Wolf Pack Special Events: It's All About The Fans

From a Teddy Bear Toss Night to a Howl-O-Ween party to a postgame skate, the Hartford Wolf Pack is all about the fan experience.

The promotions team for the Wolf Pack, the American Hockey League affiliate of the NHL's New York Rangers, works before and during each season planning a full slate of fan-friendly, community-centric, and charity-related events - often without the luxury of a lot of lead time.

'We got our finalized schedule about 45 days before the season started,' said Adam Goldberg, the Wolf Pack's director of business development. 'The time crunch makes it harder to detail our promotions, but we did our best to meet with various organizations and start relationships to set up a night this season. We have a lot of creative people in the office and ideas get thrown around all the time. Some are awful, but even the bad ideas sometimes lead to a good one. We cannot be afraid to swing and miss.'

Goldberg, who worked in minor league baseball for the past four years where he typically received schedules eight months before the season started, says not surprisingly flexibility is the key.

'The experience that fans have when they come to a game is incredibly important,' Goldberg said. 'One of the fun things about minor league sports is using current news items in your promotions. We are always looking for something new to bring to our games. Our posted promotional schedule is just what we have set in stone. There is much more planned for our fans.'

The Wolf Pack, with an average attendance of about 4,500, kicked off this season by bringing in well-known sports entertainer Cameron Hughes, plus giving away a team-signed refrigerator to a lucky fan that tied into the team's magnetic schedule giveaway.

Upcoming events include a Thanksgiving Food Drive plus Military Appreciation, Breast Cancer Awareness, Faith and Family, Autism Awareness, and Police and Fire Appreciation Nights. If the Wolf Pack win a Wednesday night home game, fans get a free ticket to the team's next home game (first 'Winning Wednesday'' is Oct. 23).

The Wolf Pack has a department focused solely on corporate partnerships, looking to engage local companies in its various programs to create partnerships that have both community and charitable elements.

Unlike major league sports teams, which are more affected by wins and losses, organizations like the AHL can be competitive with a strong emphasis on development while also placing a big part of the focus on the fans.

'It is always important to have a good fan experience on any level,' Goldberg said. 'Using our promotions and concourse entertainment, we can create an experience that leaves the fans happy regardless of the final score.'

A Wolf Pack game can be an affordable and entertaining experience for just about anyone. Hockey purists have a league full of top prospects and potential NHL stars of tomorrow. Those just looking for a unique night out have various promotions and in-game entertainment in the stands, on the concourse and in the atrium.

While the Wolf Pack's target audience is fairly widespread, Goldberg says families are the main target.

'We offer affordable entertainment and we promote that heavily,' Goldberg said. 'You can get closer to the action for a lower price. The affordability allows families to bring everyone to a game.'

The team also has certain promotions that cater to the younger crowd for a night out. Hot dogs are $1 and beers $2 until the second period at all Friday night games.

Steve DiLella, director of housing and homeless services at the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, attends several Wolf Pack games each season with his wife, son and daughter, often with other family friends and their kids as well.

'In the winter, I think it is one of the best family options in the area,' DiLella said. 'The ease of a Wolf Pack game is a great benefit. It is easy to plan, easy to drive in, get the tickets, watch the game and have fun. The price of the games is also a great benefit. At the very young age of my kids (3 and 5), minor league games can appeal to them since they have all they need, proximity, ice cream and cotton candy.'

While DiLella says the cost of the games is fair, he feels food pricing and options are somewhat lacking.

'I don't mind paying the price, but need better options and quality to make the food prices a better value,' said DiLella who added that things like more ticket deals, especially on the weekends and either free or reduced cost cotton candy or ice cream promotions would likely prompt him to take his family to even more games.

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'I think minor league sports needs to reach out to more community programs and school groups to grow the popularity of the sport and focus on the family friendly end of it,' DiLella said.

WOLF PACK TICKETS: For 2013-2014 home games on sale at the Public Power Ticket Office at the XL Center, online at http://www.hartfordwolfpack.com and by phone at (877) 522-8499.