I BLAME THE RADIO ANNOUNCER ( not the color guy though he is great )

[Scout]

From his blog:

Sunday, December 02, 2007
Resourceful


Jon Keen is taking heat at whlfans.ca because of soem comments he made on his blog. These comments:

Where's the atmosphere in our building? Sure the fans have to create something but shouldn't the Broncos as an organization do something to promote fan excitement or involvement? I've been to all 22 WHL rinks so I feel like I can speak with some authority on this matter. Have we given up? Other teams have big promotions or have certain "nights" that bring in large crowds. What about the Grey Cup making an appearance? I see Moose Jaw, Saskatoon and Regina all have a Grey Cup appearance in the works.

There is no excitement build-up prior to puck drop unless the public address announcer is throwing a shout out to the Hazlet fans who have come out to cheer Andrew Bailey of the Kootenay Ice. Are we too accommodating? The I-plex has been a pretty inviting place for other teams to come in this year. Where's our edge? For pete sakes, Bailey's mom even sang the national anthem! Great job Terry-Lou. It was probably that or the junior B orchestra that has been busted out a couple of times this season. (taped instremental version of Oh Canada) No offense Cypress Cyclones, just a figure of speech.

Making the I-plex an imposing place to play starts with creating a tough atmosphere for the visitors to cope with and ends with a dominant in your face hockey team.


The Riders have the "13th man" and it makes a difference.

People at whlfans.ca are calling Keen a "clown" among other things for his comments. It's not the job of the marketing department to make people cheer is the argument. I do think Jon has a valid point in that more can be done to fire up the crowd. A lot of the comments on whlfans are of the theme that "Swift can't compete with the big centres and we have no budget".

I tire of that small market syndrome excuse. Yes, our budget is nil and the evil board of directors won't let anyone do anything creative. We've heard it all before.

The Bronco marketing gig is a tough one. We in Swift are handicapped as we don't have a jumbotron to show highlight reel clips to fire up fans just before opening faceoff. We don't have pyro...we don't have a budget.

So this is where we need to be resourceful. We have a sound system, a cordless mic and a crazy in-stand dude. Blast Welcome to the Jungle, get Zoolander on the ice and have him start a 'go Broncos go' chant. When I was the in stand guy, I did it. It got the crowd going (sadly it backfired when Med Hat fans ran our show, but we learned).

Instead of the tired and emotionless fields and pasture lands bit while playing Kid Rock's Cowboy for Charlie Horse, do something high energy. Play 'Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy' again. Invent a new Bronco chant. Hell, have the Hudec Brothers or a local band write and record a 'Go Broncos' fight song ala "Green is the color" to play before games.

Shooting t-shirts into the crowd gets fans wound up. Do that before the opening faceoff.

Honestly, would the board say 'no' to any of that?


By the way, I'd like to thank the one poster for saying I was "great" in the thread. I've been a part of radio stations that had ZERO heat and listeners over the years. I appreciate every compliment I get. Thank you. Moving on...

[penman]

I agree just because Swift is a small market the smallest I guess doesnt mean we have to act like one.Wasnt at the Ice game but I listened to it and there were a lot of Hazlet people there.Seems to me one other night there was a bus from Maple Creek there.Whose promotiing things like that??? I havent seen two many groups in the stands like other years???not saying there not there just havent noticed them.I have been in the promotion side of things quite a bit of my life and it is a tough gig. Especially when you are compared to a Calgary ,Van.etc.I would have to say Swiftty would be very tough but they are passionate about there hockey so startthere and it might not hurt to tell the board not to be abunch of old boys and give somone a little room not every idea has to cost alot I am sure they dont run there bussinesses withzero promo dollars who does??In closing here is two simple things that dont cost alot of money,get the web site up to date not two or three days after the game or the event,get some pictures and things for people to look at and give them a reason to go the web site that can have a big franchise look to it.The last thing dont have a recorded national athem unless there was a bad storm or a meteorite shower thatis very very tacky.

[Toswammi]

He said something about a song a few posts up (switzers blog?)...

We need something like the Rangers goal song. That is a sweet tune, and only works in New York.


Sadly there will never be a lot of energy in the building unless you can group some ppl together. I dont see that happening anytime soon. But its a thought.

