I went to the Coyotes-Oilers game today, it was a lot of fun and a nice win, however...
I'm frustrated though because boy oh boy does the organization do most of the little things wrong. They make it hard to be a fan to say the least.
First off was the miserable process of trying to find a long sleeve, reasonably price, Coyotes shirt for the game. How hard should this be? I checked multiple Targets, WalMarts, Big 5s, Sports Authorities, Just Sports, 3 different Malls (PV, Scottsdale & Desert Ridge) to no avail. Finally I found a white thermal style long sleeve at the Just Sports at Westgate (the 'Yotes own team shop had a dismal and outrageously priced selection) for $30 that wasn't even in my size (had to get an L instead of a M).
Then you get to the game, you have a little kid with you who wants to have some fun between periods, right? Well I hope the kid enjoys games like "game a straw in your eye socket" and "relish eating contest" because Jobing.com offers no amenities for children. "Howlers Corner" or whatever its called is just some posters on a wall that apparently the mascot visits on Saturdays. Really? You couldn't put in a jumpy house or a 'see how fast you can shoot a hockey puck' game or freaking anything? College facilities have these things, get with it.
Then of course the fact that the cheapest tickets to the arena cost more than the cheapest Suns tickets, who offer a better product, in an easier location, with a richer heritage, is mind numbing. No wonder your arena is 2/3rds empty, you're charging top flight prices for a 4th or 5th place (in terms of Valley fandom) product.
When it came time for the t-shirt toss the entire upper deck was more or less left out. At a Suns game the "Sunsationals" are in the upper deck tossing out shirts, staggered about every other section. Can't the Yotes have the Dog Pound or whatever their girls are called do the same?
What about a way to text in messages to a big board like a ton of stadiums have? Or texting in a picture of your kid that could be shown between periods on the big screen?
After the game as I walked out I expected the ushers to hand me a free voucher for a large McDonalds fry or something like the Suns do, but nope, it was an ad for Glendale glitters. Nothing for a win? How about the shut out? Nope, also nothing.
When you're offering a product thats not inherently popular in an area in a difficult to get to location, you can't do all the little things wrong. You've got to be flawless in those areas and the Coyotes just aren't. Hopefully the new ownership will be detail oriented and respond to fan input because the game day experience needs a lot of little tweaks.