We often hear of the fan base of a sports franchise being referred to, in varying ways, as a figurative “other member of the team”. A “teammate” who, while not on the field of play, collectively support the efforts of those who are and motivate them towards their shared goal of team success. Well, in the past week, one ECHL team in California has literally invited their fans to make their mark on the ice, albeit in an unconventional, yet unique and eye-popping, manner!
Following their victory over the San Francisco Bulls this past Sunday, the ECHL’s Stockton Thunder (affiliate of the NHL’s New York Islanders and AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers) invited their fans down to ice level and, with brushes and paint cans aplenty, offered up the playing surface as a canvas for their artistic talents! Over 800 parents and their children took up the team on their invitation and summarily turned any bare patch of ice into a multi-coloured display of names, drawings, and outpouring of support for the team. While one thinks they can comprehend what the end result was, this video and the photos suggest our imaginations could do it no justice! (Video courtesy of Stockton Thunder, Pictures by Asvitt Photography and Stockton Thunder)
I guess it’s a good thing the ice was being taken out and a new surface being put down prior to the next game…
…is what you would think if the team were to have actually done that! But no, it’s quite the opposite! Rather, once the paint dried, the surface was flooded, encasing the mass art project into the ice for the next home game, to take place this Friday (January 3rd)! Now I have a pretty good idea of what people are asking themselves, and I’ll leave this video of the teams’ first practice on their newly decorated rink to address it:
What is there to say except that it’s a wildly unique way to involve the fans in the game! I’m hoping the team will follow-up with some video of the action as I’m quite curious to see how the added visuals will impact the gameplay! That being said, this was certainly an ambitious project for the team to take on, and a very personalized way for the fans to be involved with their team, so I can only offer up my kudos. Good luck to the folks in Stockton for the game, and I hope the experience is well received by the fans and players alike!
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Shawn Gates
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Previous “Display Case” Articles
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#7: “Hungary” For Team Canada Swag
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#9: Fan Appreciation & Player Humility Via The '72 Series
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#12: Scotty Bowman – Stick Detective!!!
#13: Touch 'Em All Joe!!!
#14: Joey and Sergei's European (Lockout) Adventure!!!
#15: I’d Give The Jersey Off My Back For You…
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