Whats Wrong With the Wing's Marketing?

[WingNut199 0]

So ever since I learned about Dallas' new marketing campaign and realized how much I was impressed by it I started thinking, why don't we do something like that? I mean, from the ever so predictable gametime entertainment at the Joe to this whole, "Fire on Ice" crap I began to realize how out of touch the wings are with the fan base and Michigan sports fans in general.

Where has the marketing department dropped the ball? What should be done?

Personally I feel the marketing is just not exciting.. its too traditional..lacks creativity and follow through..its almost as if they expect to fill the Joe without doing much of anything, Your Thoughts??

Edited November 15, 2007 by WingNut199

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

So ever since I learned about Dallas' new marketing campaign and realized how much I was impressed by it I started thinking, why don't we do something like that? I mean, from the ever so predictable gametime entertainment at the Joe to this whole, "Fire on Ice" crap I began to realize how out of touch the wings are with the fan base and Michigan sports fans in general.

Where has the marketing department dropped the ball? What should be done?

Personally I feel the marketing is just not exciting.. its too traditional..lacks creativity and follow through..its almost as if they expect to fill the Joe without doing much of anything, Your Thoughts??

They're going to have to lower ticket prices first, and then worry about everything else, if they expect people to come to the Joe. Creative marketing isn't going to put more money in the pockets of the people who want to go to the games but can't afford to.

[OsGOD 3]

^^ exactly. They can talk about the wings, Promote the hell out fothem and praise them to their eyes turn blue to me... case and point i ditched my Season Tickets for financial reasons... Clever bilboards are NOT getting me down there.

Verbal and visual spam is not putting the extra cash needed to go to games in my pocket.

It kills me because i am used to 10 games a year or so... to go cold turkey down to zero (0) is rough...

Edited November 15, 2007 by OsGOD

[Barrie 900]

Well for many years, with Yzerman, Shanahan, McCarty, Lapointe, Draper, Maltby, Chelios, Lidstrom, Fedorov, etc. on the team and 3 Stanley Cups in 6 years, the Wings didn't have to market at all really.

This is the first year in a long time the team actually has to market itself. Mike Illitch is a very successful business man, I'm sure they've been talking about new marketing ideas all season long.

[Gizmo 21]

I think the biggest problem is that up until a couple of years ago the Wings didn't have to DO marketing. The tickets sold themselves. That's know changed for an array of reasons that everyone's read a million times... but the problem isn't any ONE thing. I'm afraid that the marketing department doesn't have a lot of successful ideas from the past that they can pull out of their hat and try.

From what little I know, I think one area that would help would be player availability to the fans. People can really bond to a player that's willing to spend a little time with them. For example, I thought the "meet a player" lucky pucks that they sold during the recent Breast Cancer night was a neat idea. Perhaps it can be "opened up" a little so more people can chat with players for a couple of minutes after some games... perhaps a few dozen fans with a lucky stamp in their programs each game. I also thought the program the Pens had this year of having players hand deliver season tickets to fans was nothing short of marketing genius.

I agree that the ticket prices would help if they could expand the low cost program beyond the crappy obstructed seats. How about next season making the top 10 rows around the ends in the upper bowls something like $15-$20 seats? Charging $44 for Section 203A, Row 20 is bogus. Yeah, it may hurt a little bit when it comes to the total "gate", but your concession numbers will look a lot better with a couple thousand more butts in the seats each game.

Edited November 15, 2007 by Gizmo

[hckypete96 3]

Want asses in seats in a city like Detroit? Go after Jerome Iginla.

No, thats not a racist statement, its just a fact.

Oh and drop ticket prices.

what an ignorant thing to say.... just because the Wings sign a black player doesn't mean that more people will come to see him play because Detroit has a large population of african americans. When the Wings had Nathan Robinson, I didn't see more people in the stands because of it....

