Ice Flyers Set To Close Out Record-Setting Home Schedule In Grand Style
By Bill Vilona
Ice Flyers Correspondent
The Ice Flyers are ending their regular-season home schedule this weekend in a big way.
We’re talking everything from tonight’s inflatable-costume dinosaur races on ice to Saturday’s Military Appreciation Night with the American Magic team members, Blue Angels crew members, McGuire’s Bagpipe Band, and American Magic specialty jerseys, then finishing Sunday with a Friends and Family Night with a post-game autograph session with the entire Ice Flyers team.
Each game will include a partnership with Rally Foundation Gulf Coast in which the Ice Flyers will wear Rally Foundation jerseys in pregame warmups and those will be auctioned to benefit the non-profit charity that helps so many kids and families with childhood cancer. Fans can bid on those jerseys now at icefly.co/dash.
It’s all part of three consecutive games Friday through Sunday against the Evansville Thunderbolts at the Pensacola Bay Center that will further shape the Ice Flyers playoff scenario.
“Every game we host, we want to make it a big game,” said Ice Flyers owner Greg Harris. “And to finish off our home regular season schedule with three straight home games, we like that challenge. We want to make it big.
“We want to make it more and more interesting and entertaining for our fans to come to games. So, we picked three different theme nights to attract three different demographics. Our presold ticket numbers are showing we are going to have a big weekend again.”
The Ice Flyers have already set a new season attendance record (116,250) in franchise history, which occurred at their previous home game on March 12. They are averaging 4,650 fans in 25 home games, which is second-best in the Southern Professional Hockey League.
The fan support has included nine games, so far, of 5,000-plus in attendance. The Ice Flyers expect that kind of crowd on Saturday, which would give them over one-third of their home games with that kind of mass crowd.
“This has been a very special season and one we will remember, however, we feel like we can still do more,” Harris said. “That has been my message to my staff. We never want to be satisfied.
“We have also learned a lot through new theme nights and different strategies, and our fans have truly backed us and love what we are doing. We’re very appreciative of that.”
One of those new theme nights occurs Friday with the Dino Race Night. There will be on-ice races with fans inside inflatable dinosaur costumes, along with a dino race for kids who have registered. Fans who purchase a T-Rex designed costume can then race on the ice.
“I think it will be hilarious,” Harris said. “Seeing those costumes is funny as it is, but then seeing them race across the ice will really add to the fun and entertainment for our fans.
“When they were filming downtown for a marketing video, people were stopping us left and right asking for pictures, after seeing the costumes. Our staff interns are in charge of the entire game script, marketing and the race logistics for Friday. It was their big project for the season that we had them do. They are doing a great job and having an absolute blast doing it.”
Saturday’s Military Appreciation will be the biggest night of the weekend. It will be a night to honor the men and women who are serving and have served the country, a Rally Foundation Gulf Coast recognition, crew members from the Blue Angels Flight Team and team members from American Magic, Challenger of the 37th America’s Cup, will both be in attendance, the McGuire’s Pipe Band playing during the second intermission.
The team will be wearing American Magic custom jerseys that will be available in an online auction with proceeds benefitting Wounded Warrior Project. American Magic sailing team has been back for another winter in Pensacola, and the team is looking to make the Port of Pensacola and Pensacola Bay a permanent winter training location.
“As a team, we are so lucky to have moved back to Pensacola for our training in the effort to win America’s Cup 37,” stated Terry Hutchinson, President of Sailing Operations and Skipper of American Magic. “The support we have received from every member inside the community is truly overwhelming and reminds us every day how lucky we are to live in Pensacola.” I know I speak for the entire team when I say we are looking forward to returning home to Pensacola with the America’s Cup in hand.”
On Sunday, Friends and Family Night, marks the final regular season home game and will be an afternoon matinee beginning at 4 p.m. It will conclude with five Ice Flyers having their Rally Foundation warm up jerseys up for bid in a live post-game auction, followed by the entire Ice Flyers team signing autographs for fans after the game on the arena concourse.
WANT TO GO?
WHAT: Ice Flyers Final Regular Season Home Weekend
WHO: Evansville Thunderbolts vs. Ice Flyers
WHEN: Friday-Saturday, both games at 7 p.m. and Sunday’s game at 4 p.m.
WHERE: Pensacola Bay Center
TICKETS: Seats available for all three games online at www.iceflyers.com/tickets. And the Bay Center box office.
RADIO: Fox Sports Pensacola (101.1 FM and 1450 AM).
TV: YurView (available to Cox Communications subscribers)
