Pre-Game Atmosphere at Key Bank Arena is Lacking

[mjd1001]

1 hour ago, Taro T said:

Hopefully people will keep posting ideas for what they'd like to see as a modification for pregame stuff.  Willing to bring any and all ideas back to the Sabres when they're ready to speak of game "presentation" for lack of a better overriding term.

I'm not sure if this is what you mean, and logistically I'm not sure if this is possible, but here goes:

You have that Big atrium, figure out a way to use it.  Open the doors up 30-60 minutes early and do something in the Atrium. Live Band. Alumni appearances/signings. Trivia contest.  Mini skills test for the kids. Raffles.  REDUCED (but still profitable) concessions (maybe cater some stuff not sold at the stands). Invite local businesses to get involved. Giveaways for the people who show up. Put up some projectors and on the side play highlights from the latest games...or the last few episodes of 'beyond blue and gold'.  I'm sure there are other ideas that you could do with something like this.  Early or later in the year (weather depending) do the same thing but move part of it (or all of it) outside.

I always thought if the Bills built a new stadium they could do something similar just inside the gates in a large gathering area....those who want to stay in the lots to tailgate can do that, those who want to come in early would have that as an option.....I'm just think the Sabres could occasionally do something similar on a smaller basis (maybe weekend games or 'kids day' games?)

Edited May 4, 2022 by mjd1001

[Taro T]

14 minutes ago, mjd1001 said:

I'm not sure if this is what you mean, and logistically I'm not sure if this is possible, but here goes:

You have that Big atrium, figure out a way to use it.  Open the doors up 30-60 minutes early and do something in the Atrium. Live Band. Alumni appearances/signings. Trivia contest.  Mini skills test for the kids. Raffles.  REDUCED (but still profitable) concessions (maybe cater some stuff not sold at the stands). Invite local businesses to get involved. Giveaways for the people who show up. Put up some projectors and on the side play highlights from the latest games...or the last few episodes of 'beyond blue and gold'.  I'm sure there are other ideas that you could do with something like this.  Early or later in the year (weather depending) do the same thing but move part of it (or all of it) outside.

I always thought if the Bills built a new stadium they could do something similar just inside the gates in a large gathering area....those who want to stay in the lots to tailgate can do that, those who want to come in early would have that as an option.....I'm just think the Sabres could occasionally do something similar on a smaller basis (maybe weekend games or 'kids day' games?)

If the ticket readers could be located at the actual entrances or elsewhere rather than in the middle of that atrium basically making it pretty small on both sides, something like that might work.

[grinreaper]

Pregame excitement is naturally created by anticipation of the hockey, not some bs made up nonsense more appropriate at Chucky Cheese. 

[WhenWillItEnd66]

36 minutes ago, grinreaper said:

Pregame excitement is naturally created by anticipation of the hockey, not some bs made up nonsense more appropriate at Chucky Cheese. 

This times 1000!!! Put a good exciting competitive team on the ice night after night and the place will slowly fix itself! Stay away from stupid gimmicky crap. The current team is slowly winning back fans and they (The org) needs to not do anything stupid and stay classy

[Stoner]

The one thing they need to quit doing is try to get a chant going when the chant is already starting. Let the crowd be organic. I hear this every time I go. In the organist's defense maybe he can't hear the far reaches of the building. Have someone whose job it is to tell him to hold off.

[CallawaySabres]

I don’t see anything wrong with one pregame ritual that could turn into a tradition.

[Pimlach]

On 5/4/2022 at 11:20 AM, CallawaySabres said:

I am about as old school as it gets, but when I see place like Vegas, Tampa, Carolina, etc with their pre-game hype machine, I get jealous every time. It is going to take at least another year to get the fans back but why not have some sort of pageantry before the game starts. A lot of the fans going right now are kids/teens and families. Bring the energy up and think of something else besides the same old video on the jumbotron.

I watch the knights arena before a game and it looks like the fans are gearing up for the Stanley Cup games. Our arena has been void of excitement for over 10 years and they need to figure something out (besides icing a good team) to get the puck moving. You can think the Vegas intro is cheesy and unnecessary but it accomplishes everything they are trying to do to get the energy going. Can they not even pass the flag around like they used to? Their whole idea of amping the fans up is blaring crappy music at every break of the game...it's freaking brutal.

 

One of these days, I am going to bring back the Sabres on the warpath chant.....THAT is what needs to be encouraged during the breaks.

Bring in exciting players, win a lot of games, play a fun style, have a team of committed guys who care  - then all the exciting chants and cheers and other things will happen.

At 63 I am way too old to decide what music and entertainment people will like.  If I were running the team I would delegate that to smarter people that are more in touch with the total fan base. 

 

BTW - "Ooohh, Aaahh, Sabres on the Warpath" was stolen by Sabres fans after we lost to Montreal in our first playoff series".    It was not a Buffalo original.  

