[News] Calgary, Alberta, & CSEC agree in principle to $1.223bn Event Centre + infrastructure

[Bandwagon Surfer]

To me the biggest factor in game experience is not the building, washrooms, transportation, team or anything like that.

It is the vendor contracts. When the vendors are single sourced and you can only get one brand of beer and one food concession, the experience sucks. The best arenas are the ones where they let all kinds local breweries and food vendors in. The variety of options and competition between them results in so much better food and drink.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Bandwagon Surfer

To me the biggest factor in game experience is not the building, washrooms, transportation, team or anything like that.

It is the vendor contracts. When the vendors are single sourced and you can only get one brand of beer and one food concession, the experience sucks. The best arenas are the ones where they let all kinds local breweries and food vendors in. The variety of options and competition between them results in so much better food and drink.

Not the biggest for me, but the food and beer is definitely part of the 'experience'. Choices, quality, cost, availability, convenience... all factor into the building experience.

[R2theJ]

Originally Posted by Bandwagon Surfer

To me the biggest factor in game experience is not the building, washrooms, transportation, team or anything like that.

It is the vendor contracts. When the vendors are single sourced and you can only get one brand of beer and one food concession, the experience sucks. The best arenas are the ones where they let all kinds local breweries and food vendors in. The variety of options and competition between them results in so much better food and drink.

Although I understand what you are saying and agree to a large extent, the Arena's get massive dough from large companies like Labatt or Molson to have exclusivity in the building. The only reason we saw Banded Peak (a "local small brewery") enter into the dome is that they were purchased by Labatt, who has the exclusive beer rights to the building and Stampede Grounds and they wanted to jump on the "local, craft craze". Trust me, as someone in the beverage industry they pay a huge sum (along with Spirits deals and wine deals, and food vendor deals) so as much as we would love to see local flavour, beers and food - its highly unlikely with large corporate deals in place for exclusivity.

[rohara66]

Originally Posted by Bandwagon Surfer

To me the biggest factor in game experience is not the building, washrooms, transportation, team or anything like that.

It is the vendor contracts. When the vendors are single sourced and you can only get one brand of beer and one food concession, the experience sucks. The best arenas are the ones where they let all kinds local breweries and food vendors in. The variety of options and competition between them results in so much better food and drink.

This is bang on.



The food choices at the Dome are abysmal.

[memphusk]

Originally Posted by Bandwagon Surfer

To me the biggest factor in game experience is not the building, washrooms, transportation, team or anything like that.

It is the vendor contracts. When the vendors are single sourced and you can only get one brand of beer and one food concession, the experience sucks. The best arenas are the ones where they let all kinds local breweries and food vendors in. The variety of options and competition between them results in so much better food and drink.

Absolutely. The lights shine much brighter when you have options with small business owners doing what they have a passion for.

[Muta]

If we're doing big box commercial retail in the new arena, give me Edo Japan - I want my ####ty sukiyaki beef chuck with double meat while I watch hockey, and I want it now.

[marsplasticeraser]

Originally Posted by R2theJ

Although I understand what you are saying and agree to a large extent, the Arena's get massive dough from large companies like Labatt or Molson to have exclusivity in the building. The only reason we saw Banded Peak (a "local small brewery") enter into the dome is that they were purchased by Labatt, who has the exclusive beer rights to the building and Stampede Grounds and they wanted to jump on the "local, craft craze". Trust me, as someone in the beverage industry they pay a huge sum (along with Spirits deals and wine deals, and food vendor deals) so as much as we would love to see local flavour, beers and food - its highly unlikely with large corporate deals in place for exclusivity.

I think this is a perfect example of how the Flames management provides terrible fan experience.

Many other great sports franchises have decided to make the experience at the stadium something for fans to look forward to. This means fans arrive early to eat, drink and buy stuff.

Why? Because it is a good experience. It's part of the fun of 'going to a game'

Flames management has taken an opposite approach, and has thought "We can make this super easy for ourselves and make a bit more money by sole-sourcing food and beverage to a few generic massive brands, so let's do that!"

They are so limited in their thinking they can't even consider that by selling terrible or mediocre product it means that eating and drinking at the Dome sucks, and ultimately fans spend a lot less.

New ownership would easily see all the revenue that is being left on the table.

Ultimately, delighting fans takes work, which is not something Flames management appears interested in. We have seen so much evidence that flames management is either unable to figure out how to do this, they are too lazy as it takes work, or they don't really care (often shown as being resistant to change).

The Dome could have had a great off-ice product with competent leadership, but that isn't something we have!

[Moneyhands23]

Originally Posted by Muta

If we're doing big box commercial retail in the new arena, give me Edo Japan - I want my ####ty sukiyaki beef chuck with double meat while I watch hockey, and I want it now.

I went to a game at sunrise about 5 years ago. They had amazing noodle bowls it was awesome!

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by Moneyhands23

I went to a game at sunrise about 5 years ago. They had amazing noodle bowls it was awesome!

If you can get into the club level seats, there is private access to some great food and drink places. The BBQ alone is worth getting those tickets.

I like the fun experiences leading up to the front doors. Ball hockey, bouncey castles, shooting practice set ups etc....family friendly stuff is a must for me.

I really liked the experience in Vegas as they have a little whiskey bar set up out front and other various experiences like the one mentioned above, including a DJ. Really gets you excited to see a game. The food inside the Vegas arena was good and somewhat varied, but far from the best I've had in an arena.

