Fans love t-shirts

Mark Cuban writes:

No where in any research have customers told us that they get most excited at a sporting event by T Shirts. But its true. I have gone to NBA games in every arena and many NHL and MLB games across the country . Without exception, the response to T Shirts being thrown into the audience exceeds the response to actual game action for all but the most exciting of game action moments.

The minute the T Shirt cannons or slingshots come on the court, field or ice, every man, woman or child of any age is up screaming their head off trying to get a free T Shirt . They have no idea what is on the shirt. They know the chances of getting one are slim, but it doesnt matter. Its T Shirts gone wild.

Its a huge marketing lesson.

The Customer is always right, but often they tell you want they want not by their responses to your inquiries but by their actions.

Read the full article...

Youppi! gets a new web site

Youppi!, the Montreal Canadiens mascot (formerly Montreal Expos mascot) has his own web site at youppi.ca. It's a fun site - the home page features an interactive Youppi! game where you can type in a command for Youppi! to act out - try "chicken dance".

You can also click on "Interactive History" and check out video from his debut on April 14, 1979 at Olympic Stadium. Or buy your very own Youppi! doll.

Can anyone confirm -- is Youppi! the only mascot to represent more than one professional sports team?

Related: Youppi! returns ... Youppi! makes his debut ... Youppi! round-up

GameOps.com launches Promotions Database

Earlier this week, Jon Cudo at GameOps.com announced a new addition to his awesome web site:

The Promotion Database is very exciting, it takes Gameops.com from a static list to a dynamic searchable database. It also allows us to (finally) add to our promotions. For over a year we have not updated the promotion lists, since we knew this update was on the way. The new database allows us to quickly add promotions each week….and we will. We have jumped from 300 promotions (as of last month) to 538 (as of today) promotions in a searchable database. We expect that number to grow, since it’s easier than ever to update and add.

I finally spent a bit of time tonight exploring the new tool, and it's great. A lot of the information in the database was already on the GameOps.com site - but the new search tool makes it easier to find.

One of the coolest feature has to be the ability to show a list of 25 random promotion ideas.

Another wacky promotion: Tom Cruise Night

GameOps.com reports:

The Lake Elsinore Storm and the High Desert Mavericks held a Tom Cruise-themed evening of giveaways and fun.

Besides giving away a Cruise bobblehead — make that a “bobble-couch,” depicting the star in full Oprah couch-jumping mode — the San Diego Padres’ Class-A affiliate celebrated the “silent birth” of Tom and Katie Holmes’ baby, Suri, with a “silent inning,” during which no batters will be announced and no music played. “Silent birth,” a Church of Scientology teaching, specifies no music and no talking during the birth.

Other planned activities include a couch-jumping contest, a Scientology information and sign-up booth and a retrospective of Cruise’s movie career.

Behind the scenes at Yzerman night

From Behind the Jersey: Some pics from the Steve Yzerman jersey retirement ceremony on January 2. What I like about these pics is that they go beyond the on-ice ceremony, and show some of the hand-outs, displays, merch, etc. around Joe Louis arena that night.

The youngest organist in pro sports

Ben Shwartz started playing the organ for the Providence Bruins (AHL) in 2001-2002, when he was just 13 years old. Now he runs all the music as well. From his web site:

Around February 2006, Ben was notified that he would no longer continue in this routine. Why? He was being promoted! He would now have full control over all of the music played at the Providence Bruins games—not just the organ ditties, but also all of the prerecorded music as well!

This is Ben’s current position. He is the Music Director of the Providence Bruins, one of the premier professional hockey teams in all of North America, and at the ancient age of 18 no less...

Ben hopes that the infusion of youth into the noble—and disappearing—profession of sports organist will help ensure the vitality of this dying breed of musician in an era when prerecorded pop is threatening true virtuosity.

Previous: Lament for the hockey organ

Game Entertainment YouTube Extravaganza, Part 3

We can hardly keep up with all the YouTube clips coming in ... more coming soon!

Calgary Flames unveil the new Enmax Energy Scoreboard

More vids:

• The banners come down at the old Winnipeg Arena
  
• Calgary Flames 2006 home opener
• Boston Bruins pre-game show
• Buffalo Sabres pre-game show
  
• Edmonton Oilers player entrance
  
• Atlanta Thrashers intermission
• Richmond Renegades introduce a new mascot
  
• Tammy Raybould sings the National Anthems @ Ottawa Senators
• Jasmine V sings the anthems @ LA Kings
• Jon-E-Shakka dances at an Ottawa 67's game
• A Czech lesson from Jaromir Jagr
  

Game Entertainment YouTube Extravaganza, Part 2

Catching up: Dancing seniors, tacky sweaters, helmet safety

Flyers Ask Fans to Wear Ho-Ho-Horrible Sweaters: "In the spirit of the holiday season, the Philadelphia Flyers invite fans attending their game on Saturday, December 23 vs. the Ottawa Senators (at Wachovia Center at 1 p.m.) to wear their ugliest holiday sweater. Fans are encouraged to dig deep into their closets and attics to find their most garish, obnoxious, horrible holiday sweater – the worse, the better!" (Source: Philadelphia Flyers)

NJ Nets start a senior dance team: "The Nets are joining the latest craze among NBA teams, the senior dance team. The Miami Heat have the best team out there (and the best dance team). The NBA does a great job spreading hot ideas like this around the league with their best practices initiatives. Look for this to spread like the fat guy teams and drumlines in the NBA." (Source: GameOps.com blog)

Helmet Safety Night in Cincinnati: "The Ohio Dept. of Transportation has provided information on motorcycle safety to all in attendance, along with $50 gift certificates to The Plastic Surgery Group--with a grand prize winner getting a $500 gift certificate. The first 1500 kids will receive Cyclones foam goalie helmets and two lucky ticket holders will receive Pocket Rocket motor bikes." (Source: GameOps.com blog)

EPSN Page 2 catches up with Dave Raymond aka Philly Phanatic: "A good mascot knows how to take a punch. There's really no way around it. Spend any significant amount of time clowning around in a furry suit, and somebody somewhere will take a swing at you. Hard. Because even the luckiest mascots – read: the ones who have managed to avoid jock itch of the face – can't avoid pissing people off..." Article: Are We Having Serious Fun Yet? Also: Great Moments in Mascot History.

Flyers fancam catches "Dancin' Homer"

From Michael MacDonald's blog:

The camera zoomed in on a rather portly fellow busting out dance moves that would make Napoleon Dynamite proud. The crowd popped for the wannabe Re-Run and a star was born.

Anyway, Shawn [Tilger, VP of Marketing & Communcations for the Flyers] turns to me with a grin and says "That guy is awesome." No sooner than that he is on his Blackberry instructing the camera crew to get the guy in on every break and once again the guy kicks out a new move or two and the crowd is going nuts.

After that, the Dancin Homer was a star. Shawn got on the phone again and instructed a member of his staff to give his business card to the Flyers version of the Phille Phanatic. With the card was a note saying that anytime the fan wanted tickets to any home game, he should call Shawn and he'd be in for free. A couple of wacky dance moves earned this dude season tickets on the house.

Read the full post...

Long Beach Ice Dogs host "Bah-Hum-Bug Night"

The Long Beach Ice Dogs (ECHL) are hosting a Bah-Hum-Bug Night on December 22nd. They won't be handing out anything at the door.

Says GameOps.com:
"Talk about low-budget, cost cutting, easy to manage. Might not be wildly impactful, but its a good talking point. There is also fun things in-game they can do, with no holiday music, penalties for fans showing too much holiday cheer, etc. "