While organist Norm Wullen's cheerful and lively organ ditty's still resonant with me,  I doubt the younger generation would like them.  

[Marvin]

3 hours ago, Pimlach said:

Bring in exciting players, win a lot of games, play a fun style, have a team of committed guys who care  - then all the exciting chants and cheers and other things will happen.

At 63 I am way too old to decide what music and entertainment people will like.  If I were running the team I would delegate that to smarter people that are more in touch with the total fan base. 

 

BTW - "Ooohh, Aaahh, Sabres on the Warpath" was stolen by Sabres fans after we lost to Montreal in our first playoff series".    It was not a Buffalo original.  

While organist Norm Wullen's cheerful and lively organ ditty's still resonant with me,  I doubt the younger generation would like them.  

On that tape I have of the "Thank you, Sabres" game, the fans themselves start, "Ooh!  Ahh!  Sabres on the warpath!"  Norm Wullen then joins the fans in their chant.  I also have a hockey history book which clearly shows signs in the Oranges in the Aud which contain the chant.  So who had it before the 1973 playoffs?

[North Buffalo]

Get at Union Soldier on Skates slaying the other teams mascot a la vegas with two Sabres in hand... Play Blue Oyster Cult's "Don't fear the Reaper" during it

Edited May 5, 2022 by North Buffalo

[Taro T]

Why not simply pull a random fan wearing the wrong team's sweater out from their seat & let Sabretooth lead a good old fashioned pregame stoning out near center ice.

Remember, if you are a 200 level or suite level ticket holder you are invited to join Sabretooth in greeting the infidel.  This welcome to our barn ceremony is brought to you by Gerber Collision.  Check out the DraftKings odds of just how much punishment will be inflicted & don't forget to sign in to the Sabres App to play along, as you could win a Sabres Prize Pack including a heated kidney shaped pool, a microwave oven, a Dyna-Gym, a kingsize Titanic unsinkable Molly Brown waterbed with polybendum, a foolproof plan and an airtight alibi, real simulated indigenous American jewelry, a Gucci shoetree, a year's supply of boosters, a personally autographed picture of Rick Jeanneret, and Dylan Cozens's new unlisted phone number, a beautifully restored Air Canada Centre swizzle stick, Reinharts baby, a dream date in kneepads with Jacob Bryson, a new Montador, a new mastadon, a Maverick, a Mustang, a Montego, a Merc Montclair, a Mark IV, a meteor, a Mercedes, an MG, a Malibu, a Michael Moriarty, a Maserati, a Mac Jones Tonka truck, a Mazda, an old Monza, or a scooter, a Winnebago, heck, a herd of Winnebago's, we're giving 'em away, a McCulloch chainsaw, a Vegas pregame show, a Filly divorce, a solid gold Kama Sutra coffee pot AND Austen Matthews' arm holding an apple.

Now, if that doesn't get folks fired up, nothing will.

 

Too much?

Or, perhaps not enough?

[BuffaloStanleyCup]

On 5/4/2022 at 1:53 PM, Doohickie said:

The Sabres are apparently on the way up, it would be good to create some synergy.  Like maybe a video of Blur's Song 2 during warmups and having the lyrics replaced the first time or two with Tuch screaming WOOOO! and then switching over to live camera of the crowd.  The WOOO would get the team up and rolling.  There's probably better stuff than that, but I like the idea of something that draws the crowd to the players on the team.

All well and good to do things like this that can create energy.  That said, winning creates energy, too.  Nothing draws in the fans like winning hockey games.  This team is on a great trajectory right now and the excitement level will only increase as the team continues to improve and become a serious contender for the Stanley Cup.  Winning cures all and this team is ready to make HUGE strides this off-season and coming season.  This is such a talented roster - hard not to be excited about this team going forward.

[Pimlach]

4 hours ago, Marvin, Sabres Fan said:

On that tape I have of the "Thank you, Sabres" game, the fans themselves start, "Ooh!  Ahh!  Sabres on the warpath!"  Norm Wullen then joins the fans in their chant.  I also have a hockey history book which clearly shows signs in the Oranges in the Aud which contain the chant.  So who had it before the 1973 playoffs?

yes.  I was there in Section 10 of the Oranges.   But I still think we copied Montreal.   

I was great the way Norm and the fans fed off of each other.  

[calti]

I'd like to see disco dancing cheerleaders pregame

[Andrew Amerk]

On 5/4/2022 at 2:38 PM, PromoTheRobot said:

I'm exhausted with people complaining. Start winning and the energy will take care of itself. Shabby arena or not.

Winning wouldn’t change the fact that the game presentation sucks. 

On 5/4/2022 at 3:38 PM, Taro T said:

Hopefully people will keep posting ideas for what they'd like to see as a modification for pregame stuff.  Willing to bring any and all ideas back to the Sabres when they're ready to speak of game "presentation" for lack of a better overriding term.

