"Winning. Duh!"

If there is one thing that I really miss about hockey at home, it is all the wild promotions that minor league hockey teams put on to entice people to the game.

With all the crazy things that usually take place in Germany, or Europe for that matter, they still don't really get the idea of game promotions. I guess in someways that makes sense, though. The team here sells out practically every seat regardless of the incentive of coming to the game. Why spend more money to get the same amount of fans?!

But back in North America, teams, especially those in warmer climates, hmmm like Texas maybe, struggle to get steady attendance throughout the season. So, fun and interactive promotions are often held, with some ending up more ridiculous than successful.

There is the classic "Dog Days" games, where you can bring you pooch to the arena to watch hockey with you. The poor stadium workers who have to clean up after that night. 

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Slap Shot nights are popular for just about every team. Fans are encouraged to dress up like the Hanson brothers and they might even have the famous trio there on hand to skate around in warm ups.

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BTW, if you don't know Slap Shot you're dead to me you really should rent the movie. You don't have to know anything about hockey, or even like hockey, it is just a sports classic. It also has one great line that I can really, really relate to nowadays. One of the hockey wives is talking about what she does to fill her time when her husband is gone:

"I only drink in the afternoon. Or before a game. Or when Johnny's away."

Yep, sounds about right (ok, ya'll all have to think I am an alcoholic by now. But that really is not the case, I promise!). :)

But I digress. Arenas give out freebies, bobble heads, have two-for-one deals on everything in the rink. There are nights when you can skate with the players after the game, costume contests are popular around Halloween, and promotion teams thrive on the enticement of giveaways. You name it, someone has probably thought of it.

I personally liked the "Rock the Mullet Night", which is held every year by the Manchester Monarchs. Not only were over 3,000 mullet wigs handed out at the gates, but there was also live rock performances, on-ice entertainment, and yes, the hockey players wore mullet wigs during warm ups. Awesome. 

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Maybe its a throw back to Wayner and his sick salad.

There was even a Stripper Night for the East Coast League's team in Las Vegas. They held a how-to demonstration on exotic dancing. Gotta love Vegas!

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BUT there is one promotion coming up this weekend that has got to take the cake. The marketing department for this team should get a raise, and if not that, at least a night out on the town.

The Bakersfield Condors, a minor league hockey team in the ECHL (East Coast Hockey League) are making March 12th "Charlie Sheen Night". Way to cash in on current events (ewww, are we considering his rant current events...I guess so)!

Some of the rules and perks for then night are unbelievable. If you wear a fedora or dress up like any character Charlie Sheen has ever played, you get an admission ticket for only $2.50 (Get it, two and a half dollar admission?!). The first 1000 fans to enter get a Charlie Sheen mask on a stick to sport the entire game. Also, they will be serving special Tiger Blood Icees. Yum!

If you show up with a copy of a clean drug test (yep, you read that right) you get free admission to the game. They are also trying to get over one million twitter followers, a number that Sheen himself recently accomplished in record time, in under 25 hours and 17 minutes. If they break that record, I cannot believe this, they will let Sheen rename the team. I am thinking he will go with something along the lines of....oh not original, but maybe the Tigers?!? Or how about The Warlocks. He seems to be fond of both.

The best part of all of this, is that the jerseys at the end of the game are being auctioned off for charity. Think about how much money they will raise for a good cause by bringing in so many new fans to the game. They are the ones "Winning, duh." Great idea, Bakersfield!!

If you are in the Bakersfield area and DON'T go to this game, I have a feeling you will be sorry.

So, yeah, I think promotions could work in Europe. How about Lederhosen night, Germany?! All the fans can come in their favorite traditional dress.

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(the picture above has nothing to do with anything. I just kept searching for German hockey fans in lederhosen, and he kept showing up. Felt like it was a sign!)

Oh wait, fans already come to the game like that (no joke, some down here in the tradition South really do wear lederhosen daily). 

Never mind :)