St. Louis Blues Fans Not Feeling It

**Also posted at http://www.nhlnfa.com/blog/?p=47625

While fan appreciation week is in full swing at Scottrade Center this week, the St. Louis Blues organization has fallen a little flat when appreciating its fans. With a less than stellar record at home, Blues fans have cheered their team through the year in a building that is not overall fan friendly. Being a steady presence at Scottrade Center throughout the season, I have had opportunities to speak with fans of every age and demographic. Fan appreciation needs to be a yearlong event, not just an end of the season week.

Young Fans Disappointed With Blues Bookworm Club And Junior BlueNote Club

The St. Louis Blues unfortunately share a city with a Major League Baseball team that really does value their young fans. The St. Louis Cardinals offer a wide variety of activities for young fans and even teen fans can get in on some of the fun with their Cardinals Kids Club and Varsity Club. The kids are treated to their very own VIP party where players take the time to do “meet and greet” and sign autographs. The St. Louis Blues on the other hand offer a small prize package and two tickets to a select home game as well as the chance to shoot the puck on the ice after the game.

The kids are helped on the ice by the St. Louis Blues Blue Crew. This is a group of young men and women who are there to clean the ice, for the most part. I have no problem with the outfits that the male Blue Crew members wear. Where my problem lies is with the female Blue Crew members’ attire during Kids Club and Bookworm games. Why is it necessary for the midriff and cleavage to be highly visible when there are so many impressionable children at the game? The pants that they wear are also inappropriate because there is not a shirt or jacket that covers their spandex stretched behinds. There was one little boy that I overheard ask his mom why those girls on the ice were not wearing any underwear. The mother was so flabbergasted at the comment that I wanted to laugh!

The select home games for the free tickets are not on a weekend, but a weeknight when kids have to be up for school the next morning. By the time the kids get through the line and onto the ice, it is well past bedtime. Why, I wonder, do the Blues not think this through and offer a pre-game party where the kids can shoot the puck on the ice and have some fun activities for them. Maybe a Blues player or two could take a few minutes to interact with the kids during this time. Many of the young fans this year felt neglected by their hockey team.

Different Experiences For Different Fans

I have discussed this before, but I am touching on it again. Fans are given different treatment by the staff at Scottrade Center. While this is not technically a problem for the St. Louis Blues organization, it does directly reflect on the team when fans are treated poorly. A young couple brought their daughter to Blues game a few weeks ago and were treated so horribly by staff that they left part way through the 2^nd period. The woman, who is a bigger lady, was told by staff that she shouldn’t sit in the middle of the row – that is where their tickets were located – because it was uncomfortable for the other fans to have to squeeze in by her. Another staff member was seen mocking her and making fun of the man for being with her.

Three young men went to a Blues game and were followed by security everywhere they went and made to feel like criminals. I was at this game and personally knew these men. I witnessed the disapproval of the security guards and ushers during the course of the game. Another couple who try to go to a few games each season has a very enjoyable time. This is a middle-aged couple who dresses in casual dress. They have never been followed by security or mocked by ushers. Their only complaint is the quality of refreshments that Scottrade Center offers.

The only time I had any feeling of unease at Scottrade Center during a Blues game was when the three young men were there and we stopped and chatted on the concourse for a few minutes. Security was so close to us that I felt as if I were doing something wrong. The ushers have been pretty good; there are a few who lack people skills and social graces necessary to work with the public. One usher, Scott, is absolutely wonderful. He is attentive and very much a people person.

I can understand about wanting to keep the fans safe during the game, but to actually target certain people and make them feel as if they had truly done something wrong is ridiculous. Also, having staff members who feel that it is okay to make fun of the fans during the game is not right. I felt sorry for that young couple.

Blues Don’t Win At Home

The St. Louis Blues are ranked 11^th in winning at home. Some people say that you cannot win them all, but the Blues seem to struggle when it comes to playing in their own house. Fans pay big money for tickets only to watch their team choke during a game. The fans would really like to see the team step it up and start winning at home.

Yes, the Blues have logged wins this past week and pushed into the number one spot, clinching the division. They have not however, been consistent. They do this every year. They lose several near the end of the season and then push hard and pick up a few last game wins. This is typical Blues fashion and the fans absolutely hate it. There is so much speculating and nail-biting that many times the Blues are counted out of the play-off before they even start.

St. Louis Is A Sports City

Within the Greater St. Louis area there are about 2.8 million residents. These residents have their choice of professional sports teams to cheer on. The NHL, MLB and NFL are all represented in St. Louis as well as number of college teams to cheer for. The St. Louis Cardinals and the St. Louis Rams both offer a variety of activities for their fans to enjoy, even their young fans. They seem to understand that the fans are extremely important to the morale of the team and the support of their city.

The Blues, this season are ranked 14^th overall in the NHL for game attendance. Their attendance record is not as bad as the Florida Panthers, but there is still much room for improvement. The Blues are losing fans who are feeling disenchanted with the idea of going to Scottrade Center to watch a game.