I understand that times change, but things that are fun, don’t. Earl of Bud was fun, Dj Milk isn’t.

Theres no limit to the things they could do to include the fans during breaks and intermissions. 

You know what people generally like? Free stuff. Giveaways. Dont do “the first 10,000 fans get an RJ Banner / Sabres pennant” and then leave them on a stand where fans can grab 20 each. Make 20,000 and have employees hand them out one at a time. 

I gave up my seasons, and then my mini packs, because the team was bad. I gave up going altogether the last few years because the game presentation wasn’t entertaining anymore. I’ll go see a bad team if it’s still an experience. 

[SHAAAUGHT!!!]

Additional ideas to improve pre-game, in-game, post game experience:

1) Built in aquarium - having tanks built into the wall around the arena provides both ambiance and education benefits for all age groups

2) Live music between periods is a nice addition, but we actually need some interesting musical acts, not your 50 somethings playing Blues and Classic Rock covers - book some B level national bands and unique genres/performances

3) It was in another thread but having a small stage adjacent stage for pre and post game concerts for music or comedy (could have the band play 1-2 songs in between periods as a teaser/bonus); it would also provide the arena an option for non-game day bookings

4) Guest restaurants - weeklong rentals to area restaurants or national chains promoting a new product (thinking shamrock shakes during March, or Dinosaur BBQ selling pulled pork sandwiches and brisket, etc)

I'm sure I could think of more but I do have to get to work at some point today...

Edited May 6, 2022 by SHAAAUGHT!!!

[PromoTheRobot]

18 hours ago, Andrew Amerk said:

Winning wouldn’t change the fact that the game presentation sucks. 

Funny. I don't notice that. Maybe I'm too distracted by the game itself.

[Believer]

Having attended the Sabres game in Tampa last month… can only tell you Tampa opened the gates an hour before the game… and the mood was driven by high energy Techno Music and light show… through the warm ups… ending with the introductions and anthems… Their announcer was youthful, excited, and had the crowd into it… Sound Board was plugged into the game and contributed like an extra man… Very impressive…

Edited May 7, 2022 by Believer

[calti]

On 5/6/2022 at 3:55 PM, PromoTheRobot said:

Funny. I don't notice that. Maybe I'm too distracted by the game itself.

i agree. stupid video games and rah rah crap ruins the atmosphere of a hard fought game.

On 5/6/2022 at 6:41 PM, Believer said:

Having attended the Sabres game in Tampa last month… can only tell you Tampa opened the gates an hour before the game… and the mood was driven by high energy Techno Music and light show… through the warm ups… ending with the introductions and anthems… Their announcer was youthful, excited, and had the crowd into it… Sound Board was plugged into the game and contributed like an extra man… Very impressive…

sounds horrible. but then again im old.

[Believer]

10 hours ago, calti said:

sounds horrible. but then again im old

I’m 72!..

[mjd1001]

On 5/6/2022 at 12:05 AM, Andrew Amerk said:

Winning wouldn’t change the fact that the game presentation sucks. 

I agree. Why can't we have both?

I love watching the game action on my tv....give me something else in addition to that....that is being done in many other cities for the arena experience.

If all you care about is the product on the ice/winning for the cost of your ticket that's fine. It would be nice to have more for those of us who care about that though.

[LabattBlue]

I think a band somewhere in the atrium(from the time the gates open, until the game starts), and then somewhere in the seating bowl carve out space for a stage for the same band or different band to perform during intermissions, and even a few songs after the game, would be great.  
 

 

[Stoner]

41 minutes ago, LabattBlue said:

I think a band somewhere in the atrium(from the time the gates open, until the game starts), and then somewhere in the seating bowl carve out space for a stage for the same band or different band to perform during intermissions, and even a few songs after the game, would be great.  
 

 

Done (except for the atrium part). You can hear crickets during the "give it up for" and "let's hear it for" prompts. There has been near-disdain for some of the musical choices. There's no way to win that battle for such a cross section of people. I don't mind it though. Would prefer songs of silent movies of course.

[Weave]

7 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Done (except for the atrium part). You can hear crickets during the "give it up for" and "let's hear it for" prompts. There has been near-disdain for some of the musical choices. There's no way to win that battle for such a cross section of people. I don't mind it though. Would prefer songs of silent movies of course.

Over the last decade there should have been a band at ice level playing the Benny Hill theme.

[PromoTheRobot]

1 hour ago, LabattBlue said:

I think a band somewhere in the atrium(from the time the gates open, until the game starts), and then somewhere in the seating bowl carve out space for a stage for the same band or different band to perform during intermissions, and even a few songs after the game, would be great.  
 

 

There was a live band playing between periods on the organ deck at the last game.

[LabattBlue]

2 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

There was a live band playing between periods on the organ deck at the last game.

Well…I haven’t been to a game since before Covid hit.  Good to hear that they are taking steps in the right direction.  Was this a one off, or something they did all season?