Feature Story
Giving thanks with hockey
By
Jon Garver
A big meal, a
post-meal nap and football. All of these are
fixtures of the Thanksgiving holiday in America. But some USHL teams are looking to get in on the action and
provide fans with some hockey on the final Thursday in November as well.
“The Thanksgiving game is one of the
biggest of the year for the Black Hawks. Any time you play your arch-rival (Cedar Rapids) in your building it is huge,” said Doug Miller, general
manager of business operations for the Black Hawks. “But this game seems to
take on an even bigger meaning.”
The Thanksgiving Day game is a staple in
Waterloo, dating back to the team’s arrival when the USHL was a professional
league in the 1960’s, traditionally pitting them against their closest rival,
allowing players to spend the holidays with their families, and later, their
billets.
“The game has grown into a tradition for
the families of the Cedar Valley,” Miller said. “Our pre-sell ticket orders are generally
four or five tickets per purchase. But for the Thanksgiving game, that number
jumps dramatically as people order 10-25 ticket blocks and bring their entire
extended family to the game.
With the success in Waterloo, other teams in the USHL have taken notice. This year, three
teams – Sioux City and Des Moines in addition to Waterloo, hosted a game on turkey day.
“Three years ago we tried having a game
on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and we were pretty disappointed with the
turnout,” said Sioux City President Jim Kronschnabel.
“I have followed Waterloo’s success and decided to give it a try on Thanksgiving Day
last year. I did a lot of asking around and many thought it was a good idea.
Most people in this part of the country eat their holiday meals in the early
afternoon. By evening, everyone is looking for something to do. Movie theaters
are packed on Thanksgiving night so people are definitely going out.
“Last year we had a slightly bigger
crowd. We decided to give it another shot and see how it goes. I have mixed
feelings about playing on Thanksgiving because our players and staff don’t get
to enjoy the day.”
The Des Moines Buccaneers took their
Thanksgiving shot based on the success they’ve seen in Waterloo as well.
“We felt it was a little risky, but we
also felt that it was something we could do considering our fan base. Waterloo has always had great success with the Thanksgiving game and
we feel our fan base is similar,” said Brad Chiafos,
vice president of sales and marketing for the Buccaneers. “We looked at
Thanksgiving night as a party night where people are ready to get out of the
house after spending a day with family. It’s good, clean, affordable
entertainment; an alternative to a movie, which has always been a very popular
Thanksgiving night tradition for many. Throw in a date with rival Omaha and a good
promotion, and it’s a formula for packed house in Des Moines.”
Regardless of what happens in Sioux City, Des Moines or any other USHL market, the Waterloo Thanksgiving Day game
isn’t going anywhere, and that’s just the way they want it.
“This is a big game every year, and the
fans love it. Thanksgiving in the Cedar Valley always has and always will mean Black Hawks’ hockey.”
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