down. We went to year 5 and now we're back in year 3. In 2 years, we'll be at year 1 and we'll be ready to go again with our next 5 year plan.

 

[The Great Weal]

18 million on hot dogs but cant give the teams beat forward another million to keep him

 

[Sterling Archer]

Trying to post a pic of a hot-dog on steroids but the site won't let me upload it for some reason...

 

[Lshap]

Trying to post a pic of a hot-dog on steroids but the site won't let me upload it for some reason...

Steroids might be the healthiest ingredient in a hot-dog.

 

[lo striver]

did I miss something or they still will be selling same crappy hotdogs to unwashed masses?

 

[Sterling Archer]

Steroids might be the healthiest ingredient in a hot-dog.

LOL

 

[yianik]

I am hoping some posters will at least give us the low down on the prices.

Personally, being an average fan, my fan experience food wise at a game would be greatly enhanced by a reasonably priced ordinary hot dog and cheeseburger. Maybe I would have a couple. I really have no interest in spending big money on fancy fair at a hockey game, thats why I go to restaurants.

 

[groovejuice]

As part of Molson's promise to improve "client experience", the highly anticipated food court called M2 Marche-Montreal will officially debut on Thursday.



Le Centre Bell renouvelle son offre alimentaire | Iris Gagnon-Paradis | Gourmand

If a regular beer was North of 10$, how much will this new menu cost?

[update] Here is an English article:

Canadiens unveil new food and drink offerings at the Bell Centre: M2 Marché and Mythik

Tailgating is primarily a highly social event. Let's also not lose sight of the fact the food is generally superior to arena concessions and also substantially cheaper.

Molson claiming he's not ripping off customers more than any other sports franchise isn't something I'd be particularly proud of either.

 

[Kriss E]

I'm happy with this upgrade. I prefer paying 40$ on healthy and delicious food than 20$ on junk food at a Game

Assuming it'll even be healthier...pulled pork sandwiches, pop corn schrimp, etc, don't sound too healthy to me.
Also, who the hell wants to eat beef sashimi at the Bell Center...watching a game?

 

[GoodKiwi]

Wonder if there are any vegan options on this new menu...

 

[llamateizer]

Assuming it'll even be healthier...pulled pork sandwiches, pop corn schrimp, etc, don't sound too healthy to me.
Also, who the hell wants to eat beef sashimi at the Bell Center...watching a game?

I do. I don't associate food to a sport Event. Only requirement is how to handle/consume the product. It has to be relatively simple to eat while watching the game.
I agree that some proposed choices doesn't seems healthier.

 

[SquiddFX]

Tailgating is primarily a highly social event. Let's also not lose sight of the fact the food is generally superior to arena concessions and also substantially cheaper.

Molson claiming he's not ripping off customers more than any other sports franchise isn't something I'd be particularly proud of either.

It's funny because the Owner of the Falcons has said he's seen an increase in sales since making the concessions prices more reasonable. As if that wasn't obvious.

List of their prices
Hunger game: Falcons to slash concession prices

 

[Edgy]

If you're a strictly observant Jew or Muslim, my guess is you wouldn't eat anything on the menu because the food area isn't kosher/halal.

I have a friend who's a STH and observant Jew who I should ask this question to...

Sushi, Poké and Poutine (as long as it's a classic poutine) should be fine from a halal perspective.

 

[scrubadam]

Heard this on the radio this morning. Regardless of the jokes about the crappy on ice product, you can't be complacent with your business. Its no different if Molson bought a new huge screen, fixed the seating, or any other improvments made to the Bell.

I don't think many fans are going to care about even more expensive food options, but go to a lot of stadiums and they are all jumping on this crazy food craze.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Tailgating is primarily a highly social event. Let's also not lose sight of the fact the food is generally superior to arena concessions and also substantially cheaper.

Molson claiming he's not ripping off customers more than any other sports franchise isn't something I'd be particularly proud of either.

Yeah, it's such a bad look. We rip our customers off just as much as the next guy. Why are you crying?

 

[habsfan909]

I wonder if the food will be equally terrible to what is offered in the restaurant they opened next door.

 

[lo striver]

I wonder if the food will be equally terrible to what is offered in the restaurant they opened next door.

is that the one with overpriced crappy food and discriminatory practices?

 

[BLONG7]

I would think, 90% of the fans, really don't care about the experience...they care about the team, the game, and the outcome.....

Glad they are changing some things, but really this is secondary, so why wont the media take him on with this line of questioning?

Funny story, 2002 was my first time in the Bell Centre, bought tickets for my dad for Xmas, and we flew up from NS and spent Superbowl Weekend in Montreal. We sat in the Desjardins section, but we just had to have a Beer, so I went to buy the first two, and the guy said 16.oo bucks, and I said, sorry I just wanted two, and he said yes I know, I need 16 bucks!! I was shocked...............16 years ago and they were 8 bucks each, boy was that a shock to me, fast forward to last season and they were what, 12,50 each? And it's 34 bucks for two beer and two dogs...
Bottom line is you will sell a ton of food and beer if more reasonable....rather than gouge people.................you would think they would get this....we have gone up every year since 2002 and always tried after that, to not spend very much $$$ inside the building, it just wasn't reasonable.