This is the kind of thing the Flames need to do to improve the fan experience. I know it's harder to do the outside stuff in winter, but it can be done in fall and spring to some degree. Or find a way to fit it inside somewhere, just don't stick a big truck on the concourse.

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

Not the biggest for me, but the food and beer is definitely part of the 'experience'. Choices, quality, cost, availability, convenience... all factor into the building experience.

I agree exactly with this. Absolutely not the biggest deal for me, but some respectable food and drink choices that are not sole sourced with a single concessions provider is nice.

I'm not a big in-game in eater so having those choices right outside the arena for a pre game works for me. It's just with Calgary in winter you have to be kind of thoughtful with how the area is laid out. And be realistic with how the area will be visited on non game days.

People rave about the LA arena area, but having stayed at a nearby hotel I can attest that on many non game days, it's deserted. And many of the establishments aren't open regular hours.

The area around the Vegas arena is perfect but that's the Vegas strip. Even if the arena wasn't there, you'd get all the outdoor foot traffic.

[Yeah_Baby]

Didn't realized Labatt had bought Banded Peak. That makes sense.

[Torture]

Originally Posted by Bandwagon Surfer

To me the biggest factor in game experience is not the building, washrooms, transportation, team or anything like that.

It is the vendor contracts. When the vendors are single sourced and you can only get one brand of beer and one food concession, the experience sucks. The best arenas are the ones where they let all kinds local breweries and food vendors in. The variety of options and competition between them results in so much better food and drink.

Totally agree.
But then Murray Edwards wouldn't make quite as much money off exclusive contracts.

[Cappy]

Originally Posted by Torture

Totally agree.
But then Murray Edwards wouldn't make quite as much money off exclusive contracts.

How else is he going to pay* for the arena?







*he's not

[CliffFletcher]

It’s interesting how food and drink have become a much more important (and profitable) element of arenas. Back when the Dome first opened (never mind the Corral), most people didn’t eat at all at a game. If they did they had some 75 cent popcorn, or maybe a crappy hot dog.

So what changed in the last 40 years? A more affluent class of fan attending games? People more accustomed to eating meals later in the evening? Greater value (and discretionary spending) placed on food and drink than in the past?

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

It’s interesting how food and drink have become a much more important (and profitable) element of arenas. Back when the Dome first opened (never mind the Corral), most people didn’t eat at all at a game. If they did they had some 75 cent popcorn, or maybe a crappy hot dog.

So what changed in the last 40 years? A more affluent class of fan attending games? People more accustomed to eating meals later in the evening? Greater value (and discretionary spending) placed on food and drink than in the past?

Better choices were probably part of it. If 75 cent popcorn and crappy hotdogs were the most delectable items available, I can see why selling food wasn't a thing at games.

Personally, I rarely ever go to live games. Haven't been to one in 4 years, and even then, I was given tickets. For a lot of fans, it became too expensive a long time ago. The better facilities and amenities aren't directed toward the average fan because I think most average fans rarely attend live games, they watch on TV or streaming services. It's directed toward corporate sponsors and wealthy fans who will spend the money. If I go to maybe one or two games a season, do I care about more comfortable seats, a wider concourse, more bathrooms, better parking, a better district, and more vendors... not really. If I was going to go to 41 games a season and money wasn't a big concern, then those things might make the difference in going or not.

[Hack&Lube]

Professional sports has change a lot from the decades of cheap ballpark wieners, popcorn, peanuts, and soft drinks.

People want a Vegas (place, not the team) like experience when they go to a major sporting venue. It should be a great experience with lots of choices.

[taxbuster]

When I was a STH before moving to BC, we often arrived early for a game to eat as it was easier than first going home, eating and trying to speed a trip to the Dome. The food choices were terrible: wings/fries in the restaurant seemed the best "value", pizza or (while it was there) noodles. Our seats were in 215 so we hit the restaurant up top for beer and could get bottled beer there, not the heroin beer in the rest of the place.

But it was expensive and crappy...so often we went to places close to the Dome instead. Short-sighted marketing.

[jayswin]

CP is fairly affluent overall, too, and many here with their social circle may not even realize how large a percentage of the population simply doesn't do this kind of thing anymore.

In your circles it may feel like almost everyone goes to sporting events/concerts frequently or at least here and there and that things like getting an arena paid for by the public for better in arena experience with better $12 beer concessions matters. For most people in this city they'll rarely if ever step foot inside.

A night out for a family of four at the Dome including a couple drinks and food for the family is like $250-$350 and the experience isn't all that amazing. Here that may seem like a nice night out at a reasonable price, but for the majority of the city it's a non starter. And the new arena is going to significantly increase these prices.

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by Torture

Please elaborate on the level of innovation in fan experience.

Cause last I checked, most of the fan experience is sitting in a seat, watching a sport, beer in hand, with a big jumbotron in the centre. I don't see a lot of other innovation going on...?

At Climate Pledge, season ticket holders scan their palm when walking into the food service vendor area, take a burger and fries off the shelf and walk out. It detects what they took and charges their account accordingly. No lines.

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by Muta

If we're doing big box commercial retail in the new arena, give me Edo Japan - I want my ####ty sukiyaki beef chuck with double meat while I watch hockey, and I want it now.

It's called Sumo Size it..