For my sins, I'm a Sunderland fan, and the famous 'Wearside Roar' has, for many a year, been seen as good as having an extra man on the pitch. Not too long ago, when the crowd really got up, and encouraged the players to get stuck in and get to stepping, you could guarantee a goal within two minutes. I imagine the same applies in hockey.
When I first started watching in 2008, there was that sort of feeling. There were less people in the building, but the fans would get behind the team from the first puck drop. Not a constant noise, not unconditional support, but they would get behind the team and support them, encourage them, and make lots of noise.
These days, it seems to be different. People seem to be sat on their hands, waiting to be entertained. "We'll chant and sing and clap along when you do something that's worth us doing so," which as paying customers is their right and choice. But it seems like there are a lot more of these paying customers, and less of the 'proper' ice hockey fans. Credit should be given to the off-ice team for managing to get people into the arena and spending money to watch a team that isn't as successful as it once was. But again, is it a negative in some ways?
The lack of atmosphere certainly cannot be a good thing. These days people tend to stay quiet until they find something to make noise about, either in a positive and celebratory sense, or a negative and condemning manner. That is the nature of the beast these days, in the instant gratification era, where you can find entertainment in your pocket if what you have in front of you is boring you. Part of that is due to the on-ice product, although you would need to score within the first 20 seconds to keep some people's attention at the Motorpoint (Candy Crush, during the game. Really?).
The club certainly doesn't help itself though. It kills chants at every break in play with loud music, which is usually just a chance to show some kids dancing. It welcomes in the opposition like they are old friends, both the fans and the players - they may well be, but don't acknowledge that until after the 60 minutes of checking and scrapping. We welcome in ex-players, and give their fans good seats next to where the opposition come out. They make too much fuss of opposition goals, with the music, and the announcement. I'll go back to Sunderland - when the opposition score, you can't hear the announcement because the guy on the microphone mumbles it in the quietest, lowest form you can imagine.They make constant announcements about selling 50/50 tickets, the merchandise available, joining the SSSC. It all appears to be stuff aimed at appeasing the customers, or the sponsors, but what about the fans?
The obvious alternative stems from my visit to the NIC on Sunday. While on the way to, and coming away from the arena, the fans were polite, jovial and willing to engage with me, once inside the arena it was a different story. The Steelers were booed, mocked, and derided by the fans. By the arena, and the PA? Ignored. Little mention of us at all, only when the scorekeeper read out the announcements. That is how it should be.
Last night on Twitter, when I had the idea to start this blog up, I came up with a list of ideas for how to try to improve the atmosphere at the Motorpoint. Most of it was aimed at making away fans feel uncomfortable, but then it started up with ideas for how to improve the whole shebang. See what you think.
- Give the away fans top tier blocks, at the penalty box side. That way they cannot bang any plexi or be right next to their team as they come out onto the ice, thus making them quieter.
- Enforce a blanket ban on all musical instruments, except those pre-agreed with Steelers management. Enforce a rule that musicians (drummers, vuvuzuelas, etc) have to sit together, in a separate block somewhere in the middle of the arena (behind the goal maybe), and be conducted by a group leader who sets the rhythm and the tempo. This would avoid the current problems where different chants and beats are going from the other side of the arena, and would have everyone working at the same time, as opposed to one set being faster than the other.
- When the away team come out, do not acknowledge them officially. Boo them onto the ice, let them come out in the darkness, but no way should anyone be applauding them or should the club be acknowledging they are there.
- When the Steelers come out, only the starting lineup should be announced, then let the rest of the team come out under the announcement of "now please welcome the rest of your Sheffield Steelers." By the time the 16th player has been announced, the crowd is outclapped (having clapped through The Pretender, and 15 players before them), so shortening this would keep the fan's stamina for when it is needed - just prior to faceoff and throughout the game.
- Don't welcome back any former players. Get the puck drop and the anthem out of the way, and get on with the game. We can do the welcoming after we've beaten them.
- Don't acknowledge that any away fans have turned up. "Are you here with the Nottingham Panthers?" No David, and neither are you, so why are you encouraging them? Make a massive fuss about the Steelers, and forget that they're there.
- Make minimal fuss about decisions against the Steelers. Away goals, Steelers penalties, say them like you're reporting the death of somebody on the news. If you have to throw in who sponsors the penalty box do so, but don't put any colour into your voice. Make it sound like you hate saying it.
- Stop focussing on the business aspect of the evening. We have a big fancy scoreboard with video walls. Use that for sponsorship details, or for flogging the 50/50 tickets. Anything audible in the Arena should be purely based on the game - except for the announcement of the draw numbers because I understand that.
- At full time, make sure all the opposition players leave the ice, and blocked from getting near to their fans, before doing the niceties - like the man of the match presentation, welcoming back former players and the like. Only the man of the match should be allowed to re-enter the ice, and they should be made to leave with minimal fuss.
So that's my twopennies worth. What do you think?
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Cheers for reading.
Liam
@IAmMcCausland
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