How the Canes can improve attendance at PNC
Most believe that if you build it, they will come. By build it, they mean a championship team, and by they, fans. Perhaps there is truth to that. But what if it’s the other way around and it’s “if they come, we can build it”. After all, revenue from ticket, concession, and other sales fund the team and its ability to go after expensive hockey talent. So what else can the team do to help boost the numbers that continue to fall year after year?
Look Past Raleigh
Carolina Hurricanes Billboard on the beltway going towards Raleigh
No, this doesn’t mean pick up the team and relocate it. This means the Canes need to look outside the Triangle and Charlotte in their marketing efforts. Many Carolinians outside of those two cities are surprised when told that we have an actual National Hockey League team in the state. Canes have multiple food promotional deals with companies like Bojangles and McDonald’s. But how often do Caniacs demand a free biscuit the morning after the Canes score a powerplay goal in Fayetteville, NC? How many McDonald’s patrons in Asheville understand what the logo on their coffee cups in the mornings symbolize?
Expand Advertisement
There are very few Carolina Hurricanes Billboards advertising the team. Where are they? In and around Raleigh. Perhaps it’s time to expand the reach of Canes Marketing to the smaller cities and towns inside the state. But why stop there? Without the Thrashers down in Atlanta, the reach of support for the Canes further south shouldn’t stop until we get to Panthers fans. To the North, the Virginias should be tearing themselves apart on whether they are bigger Canes fans or Bigger Caps Fans. To the west we should be stealing fans from the Preds. This entire chunk of south eastern United States should be the REDvolution.