Yesterday, one of the first comments on our training camp post boiled down to this: “Tell me, what did the CBJ office staff do, today, to win back the fans?”
The email sent out from club president Mike Priest to season ticket holders begins to answer that question.
On behalf of the entire Blue Jackets‘ organization, I apologize that you lost the first few months of the hockey season. We have the best athletes in professional sports and we are looking forward to providing you with the opportunity to see them on the ice and once again enjoy the action, skill and intensity that we all love about the game of hockey.
We recognize that we need to work hard to earn your trust and support. Our efforts in that regard have already begun. Over the next few days, you will hear about a number of the things we plan to do for the general fan base on Opening Night and the days that follow. On top of those things, which you can of course take advantage of, we also have some additional offers for you, our valued ticket plan holders.
1. You will see in our advertising for Opening Night we will be offering a 2 for 1 ticket offer. We recognize that most of you have purchased a ticket for Opening Night as part of your ticket package. We also appreciate the investment you have already made with us. Therefore, we are offering you a free ticket for each one you have in your ticket plan which you may use for any game this season, including Opening Night. In other words, if you have 4 seats in your ticket package, you will receive 4 free tickets of equal value, based on availability, to use for the game of your choice.
2. We are also extending to you an offer to purchase additional tickets for a select number of games during the season. Starting tomorrow through next Monday, January 21, you can purchase lower level tickets for any game in January or February for just $25 each and AEP Power Level (upper level) tickets for just $15 each. A savings of up to 75% off our normal single game ticket prices! We hope this offer allows you to bring more friends and family to the game and adds to your enjoyment of the upcoming season.
3. Between now and January 31st, all season ticket holders will receive a 25% discount on all merchandise at the Fox Sports Ohio Blue Line stores at Nationwide Arena and at The Mall at Tuttle Crossing in Dublin.Please look for emails from us on Monday with specific instructions on how to take advantage of the free ticket and $25 and $15 ticket offers mentioned above. To take advantage of the 25% merchandise discount, simply present your new digital ticket card (i.e. Blue Jackets Season Pass) at any Fox Sports Ohio Blue Line location. You should receive your Blue Jackets Season Pass within the next few days.
Ultimately, we know we must provide you a team that you can be proud of and the exciting hockey you deserve. We are absolutely committed to building a team that plays hard, plays to win and ultimately achieves the goal of winning the Stanley Cup. The moves we made in the off-season have moved us closer to that goal and we are confident that under the leadership of John Davidson as our new President of Hockey Operations, we will reach our ultimate goal and reward you for sticking with us.
I would like to once again thank you for the dedication, loyalty and passion you have shown for your team. The great crowd at today’s opening of Training Camp was once again evidence of the fantastic support of our fans and the strength of Central Ohio as a hockey market.
If you have any questions or if there is anything we can do to enhance your experience, please do not hesitate to contact me or your personal Blue Jackets representative at any time.
I look forward to seeing you at Nationwide Arena on Opening Night.
Sincerely,
Mike Priest
President
So, to sum up, all Season Ticket Holders are receiving free tickets equal to the amount of seats you already had for opening night, a limited time sale on all upper and lower bowl tickets, and merchandise discounts through the end of January.
Personally, I think the first is a huge win. Perfect move.
I’m less thrilled about the limited time sales and discounts on merchandise because they are limited time. Given the way season ticket holders got knocked around this year, especially those who put a lot of money into the All Star Game plans, I think keeping the discounts available through the first half of the shortened season, at least, would have been received better.
A sale that runs through the entire season would have been overboard, perhaps, but boy, can you imagine how people would have reacted?
As it is, this is much like the first day of camp: A good start, but much more remains to be seen.
Do you feel satisfied with the first CBJ efforts to approach Season Ticket Holders?
| Yes | 54 |
| No | 15 |
| I would have preferred to see more. | 37 |