Last night, the Sharks had their first pre-season "home" game that was actually at the HP Pavilion (née Compaq Center, née San Jose Arena). The hockey was definitely pre-season--there were more than a few "I thought you were over there" moments during play. It looks like Scott Parker will keep the goons from being stupid around the Sharks, and that's good--I expect to see fewer "
I also check out the amenities and services at the arena. As I point out to the engineering project managers, you haven't dealt with a hard deadline until you've dealt with opening night. These pre-season games are just the beta releases, so to speak. Pre-season games allow you to get some of the kinks out of the system, but that product had better be bug-free and fully functional on opening night.
So, what did I notice?
New signage: okay, since I can see the arena from the big red A, this isn't a big surprise. It shows they're spending money on external looks though.
Happy, friendly ushers: Yes, I admit it, I will cherry-pick door ushers if I get a chance. If I'm able to build a relationship, there a re fewer questions about the camera, why I'm bringing in an iPod, and the occasional hand-held scanner. All are allowed, but why invite the hassle? Besides, my purse is usually packed in such a way as to make an x-ray crystalographer weep with envy, and it can be a bear to re-pack on the fly.
But smiling, friendly, helpful ushers help to set the scene. If your customer's first impression of the arena are ushers who act like they were let go from their previous position as a correctional officer because they were too nasty--well, that impression is going to carry throughout the evening--and beyond.
Sidenote: Why are there still too many people in the arena management business who act like their idea of a perfect audience is one that paid for the tickets and then stay at home? And why do I keep finding them still employed? This attitude makes professional sports franchises really, really, upset--the event is only one aspect of the customer experience, and if the customers don't come back because the rest of the experience is awful, the franchise loses. And for some reason, some arena management groups just don't care. Moral? If you're a sports franchise, you get a contract as soon as you can that puts the onus on the arena mgmt company to produce. And if the management insists on being idiots, they get canned or stuck in the corner, where they can't get in the way. Better to eat a couple of salaries than to permanently lose customers.
Okay, next thing--facilities: I sit in the club section, so the washrooms are both below ground, and below the water line. This makes plumbing difficult. Trying to have the toilets flush properly can have, ahem, interesting results. The water went down the toilet, which is, as one might say, the expected result. The rest of the washroom had been worked on over the summer, and was in good working order.
Seating: Is the area clean? Yes. Seats clean? Yes. Glass clean? woo-hoo! Its clean! This is another sore point for me--the glass is so easy to keep clean, so if it's allowed to get smeared and streaky, it shows that someone can't be bothered. If you're paying $85-120 a seat, you ought to be able to see through the glass.
The boards were clean as well. I once documented the state of both the remnants of a chocolate sundae thrown at the boards, and a pack of ketchup packets squirted on the boards, over the course of five games. That was a little over two weeks. Yes, that's disgusting-you ought to sit in that area, and see what's it's like in real life. Yes, the seating area can be a problem to keep clean, and I can handle eau d'not tobacco after concert nights. But I don't want sticky floors or seats.
Food and Drink: If you're offended by someone consuming alcohol at a sporting even, read no further. Okay, one of the big complaints last year is that the waitrons were no longer allowed to serve hard liquor. Club seat owners had to head to the bar and bring their own drinks back. Here's news-- the CC and ginger drinkers aren't likely to be the ones to get too rowdy. This year, the liquor is back, and they're naming the liquors (note: check and see if they are all from the same importer). That's civilized.
The Anchor Steam is gone, replaced by Guiness. No problem with that.
The food selections have expanded as well. The menu noted the new selections (give whoever thought that up a cookie!), and among those are the return of the hot dog and hamburger (yes, they were not on the menu last season), as well as adding a turkey wrap and California sushi rolls. I don't eat at my seat that often, but when I do, I like a choice. This also indicates an acknowledgement that there are people in the club section who attend a lot of games--it's not all the "schedule C, take the customer out for a game" crowd.
Other notes--the Tank Patrol is now wearing coveralls, and they're sponsored Give whoever thought that up a cookie as well. Either Sharkie's lower jaw has already been snapped --an occupational hazard when you're repeatedly covered by small children--or that's this year's look. And given how wacky the weather has been down here--either 100 with 15% humidity, or 65 with heavy marine layer--the ice was in pretty good condition.
Overall, it looks like the Shark Tank will be in a fine state for opening night.
I was really, really, really hoping that was an older version of Sharkie's costume, that his new one was at the cleaner's or something because the one on Saturday night was too funky looking.
I think the Tank Patrol is sponsored by Dickie's this year and the jump suits make them look like they're out on parole or just got off work at the mechanics. Wonder how the people wearing them feel about them.
Posted by: Stephanie at September 30, 2003 09:52 PM