St Louis Blues Make Changes to Improve Fan Experiences

So I’m reading through some of the news stories that I missed the past few weeks about the St. Louis Blues and I come across this interesting article that I had to stop and read fully, Blues Announce Changes to Executive Management. The Blues organization has re-vamped their structure to make them an even more fan and community friendly organization. A team of four successful executives are charged with the challenge of making the St. Louis Blues organization a “world class organization”.

Having followed the Blues since the mid-90s, I have never seen them able to be rightfully called a world-class organization. Fan experiences are severely lacking at games and if you do not have the right amount of cash, those in-game experiences are just a dream. For a large lump of cash, lucky fans can play games on ice between periods, visit the broadcast booth, fist bump the players or sit on the Zamboni while it cleans the ice. 

Their Jr. Blue Note Kids Club is at best pathetic. My daughter is disappointed every year when she gets a small gift pack and two tickets to a game. The highlight is getting to shoot a puck on the ice at Scottrade Center following the game. By the time the game has ended the little ones are so tired and just a little bit cranky that you pray the poorly run event goes quickly so you can head home.

The blue crew members are on hand, in their scantily clad “uniforms” – excellent role models for impressionable little girls, by the way – to help the children while on the ice. Louie, the team mascot is also on hand and it is sad to say that is probably the highlight of the event. The Blues staff that is in charge of working the event is always super helpful – notice my sarcasm here – and makes the children feel important.

Freedom is also a part of the St. Louis Cardinals Kids Club and that is a kids’ club that is run so smoothly by people who really like children and want them to have a good time. There is a kids’ party date set where every child gets to come and meet select players and coaches. They can play games and pig out on a buffet. They feel that they are important. The Cardinals have figured out they need to cater to the children as they are the future ticket buyers and fans who will carry the club through years to come.

Last spring I wrote an article about the fan experiences of three young men and how it varied from my experiences. I have gotten a lot of feedback from that article and have realized that if you are a male between the age of 18 and 25, you are essentially treated like a would-be criminal when attending a Blues game at Scottrade Center.

The Blues, I have noticed, pride themselves on their promotions throughout the season. Come for Star Wars night and purchase a t-shirt at a discounted price. Really? Why not, come for Star Wars night and we will give you a t-shirt for supporting us? Or, my favorite was come to Faith Night and fans get a free hot dog and soda along with hearing an inspirational message from local church leaders. I attended this and while I was happy to see them hosting an event that featured faith and family in hockey. But it was sadly lacking in things for the fans to enjoy. Other sports venues in St. Louis offer Faith Day or some such variation. They go all out and advertise the event as well as have a myriad of activities for fans to enjoy. The only reason I knew about the Blues’ Faith Night was because I stumbled across it on their promotions’ page. Pretty sad. if you think about it.

The fans that I have spoken with during Blues’ practices at the Ice Zone or during games are emphatically saying the same things. The Blues organization does not care about the fans or the community. The fans will support the organization until they turn blue…but what has the organization given back to the fans? The new executives in charge of turning the Blues organization into a world class entity has their work cut out for them.

I do not see how this is going to bring the fans closer to the organization. Those within the organization that I have spoken with and complained to – especially about the Jr. Blue Notes – do not see that there is anything wrong with how the organization is currently being run and see no reason to change a thing. The rudeness of the staff and the extremely limited activities for fans need to be the first things addressed for this upcoming season. In recent years, I have only had one usher at a Blues game act as if he truly cared that you had the best experience possible while sitting in his section. I would like to extend a thank you to Scott usher for section 126 for your commitment and caring while Freedom and I have sat in your section.

In closing, I raise my glass to Jeff Ajluni, Josh Bender, Phil Siddle and Jay Roberts as they tackle an enormous task this season. Best wishes gentlemen and please, I implore you, do something great for the kids this year.