Q:
- What kinds of activities do you do for premium clients on gamedays prior to holidays?
- What holiday or themed event have you organized for your premium levels and clients?
- What gifts or giveaways have you given that have been appreciated or fun?
A:
- We have alumni players in our all-inclusive clubs for photo ops and networking. For the home game before Thanksgiving, we served champagne cocktails in all of the clubs pregame. For the last game of the season, we will provide a hot chocolate bar, cookies, and snacks in all of the clubs pregame.
- We do a holiday card photo op event every year where we invite members down to take photos around the stadium for their holiday card around the stadium. We had photographers in all areas, and the photos were texted to the guests immediately. Historically, this has been a premium-only event, but this year, we opened it up to our reserve buyers as well. We elevated the premium experience by making one club area exclusive with comp snacks and hot chocolate, providing one unique photo op with prints and digital copies in this area, dressing our mascot up as Santa and only making him available to this crowd.
- My preference is to give Thanksgiving gifts, so I am first in and don't get lost in the madness.
A:
- For our suite holders, we have not traditionally done much outside of any game activities. In our club spaces, we have done a photo opportunity with props that they can email to themselves on the spot. We also decorate our club spaces with wreaths, etc.
- Every year, our Season Ticket Retention team creates a holiday photo event, where we encourage all of our STM's and Suite Holders to come take their family Christmas card photo in the arena. We typically have four or five stations available including Santa for them to go to throughout the arena, and then we also have ice skating available for anyone that is interested.
- A long time ago, we did Hammond's Candy Canes for all of our premium guests, including our club seats. It was so cute, and they were all on the seats. We didn't receive any feedback or thanks, so we don't do that anymore. If anything, we do little ornaments here and there, but they are typically pretty cheap.
A:
- We host two “Kids Days†leading up to Christmas on the suite level, usually one on Black Friday and the other on the last home game before the Christmas. On the landing area where suite patrons gather/enter the level, we take over and have face painters, photo booths, kids games, alumni, mascots, cookie or cupcake stations where kids can put their own toppings on, and of course Santa will come up during intermission. It's well-received by our suite clients and doesn't cost all that much.
- At the last home game before Christmas, we host our top spenders in a club box, and we will cater the box, do raffles, schedule Santa/mascot/alumni visits, and provide gifts for all visitors. It's a great chance to get in front of clients all in one box and a good networking opportunity for clients.
- We used to give a holiday gift, but now we send our gift at the beginning of the season with their tickets. This year was luggage for suites and a Yeti/blanket for club holders.
A:
- For our December games, we have the area decorated with holiday décor and serve hot chocolate, candy canes, and kisses. We also have Santa come to a game, where he will do photos on the club level and a couple suite visits.
- We do a holiday party every year for our suite owners and corporate partners. It takes place at the stadium and is a very family-friendly event. We serve a nice holiday buffet dinner, have photos with Santa, play holiday movies, and do kids crafts.
- We also gift a bottle of champagne in each suite for the New Year's game. We also send a holiday gift in the mail in December. This year, we did a premium soap and lotion set which has been very well received. We try to avoid food when sending gifts in the mail.
A:
- Prior to the holidays, we have decor on our Suite Level -- red bows on the suite doors, suites decorated with lights, festive table cloths, etc. On the game before the holidays, we had a holiday-themed photo booth on our Suite Level that all suite and club level clients had access to prior to the game. There was a holiday background, holiday photo props, and we had an alumni player to take photos with.
- We have a game on NYE and will be rolling around a champagne cart to do a "toast" with all of our suite lease holders. We'll also have sparkling juice for those who do not drink/are underage.
- We mailed out team wrapping paper to all of our premium clients as a holiday gift. We also went to each of our club level premium locations and passed out small holiday bags with candy canes.