Ticket prices must be lowered but the NHL also needs to do things to become more personal with the fan. Autograph signings, meet the players, open practices, contests, all need to be done.

[WingNut199 0]

^^ exactly. They can talk about the wings, Promote the hell out fothem and praise them to their eyes turn blue to me... case and point i ditched my Season Tickets for financial reasons... Clever bilboards are NOT getting me down there.

Verbal and visual spam is not putting the extra cash needed to go to games in my pocket.

It kills me because i am used to 10 games a year or so... to go cold turkey down to zero (0) is rough...

Well yea, point taken. The ticket prices still need to drop but they do offer the upper seats at $9 i believe and even those aren't full..

Point is, the Wings marketing is crap compared to any other Detroit team, mainly gametime entertainment. All of the other three Detroit teams have really good atmospheres at their stadiums.. I don't feel that at the Joe at all. You look around you and see mostly middle age to older people at the games. Theres no excitment there, no one is bloody cheering! It's a shame that I have to feel awkward cheering during open play, not just when the wings score.

Recently Illich gave away cars to fans who went to see the Tigers before they got good, it got people back to the park and they started to watch basball again.. the tigers got good and fans were hooked again. We have a great team in the Wings with young talent and well-known veterans and play some of the best hockey in the NHL but fans still aren't there. And its because no one is making a strong enough effort to bring the fans back.

Give away some cars! Offer a few hundred more seats for $20 bucks a seat.

Target the younger people who are open-minded to the sport not adults. The Wings have a youth movement coming through the squad right now, and we need one to come through the fan base. To do that you need to market effectively with unique, rememberable banners like the Dallas Stars have done. You need to make Zetterberg and Datsyuk houshold names. You need to COMPLETELY revamp what happens at the Joe during a game.. I mean, anyone that has been to two or three games has pretty much seen it all and knows whats going to happen on the next one. I got more to say but gtg,

[lfd250 1]

Are you kidding? Another thread about attendance? Ok, for the billionth time. Michigan is broke, nada zip, NO MONEY! Sporting events are a luxury. The lions need extensions to sell the games out in fear of blackouts in Detroit area, gas is over $3. Ticket prices are part of the problem, so is $3.50 a soda, small loan for a beer. Don't say it's the players, we sold out all of last year before the playoffs. People were using what money they had left and didn't take out a loan for playoff tickets. This probably pissed off a lot of ticket holders. You bring up a black player for Detroit, sorry but incase you haven't been to a game, orange hat guy is probably one of 30 or so black people in attendance. It's not a "black sport" People in detroit are worried about the house being foreclosed, not how to get to a game. Stop giving away car washes and give away gas cards, this will help. But really, the people that love the game will go, and the casual fan will go when there other favorite team will be in town. It's not a Detroit problem, it's a NHL problem.

[Gizmo 21]

The ticket prices still need to drop but they do offer the upper seats at $9 i believe and even those aren't full..

Actually, I believe they've sold quite well. I recall when they announced the program would be extended the Wings organization said that the October $9 seats had sold out.

[hckypete96 3]

Its not ignorant at all. A black 100 point scorer in a city made up of mostly minorities? Seems like a match made in heaven.

yes, it is. even if the wings had a black100 pt scorer, blacks still wouldnt like hockey. For some reason, they just do not like it.

[OsGOD 3]

Its not ignorant at all. A black 100 point scorer in a city made up of mostly minorities? Seems like a match made in heaven.

I just had harrasment training today... as a white american i take offense to thinking a black 100 pt scorer will put people in their seats... putting aside the facts that

1) i think Iginla is a complete tool

b) the city minorities people don't really attend much of the events down there. Usually its those with a nice little commute making it down there.

[WingNut199 0]

But really, the people that love the game will go, and the casual fan will go when there other favorite team will be in town. It's not a Detroit problem, it's a NHL problem.

