The 2011-2012 New Jersey Devils Promotional Schedule

by Matthew Ventolo on Nov 2, 2011 3:57 PM EDT in Devils Business

I don't know exactly when, and I can't find a news story on it, but the New Jersey Devils Promotional Schedule is up. It really doesn't matter when - just the fact that for the second year in a row, it has come up late compared to previous seasons. Last season's was released right around the start of the season. This year's wasn't up until the season actually started. In fact, the Devils have had promotions for the majority of home game this season already. I have to say I'm not too happy about this. Why can't the schedule come up before the season starts? Wouldn't fans want to know exactly when to go to certain games to receive these items, donate items, and see certain events? Items that the Devils have been giving out for a long long time.

After the jump is the schedule, the link, and some more thoughts on what they are doing this year.

Here is the schedule directly from the Devils website:

2011-12 New Jersey Devils Promotional And Theme Night Schedule
Sat.	November 5, 2011	Team Calendar Giveaway Sponsored by Bergen Record
Tues.	November 8, 2011	Food Drive
Sat.	November 26, 2011	Coat Drive
Fri.	December 16, 2011	Niedermayer's Jersey Retirement
Fri.	Friday, January 6, 2012	Ski Cap Giveaway Sponsored by St. Joseph's
Fri.	February 24, 2012	Doc Emrick Night
Sat.	March 17, 2012	Hat Giveaway Sponsored by Pfister Energy
Sat.	April 7, 2012	Fan Appreciation Day Poster Giveaway Sponsored by Prudential Center

More will be added as the season goes along. The promotions the Devils have had already include t-shirts (the White Out), rally towels, Hockey Fights Cancer - signed pucks for donations, and magnet calenders. If you didn't know about it - it's probably becuase the schedule wasn't even out yet or they failed to promote or market the promotion.

The one big one this year is Scott Niedermayer's retirement ceremony. #27 will be added next to #3 and #4 that night. I'd be surprised if tickets are still available. Other than that, nothing really stands out if you ask me. Though traditional, the Devils are going basic this season. I would expect a Toys for Tots to be added around the Holidays. The ice scraper giveaway last season was coincidentally during a snow storm - but it's still a great idea for a promotion. Last season had trading cards, Devils Army pucks, a Zach Parise poster. If the Devils want kids and fans to go to games - get these going again and add them immediately. Then market the hell out of them.

Last season was remarkable - though added through the season as well- the Devils managed to have 21 promotional nights (giveaways, donations, special guests, supporters section), and I'm not including $1 Hot Dog Nights, College Nights, and Guys Night Out. I thought they did a great job trying to get fans to go to games where the product on the ice was frankly horrible. This year the product is better (at the 9 game mark) - yet the Devils still need to find better ways to get people to the Rock. Promotions attract on average around 500 more people on weekdays and only about 100 on weekends. I'm even more surprised to see only one promotion on a weekday.

This year, I'm not convinced they are trying as hard, but there are some reasons why this may be: If the team is on a budget, the organization is most likely on one too (a tighter one at least - all companies have budgets). The economy isn't great right now either, thus companies aren't willing to give up the dough to get their logo on a puck, or a shirt, or a calendar at a hockey game.

So I guess to finish my mini-rant - I would like to have these out earlier than the past two seasons. Maybe the end of September? I don't think that's too much to ask since they have done it before. I'm not around 24/7 on social media but use they should use the Devils twitter and facebook feeds to market the upcoming promotions. Mention any ticket deals associated with these certain games to get fans to the arena. Maybe have a promotional ticket package?

So I ask you In Lou WeTrusters/Devils Army - what type of promotions do you want to see this season? What caught your eye last season at a game you were at or heard about that you would like to see back? What do you think about this year's tentative schedule? Let us know in the comments. Thanks for reading.

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Because I was paranoid about missing out on the Magnetic Calendar (an archive of which adorn my fridge) I had been checking the Devils website for the calendar pretty frequently. It was posted at devils.nhl.com before the last home game, but no announcement was made at the time, which I did not realize.

Come Say Hello! Section 231 - Row 2 - Seat 20

by Alamoth on Nov 2, 2011 5:05 PM EDT reply actions

So I ask you In Lou WeTrusters/Devils Army – what type of promotions do you want to see this season?

The Devils need to give out more Devils T Shirts at games. I go to a ton of games and the first time I’ve ever received a T shirt was opening night this year and the only thing they had left was a 2XL. This is a team trying to attract fans and trying to draw awareness to themselves as the only remaining professional sports team in New Jersey. Magnets and calendars are nice I guess, but they don’t do anything to “advertise” the team unless thousands of people look at your refrigerator door or office desk every day. Spread awareness by giving out Devils T Shirts as frequently as possible. If you give out a shirt on a night where even just 2,000 of our fans are students from middle school to college level, I think you can assume that they’ll all at least wear the shirt a few times a year to school. Maybe some of the “popular” kids from middle school are at the Devils game and they get the free T Shirt. They’ll wear it to school a few times and everyone else will see that the cool kid likes the Devils! Maybe some recipients of the T Shirt aren’t even that big of Devils fans. Maybe they’ll only wear it once ever, but the great thing about T Shirts is it brings attention to the team regardless of whether it’s the biggest Devils fan wearing it or simply the guy who needs to do laundry and has no other options.

Twitter -- In Lou We Trust

by NJallDay on Nov 2, 2011 5:41 PM EDT reply actions

Devils car magnets

That would be a good giveaway, like the Block R’s you see on cars all over NJ.

They should also cut a deal with some local restaurants/bars and give out a $5 offf coupon for every $15 you spend, or something like that, good on gamedays.
Get people to Downtown Newark earlier on gamedays and give them reason to hang around afterwards, it will make the entire game day experience better while also helping the bar owners that have invested a lot into the area for us fans.

The Devils have won more titles than all Philly pro sports teams combined in the last 25 years

by Real Big Devils Fan on Nov 2, 2011 10:35 PM EDT reply actions

Nice idea with the magnets. I’m all for anything that increases exposure and reminds people that the Devils do play in NJ and that they do have fans. Magnets and calendars don’t do this any justice.

Twitter -- In Lou We Trust

by NJallDay on Nov 2, 2011 10:41 PM EDT up reply actions