Comments on: An Open Letter to the Colorado Avalanche http://www.hockeygoddesses.com/2009/07/18/an-open-letter-to-the-colorado-avalanche/ Now accepting your offerings and sacrifies Thu, 04 Mar 2010 21:34:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: sasha http://www.hockeygoddesses.com/2009/07/18/an-open-letter-to-the-colorado-avalanche/comment-page-1/#comment-1630 sasha Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:44:15 +0000 http://www.hockeygoddesses.com/2009/07/18/an-open-letter-to-the-colorado-avalanche/#comment-1630 Thanks for your comments, David. Yep, this sounds true to form and it's very unfortunate that the organization continues to behave this way. I have actually sent yet another letter to them, and got some mild interest, but have yet to see any major changes. If you feel so inclined, there is a new VP of Marketing this year named Kurt Schwartzkopf and he claims he's interested in hearing about all these issues. Because of my griping they now have an actual form you can fill out for complaints at: http://www.pepsicenter.com/Contact/Default.aspx I realize this may be too much effort and you've probably soured on the team beyond repair, but I thought I'd throw it out there. It sounds like Buffalo really is doing a great job. It would be a dream to have a team in my city that would consider their fans as much as they do there. You are fortunate. Thanks again for the input. - Sasha Thanks for your comments, David. Yep, this sounds true to form and it’s very unfortunate that the organization continues to behave this way. I have actually sent yet another letter to them, and got some mild interest, but have yet to see any major changes.

If you feel so inclined, there is a new VP of Marketing this year named Kurt Schwartzkopf and he claims he’s interested in hearing about all these issues. Because of my griping they now have an actual form you can fill out for complaints at: http://www.pepsicenter.com/Contact/Default.aspx

I realize this may be too much effort and you’ve probably soured on the team beyond repair, but I thought I’d throw it out there.

It sounds like Buffalo really is doing a great job. It would be a dream to have a team in my city that would consider their fans as much as they do there. You are fortunate.

Thanks again for the input.

- Sasha

]]> By: David B http://www.hockeygoddesses.com/2009/07/18/an-open-letter-to-the-colorado-avalanche/comment-page-1/#comment-1629 David B Tue, 09 Feb 2010 02:38:48 +0000 http://www.hockeygoddesses.com/2009/07/18/an-open-letter-to-the-colorado-avalanche/#comment-1629 Here's one other example for you. My kids like to send their extra hockey cards to teams for players to autograph. The one team that I stopped allowing them to write to is Colorado. They write to the player care of the Avs, and receive their cards back unsigned with a single fake-autographed 5x7 card, along with a pocket schedule and/or invitation to join the kids club for the Avalanche. (how do I divide that up between the kids??) Basically, the players are insulated fully from their fan mail. If a player doesn't want to sign a couple of cards for my kids, that's fine - his choice and I have no problem with that. But when the team is interecepting the mail and making the decision for the player - forget that. This is not a way to encourage my kids to learn about the players in the league, or get excited about the sport, a city, or a team. We live in Buffalo. For every pre-season and regular season game, there is an open practice in the morning. This works out great. You can go right in there, for free, sit in the expensive center section, and watch Tyler Myers, Ryan Miller, etc., go through practice for free. It is a good substitute for a family that really can't afford to go to games during the year - in spite of the fact that we probably have the most reasonably priced tickets in the league. In general, the team is pretty accessible to the community - not to a ridiculous level, but appropriate. Result - the city of Buffalo is very attached to its hockey team, probably moreso than it is to the Bills. Here’s one other example for you. My kids like to send their extra hockey cards to teams for players to autograph. The one team that I stopped allowing them to write to is Colorado. They write to the player care of the Avs, and receive their cards back unsigned with a single fake-autographed 5×7 card, along with a pocket schedule and/or invitation to join the kids club for the Avalanche. (how do I divide that up between the kids??) Basically, the players are insulated fully from their fan mail.

If a player doesn’t want to sign a couple of cards for my kids, that’s fine – his choice and I have no problem with that. But when the team is interecepting the mail and making the decision for the player – forget that. This is not a way to encourage my kids to learn about the players in the league, or get excited about the sport, a city, or a team.

We live in Buffalo. For every pre-season and regular season game, there is an open practice in the morning. This works out great. You can go right in there, for free, sit in the expensive center section, and watch Tyler Myers, Ryan Miller, etc., go through practice for free. It is a good substitute for a family that really can’t afford to go to games during the year – in spite of the fact that we probably have the most reasonably priced tickets in the league. In general, the team is pretty accessible to the community – not to a ridiculous level, but appropriate. Result – the city of Buffalo is very attached to its hockey team, probably moreso than it is to the Bills.

]]>