8/01/2005 10:28:00 AM|||Sarah|||

Nathan and I went to the Predators draft party on Saturday morning at the building formerly known as the GEC. We were both very disappointed in the event. They had a few TVs set up to broadcast the draft live from Ottawa. The head coach (or are they called managers in hockey ... I'm still working on the lingo for this sport) and goalie Thomas Volkoun (very beautiful man behind all of that padding, I must say) were on hand to sign autographs. There were a couple of blow-up thingees in which kids could jump around and be loud. That was about it. The entire team should have been there. Heck, the silly mascot wasn't even there! Give us all some fang fingers. Open up the actual arena so that we can smell the air and remember the excitement of making the playoffs last year! Have a station set up where people can practice swinging at a puck. I want to see some effort, people!

No, wait, I forgot ... there was one more attempt by the Predators and it's a doozy! There was alleged free hot dogs and soda to be had. Maybe it's the government worker in me that I'm trying to squelch, but I like getting free stuff. We waited in line for about fifteen minutes just to be told that they were out of hot dogs and to come back in about ten minutes. Excellent planning on the part of the concessions staff.

The Predators should be undertaking a massive marketing blitz to get people interested. Where are the billboards inviting us back to Smashville? Where are the TV ads? Where are the public appearances by the players? Once preseason starts for the Titans, the Predators will have missed their opportunity.

I do plan on attending Predators games and watching them regularly on TV this season. I like hockey because it's the one sport for which Nathan and I actually root for the same team. So, the Predators are good for our marriage! I just wish the organization would try a little harder.

|||112291099140420452|||Predators Disappoint