I don't buy it, I know plenty of people who go to tigers and pistons games that don't really give a hoot about the team. They go because its the "hip" thing to do.. the atmosphere is amazing and everyone gets into the game regardless of how into the sport they are. Thats not the case at the Joe

I understand the economy is hurting and hockey isn't the most popular but the three other teams are doing just fine and their ticket prices are not that much cheaper. Yes, prices need to be lowered for a couple thousands seats to more reasonable price but aside from that the Wings need to change the way they are seen by sports fans in michigan if they want to fill the Joe.

Make it cool to go see the Wings the way its cool to go out with your buddies to a Tigs game or a Pistons game.

EDIT: Just so everyone knows I not just talking about filling the Joe on a nightly basis.. if the prices aren't lowered that probably won't happen. What I'm really trying to hit on is that we've become boring in our marketing and managing our image. New fans aren't attracted to boring.. we could get away with it before the Pistons and Tigs got good but now we need a revamp

Edited November 16, 2007 by WingNut199

[OsGOD 3]

As a white American you automatically waive your rights for being outraged.

oh man... nice

I don't buy it, I know plenty of people who go to tigers and pistons games that don't really give a hoot about the team. They go because its the "hip" thing to do.. the atmosphere is amazing and everyone gets into the game regardless of how into the sport they are. Thats not the case at the Joe

I understand the economy is hurting and hockey isn't the most popular but the three other teams are doing just fine and their ticket prices are not that much cheaper. Yes, prices need to be lowered for a couple thousands seats to more reasonable price but aside from that the Wings need to change the way they are seen by sports fans in michigan if they want to fill the Joe.

Make it cool to go see the Wings the way its cool to go out with your buddies to a Tigs game or a Pistons game.

They should put hockey back in the Palace... I had Vipers Season tickets throughout Regular Season and post season... loved every second of it... seeing Samsonov and the rest of the crew raise the Turner Cup was amazing.

[mic04101 0]

someone get new music in the Joe.....every game I go to it is the same thing over and over and over....work on making the games more entertaining between whistles and periods.

[Johnny Diamonds 25]

How about some Hot n Ready tickets for $5 lol

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

The Joe needs less of a fan friendly atmosphere, and more of a raucous, beer drinking, boob flashing crowd. Oh, and lower the damn ticket prices as I posted earlier. This team could get away with raising ticket prices when we had all those popular fan favorites on our team, but Ilitch needs to realize that fans aren't going to cut this team so much slack, no matter how many games they win in the regular season.

[96Homer 0]

I agree with most all the posts here. I mean watching the home games on even TV can be pretty boring. While when we are away the other teams fans blow the Joe away. Maybe we all should march down to the joe and give our ideas. I mean why is it so hard to be loud at a game. I swear sometimes you can hear crickets on the TV lol.

[Yzerfan1999 81]

Its not ignorant at all. A black 100 point scorer in a city made up of mostly minorities? Seems like a match made in heaven.

I think Iginla puts people in the stands because he is a good, tough hockey player, not necessarily because he is black. Bringing a Lecavalier to Detroit would have the same effect as bringing an Iginla, they are both exciting players. The fact that Iginla is African American is just an added bonus, he succeeded in an (unfortunately) white middle class dominated sport.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Now that I think about the poster's question, how in the hell would you market guys like Hudler, Lilja, or Kopecky? We have some creative posters here on LGW, myself included, that know how to lampoon some of these players, but I don't think that it would be something that the team would market.

[Mickeyisms Rule! 0]

I think that they are trying to promote the team members more and more now. I have seen specials on Hank and Pasha in the last 2 weeks on FSN and can't even begin to believe that they are done with those.

With the personnel changes over the last 3 years the Wings have lost a bit of the identity and need to work hard to reestablish it with the new lineup they have.

It will take time, but as long as they produce some good pieces on the players so people get to know them better I think that the people will want to go see them play.