[Scout]

I was part of the bus crew that all sat together in section A and we were loud and it was a great promo. We seem way louder in other teams rinks especially when there is a bus but in our own rink we seem scared what someone might think. On alot of those bus trips we were louder than the opposing rinks fans. We can do it and make noise but the noise seems to have dissappeared. Where has section L gone? Maybe noise makers should be aloud back in the arena and yes i noticed Charlie Horse no longer bangs on the glass or jumps on top the glass. Was he told to quit? Maybe tickets should be given to teams from minor hockey and put them all in one section with their uniforms on. Do give aways of tickets to schools and ask security to let them make noise. There doesn't appear to be as many kids at the games as before and they are the future fans.

Scout

[Flathead]

This is kinda the point I was making. Thanks wardog. The league could care less about small market teams. Ask the marketing guys what the difference in league marketing dollars are between Swift and Calgary. We end up with like 2% of the Leauge Sponsors. Those ones want their money spent in the big markets. Its a bloody shame. Sidenote to Flathead about the PA announcements...the team sells those annoying announcements to the sponsors. They may seem annoying but the team needs them right now. The team needs all of us Right now.

I'm well aware that the team sells those annoying announcements, but they don't help sell an atmosphere, something that is needed to keep fans coming to the rink and to help the team play better as well. The players feed off of a rowdy, loud crowd, we have the opposite. Read them at intermission. Just an idea.?

[Flathead]

I was part of the bus crew that all sat together in section A and we were loud and it was a great promo. We seem way louder in other teams rinks especially when there is a bus but in our own rink we seem scared what someone might think. On alot of those bus trips we were louder than the opposing rinks fans. We can do it and make noise but the noise seems to have dissappeared. Where has section L gone? Maybe noise makers should be aloud back in the arena and yes i noticed Charlie Horse no longer bangs on the glass or jumps on top the glass. Was he told to quit? Maybe tickets should be given to teams from minor hockey and put them all in one section with their uniforms on. Do give aways of tickets to schools and ask security to let them make noise. There doesn't appear to be as many kids at the games as before and they are the future fans.

Scout

I was thinking the same thing about the kids, they are the fans of the future. I have a cousin that doesn't come to the games anymore because she says they're boring!! When I was kid going to a hockey game was the highlight of my young life! But when your not allowed to be a kid and get harassed by security, I can see why I might have lost interest and stayed home as well. Let's bring some noise back to the rink, I like my Broncos hockey and I know that I'm doing my part as a noise maker. lol.

[Broncs in RD]

How about getting a enforcer so at the start of the first period he can dance and get the fans into it right off the start? Like a Milne, Thompson, Tidbal, Arbez a true character guy. Open up the budget to do more and exciting things for promo's, but remember promos are only good for intermisions, so what is the point of getting people going during intermissions. It all starts with what happens on the ice, that is what fans respond to best. If the case is that people will make more noise during a game to get a free puck or burger then something is seriously wrong, why are people so frugile and tight in this city. (I am not sayng everyone is this way, but alot of our senior citizen fans are this way and alot of them do have season tickets, the board usually sides with them as well)

[penman]

First of all the time frame you mentioned was 15 to 20 years ago.Also marketing does play a roll in winning as does all aspects of running a franchise or any bussiness It is thinking like that which becomes dangerous and very very old school,say you are not on the board are you??/

[Scout]

Are you asking me if i'm on the board or another poster? If the question was for me, no i am not on the board just a fan like the rest of you.

Scout

[Toswammi]

I was part of the bus crew that all sat together in section A and we were loud and it was a great promo. We seem way louder in other teams rinks especially when there is a bus but in our own rink we seem scared what someone might think. On alot of those bus trips we were louder than the opposing rinks fans. We can do it and make noise but the noise seems to have dissappeared. Where has section L gone? Maybe noise makers should be aloud back in the arena and yes i noticed Charlie Horse no longer bangs on the glass or jumps on top the glass. Was he told to quit? Maybe tickets should be given to teams from minor hockey and put them all in one section with their uniforms on. Do give aways of tickets to schools and ask security to let them make noise. There doesn't appear to be as many kids at the games as before and they are the future fans.

Scout

The ppl of section L have disbanded. The majority sit in I now.
Yes the horse isnt allowed to bang/jump on the glass anymore (and a few other things). I believe we can thank the city for that one.
Lastly give tickets to the kids/hockey teams, I had the suspicion of this, but after bringing one with my last game, they spend more at the concession than on a ticket.