Overall, the Blues organization needs to step it up and figure out how to make their fans feel appreciated all season long, not just the final week of the season. Winning more home games would be a start. Learning from the other professional sports teams in the city would also help. By showing the young fans that they are wanted and appreciated will encourage the parents to bring the kids out to the arena to enjoy the experience of a live hockey game.

Fan Experiences at Scottrade Center Sadly Lacking

Many fans were excited with all the changes that were taking place at Scottrade Center. In my previous article, St. Louis Blues Make Changes To Improve Fan Experiences, I conveyed my hopes that the Blues' organization was finally going to make the fans feel important. How wrong I was!

The experiences of the fans is actually very similar to that of last season. The food is over-priced and absolutely tasteless, the in-game experiences are lacking and completely mundane. The "Blue Crew" is nothing but a ploy to insert sex into the game of hockey. Those who sit in the first 4 rows off the ice are given the exclusive access to the BlueNote Lounge. It is a jam packed bar where free food and drinks are the only allure. The food and drinks this season, just like last have been sadly lacking. The food is sparse and without taste and the drinks are watered down. There was no coffee to be had because the Blues' organization had not seen it necessary to replace the broken coffee pot that is used in the BlueNote Lounge. I am sorry, but I was not about to pay $4.00 for a 12 ounce cup of basic coffee at the concession stand when I had glass seating.

Furthermore, the Kids' Club experiences this season are exactly the same as last season. It is obvious that the young fans are not thought of as important. At least the St. Louis Cardinals offer an exclusive party for their Kids' Club members. The Blues' Bookworm Club was just as disappointing. Young students read for the chance to win tickets to a select home game, but there is a catch, each student only received one free ticket and then other tickets have to be purchased. What happened to each student received two free tickets and then the offer to purchase more if needed??

To add insult to those kids who support the Blues and come out with their families, they are bombarded with half dressed women displaying their skill at cleaning. I have an impressionable 9 year old daughter. I have to explain to her during every Blues game that we attend why these women are walking around in skin tight pants (that show every dimple and divet) along with belly-baring tops that emphasize their breasts. The men on the Blue Crew wear outfits that are much more appropriate for their job description. When the St. Louis Blues are hosting family nights, kids' club games or bookworm games is it too much to ask that the ladies on the Blue Crew be required to cover up?

My sister with our regular usher, Scott

The only positive experience that I have had this season at Scottrade Center is knowing that the usher (I sit in the same section when in attendance) is there and is willing to go that extra mile to make sure that I am comfortable while in my seat. I send out a great big "thank you" to Scott the usher for section 126. He is always there with a smile and remembers who you are and asks how you are doing. You can tell that he truly cares and listens. I think that the St. Louis Blues could take a page out of Scott's book and listen to the fans as well as show some true caring and compassion!

The St. Louis Blues need to figure out what they are doing wrong on the ice as well as the organization and Scottrade Center need to figure out why fans are feeling disappointment after experiencing their hospitality.

Can The St. Louis Blues Finally Bring Home The Stanley Cup

I ask this question in my latest article for IceNationUK.com. There are so many factors that go into creating a winning team. Keeping that team winning also takes effort and a certain understanding of not only the game but also of the players and their opponents.

The St. Louis Blues has been fighting, since the very first game played back in 1967 for their chance to hoist the Stanley Cup for their fans. Last year fans swore that it was their year. That was until the Ryan Miller trade that sent the team into a tailspin and ultimately out of the playoff race.

Read more of my thoughts in my article:

IS HISTORY REPEATING ITSELF: ST. LOUIS BLUES BEGIN TO STUMBLE IN HOMESTRETCH

Did Martin Brodeur Use the Blues to Stick It to the Devils

I speculated on Brodeur's leave of absence from the St. Louis Blues to think about his future. Many say that he is planning on retiring and then working in the New Jersey Devils' front office. They are claiming that he knew he was holding the Devils back and moved aside graciously to make room for a young and talented goalie.

Others are saying that he came to St. Louis to prove something to the Devils and to the fans. Now that Brian Elliott is back from his injury, Brodeur's future is not so certain. Find out my thoughts on the Brodeur situation at IceNationUK.com.

Did Martin Brodeur Use The Blues To Stick It To The Devils? 

Blues Sending Shattenkirk and Tarasenko to 2015 NHL All-Star Game

Tarasenko & Shattenkirk 

It will be an interesting All-Star game this year. How do I know this? Take a quick peek at those honored with an invite. It is not your usual crowd and many are speculating why so many new faces will be at the festivities.

I have analyzed the St. Louis Blues and why only two of their players found their way on the roster. Check out my thoughts on  IceNationUK.com and see if you agree with me!

St. Louis Blues’ Represented by Shattenkirk and Tarasenko at 2015 All-Star Game

2015 All Stars Announced

2015 All-Star Jersey

When the 2015 NHL All-Stars were announced earlier today, the line-up looked a little odd. Where were the greats such as Pavel Datsyuk, the Sedin twins, Henrik Lundqvist and Henrik Zetterberg? Okay, let’s go a little further and ask where is Joe Thorton, P.K. Subban, David Backes or Erik Karlsson? It is not surprising after seeing the amount of snubs this year that only two St. Louis Blues’ players made the list. Both of them are young, but definitely deserving of making the trip. However, are they the most deserving of the Blues players to have been chosen as All-Stars? Maybe everyone but Shattenkirk and Tarasenko got a sneak peak of the jerseys and let it be known that they would  not mind having a weekend off! These jerseys are truly bizarre and extremely ugly!