[StevieY9802 6]

I think Iginla puts people in the stands because he is a good, tough hockey player, not necessarily because he is black. Bringing a Lecavalier to Detroit would have the same effect as bringing an Iginla, they are both exciting players. The fact that Iginla is African American is just an added bonus, he succeeded in an (unfortunately) white middle class dominated sport.

Yep bring in Iginla that will do it!!! NOT! Bringing in an African American won't help or hurt. The Wings sold out the place for years without a black player they will be able to do it again. If they want him I hope they don't. After watching him last year in the playoffs what a joke. He was right in the thick of things of all of that crap at times when they were losing. Great leader there. I don't want a guy who is ok with slashing and cheap shotting players just because your team is losing. Lets face it the hockey crowd is not the most diverse crowd to begin with. Is Iginla going to bring in the 3,000 people to fill those empty seats? No.

Again for the billionth time lower ticket prices first. Second worry about marketing and they will need to work at it. They didn't have to worry about it before, not because Yzerman Shanny and Fedorov were on the team its that they won 3 cups in 6 years and two years before their first cup they went to the finals and conf finals and that second year they won 62 games while the other 3 pro teams did crap. Wings had all the attention in April May and June. The Tigers were already off to a bad start, the Pistons weren't in the playoffs, if they were they were gone in round one and the Lions weren't playing. And come fall the Lions were playing awful so watch hockey or the Lions lose???

[WingNut199 0]

The Joe needs less of a fan friendly atmosphere, and more of a raucous, beer drinking, boob flashing crowd. Oh, and lower the damn ticket prices as I posted earlier. This team could get away with raising ticket prices when we had all those popular fan favorites on our team, but Ilitch needs to realize that fans aren't going to cut this team so much slack, no matter how many games they win in the regular season.

You say there no fan favorites anymore, and I agree. But its becuase there hasn't been enough done to showcase the talent we have on our team. Take Sidney Crosby for example, hes basically the poster child of the league, everyone knows him, even people who don't care for hockey. In Detroit we're lucky enough to have Dats and Z, two of the best in the league and no one outside of the tight-knit Red Wings fanbase seems to know much about them. Now I don't expect Dats and Z to be household names across the country but here! Here in "Hockeytown" they should be household names. But the Wings marketing haven't shown any sign of making that happen. Its a complicated subject because its not just one or two places where its weak but more like 15 or 16

I agree with most all the posts here. I mean watching the home games on even TV can be pretty boring. While when we are away the other teams fans blow the Joe away. Maybe we all should march down to the joe and give our ideas. I mean why is it so hard to be loud at a game. I swear sometimes you can hear crickets on the TV lol.

And how difficult is it to change the songs they play? Not to mention its usually in the same order every time..

Edited November 16, 2007 by WingNut199

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

Because they don't have any on-ice/in-stands cheerleaders!

DISCLAIMER: Yes this was a smart-ass joke.

(Sorry if I repeated somebody, didn't read the first page)

[OsGOD 3]

Because they don't have any on-ice/in-stands cheerleaders!

DISCLAIMER: Yes this was a smart-ass joke.

(Sorry if I repeated somebody, didn't read the first page)

You might be on to something... Mo Cheese is about all we have. I wasn't for that before... but hmmm maybe.

Edited November 16, 2007 by OsGOD

[55fan 5,133]

OK, I have never been to Detroit, much less the Joe. I am probably not qualified to make any sort of suggestion, but ignorance has never stopped me before.

I think aiming at younger fans is key. How about giving away sets of, say, four tickets to certain games? Get together with the schools and have these tickets be given away at school. Any student with perfect attendance during a preset time can register to have his/her name put in a drawing. Throw in a dog and soda for each person, and you have the opportunity to expose new fans to the game, as well as rewarding kids for staying in school.

Good PR, a few more seats filled, and a memory the kid will have for a lifetime. Who knows? The kid may grow up to be a season ticket holder.

Just a thought. Rip as you will.