Carolina Hurricanes Let Go of Ron The Ref in Hopes to Provide a New Fan Experience
By Brett Finger
The Carolina Hurricanes made some significant changes to their game day productions on Tuesday when they let go of long time in game host Ron Biscotti.
Ron Biscotti, or “Ron The Ref”, was an in-game host for the Carolina Hurricanes since 1997. Doug Warf, the Carolina Hurricanes’ VP of Marketing, commented on the move, saying that “this was one of the most difficult decisions we have had to make”.
The search is now on for a replacement for Ron The Ref. It also appears that Chantel McCabe’s contract with the Carolina Hurricanes and Fox Sports Carolinas as a sideline reporter has expired. At this point, it is uncertain as to whether she will return or not. She has been featured heavily on NHL.com this offseason covering highlights of playoff games.
It looks like the Carolina Hurricanes want to bring more highlights, in-game stats, and updates next season during stoppages of play instead of games like “Family Feud”, Harris Teeter’s price game, and Linda Craft sponsored games.
Harris Teeter, Linda Craft, and many others have been long time sponsors of the Carolina Hurricanes, so it is very unlikely that we will see them thrown out altogether.
Amber Jay will likely return as an in-game host next season for the Carolina Hurricanes, but she will likely be more heavily featured in pre-game videos, features, and off-ice functions like food drives, charity events, and hospital visits.
The in-game entertainment is one of many things being changed this offseason by the Carolina Hurricanes. While it may seem minor, this move could make a difference this upcoming season, especially with the fan base.