Kevin Shattenkirk and Vladimir Tarasenko will don the ugliest NHL All-Star jersey yet and represent their team in what should be an interesting skills challenge and All-Star game. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that Shattenkirk and Tarasenko are not worthy of being All-Stars, of course they are. What I am saying is why was David Backes, TJ Oshie and Alex Pietrangelo forgotten? All three of these guys have been on fire lately and have shown themselves to be worthy of being called All-Stars.

That being said, the big question is how will Shattenkirk and Tarasenko stack up against their fellow 2015 All-Stars? Shattenkirk has proven that he can stay cool under pressure. He was an Olympian last year so he is used to the glitz and glam that comes with being called an elite athlete, therefore, he should not become star-struck over his fellow teammates. The same can be said for Tarasenko. He was also an Olympian and although he is younger, he has a demeanor on the ice that speaks of maturity.

Both players should represent their team and their city well and they are two players that St. Louis should be proud to send off to Columbus. Congratulations to Shattenkirk and Tarasenko for a job well-done! 

St. Louis Blues Looking Forward

COMMENTARY | Many of my readers have been emailing me and asking why I have ignored the start of the NHL season, there is not some profound reason as to why I have been so quiet. Simply put, I have been very sick and the start of the NHL season was the farthest thing from my mind! I am very happy to report that after almost 6 weeks of being in and out of doctors’ offices and countless prescriptions later, I am feeling much better and cannot wait to get back into the swing of things.

That said, let’s talk hockey! The St. Louis Blues have been off to an interesting start. From key injuries to bacterial infections to uncertain coaching and inexperienced goalies, the Blues players have gotten off to a rocky start. First, let’s talk injuries.

Key Injuries:

Paul Stastny -- Paul Stastny was injured (shoulder) on October 18^th and has not played since then. Although, Stastny is currently participating in team practices doing limited puck handling it may still be a while before he returns fully to the line-up.

TJ Oshie -- Oshie is suffering from a concussion. With Oshie out for an indefinite amount of time due to the concussion as well as having a bacterial infection, the team has to look elsewhere for leadership both on the ice and in the locker room.

David Backes -- The fearless captain of the Blues has also suffered a concussion. Backes is out indefinitely. Since the Blues are near their salary cap so even the option of calling up talented players to fill the void is no longer an option!

Carl Gunnarsson -- Gunnarsson went through hip surgery and missed the start of the season. While I would like to say that he was greatly missed, he was not. The presence of Roman Polak on defense is what was greatly missed. I have to question how long he will remain active. He is an injury prone player and it is being hinted that he has to be babied along after games, missing team practices the day after a game.

Bacterial Infection -- As if the injury plagued Blues were not tormented enough, many players became infected with a bacterial infection that was picked up on the west coast. This left many with flu-like symptoms and swollen jaws. Not the ideal situation for any team to step out on the ice and face their opponents. It is suspected that TJ Oshie is one of the affected players with a bacterial infection.

Uncertain Coaching Situation:

I have been a proponent for Hitchcock since he arrived in St. Louis and I think that given the right combination, Hitchcock could help bring the Stanley Cup to St. Louis. It is my belief that Hitchcock was sabotaged last season. He had the winning combination that was needed to go all the way within his grasp, but then management decided to court disaster by making the infamous Miller trade. This disrupted the entire flow and feel of the team both on the ice and in the locker room.

The team has many new faces and it is Hitchcock and his staff that have to determine where these new faces fit. Not an easy task for such a short training camp and pre-season. He is still shuffling and trying to find the right combinations. Last season the Blues were a heavy favorite because they were able to work so well together. Hitchcock spent much of the previous year building that team into a winning unit. Then upper management shattered the bonds of the team and now Hitchcock is charged with re-building and doing so quickly to keep his head off the chopping block.

Inexperienced Goalies:

With the ungraceful exit of Ryan Miller from the Blues organization, which I have to say, “Thank God”, Brain Elliot was given the nod as the starting goaltender. Taking a back-up goalie and inserting him into the starting slot is a risky thing. Elliot spent the off season getting ready for his chance to shine. Since the start of the regular season Elliot has been good between the pipes and has shown the fans and his opponents that he really can handle the rigors of day to day play.

The Blues decided to promote from within the organization rather than go courting experienced goalies and gave Jake Allen the go-ahead as back-up goaltender. Allen is quickly becoming a fan favorite and helped his cause with a shut-out against the Anaheim Ducks. This was his second shut-out in his short NHL career.

Overall, the St. Louis Blues have not had the impressive start to their current season as they did last season. However, they are starting to pull together as a team and become the unified group of players with the ability to win hockey games. Once the team is able to fully get healthy and work together consistently they should produce a solid season of fun hockey for everyone to enjoy.