The Nashville Predators hockey team is one of the National Hockey League’s recent fairy tale stories. At a time in the sport where it seems as though only marquee names like Alexander Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby gain any attention, the Predators are a breath of fresh air. While the team quietly climbed up the standings eventually to finish the regular season with 100 points, they have done so with a roster comprised of no definitive stars.
Since the team’s inception, they have always chosen to draft little-known players and grow them. David Poile, the Predators’ Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations and General Manager, has never been the type to sacrifice a potential talent for a hot player in the short term. The Predators have established a mentality of producing “homegrown” players– players that go through the system and are bred to play a style of hockey befitting to the club.
Anyone who watched the Winter Olympics this past February in Vancouver will probably remember the names Shea Weber and Ryan Suter. The Canadian gold medalist and U.S. silver medalist, respectively, received praise from media outlets and analysts after both playing major roles in their countries’ play. Both were drafted and bred within the organization, and have become premier defensemen in the game of hockey. Both are prime examples of the homegrown players, a process this organization has stressed from day one.
Despite making trips to the postseason in five of the previous six seasons and consistently being a force within the league, the attendance has suffered. Hockey has always been a hard sell in southern America, especially in football-dominated cities like Nashville. However, this year is the second consecutive season the Predators have posted average attendance figures of over 14,000, the golden number that keeps the lease with the city intact and also qualifies the organization for league revenue sharing.
What’s interesting is the Predators’ demographic of ticket purchasers. In large market NHL cities like Toronto, the estimated demographic of ticket sales is around 70 percent business ticket holders, with the remaining being personal fans and individual buyers. The Predators are the exact opposite.
Now that the Predators have been in town for more than a decade, the ticket sales are slowly rising and steadying. Could this have something to do with fans being homegrown just like the players? Predators television broadcaster and three-time Stanley Cup champion Terry Crisp believes so.
“More ‘kids’ than ever here are growing up with hockey around,” Crisp said. “It has just taken some time.”
The “kids” Crisp speaks of are the college-aged set that now have the ability to buy their own tickets. These are the people that have grown with the team. These are the people that remember the excitement of the very first season. These are the people that are the future of the fan base. With specials like discounted tickets with a college I.D., the Predators know their budding market. The patient agenda of developing fans seems to finally be paying off.
Lipscomb sophomore Matt Filchak is one of these homegrown fans. Filchak, a Connecticut transplant, spent his high school years in Memphis making trips to Nashville to watch the Predators. This season, Filchak purchased his first partial season ticket package.
“I’ve been to several NHL arenas for games, and compared to other arenas I’ve been to, our fans make games twice as fun to go to,” Filchak said. “College nights are great for a night out with some friends. You can get great seats for such a cheaper price than normal.”
“It helps get more people involved and spread the word of hockey here, which I’m all for. The more fans we get involved, the better.”
Filchak already has his playoff tickets and plans on renewing his tickets for next season.
“This year with us making it to the playoffs and getting the first playoff road win in franchise history, it’s a great time to be a Predators fan,” Filchak said. “The seasons are only going to get better with more fans.”
Braxton Williams, a recent hockey convert and Lipscomb junior, has taken advantage of the college discounts and incentives given by the team.
“I didn’t have the opportunity to go to many games this year other than college nights,” Williams said. “It is such a great sport to watch live, and the atmosphere here is like no other.”
“I really feel like the organization goes out of their way to make fans feel welcome. It is not only the hockey game itself, but what is going on in and around the arena that makes it worthwhile.”
As the team continues their quest toward the Stanley Cup, the ticket office will continue in theirs to get more fans to watch. Attribute both to the Predators’ dedication to the homegrown way of hockey.
For tickets for upcoming games visit NashvillePredators.com or call 1-615-770-PUCK.