Wings Show Lack Of Touch With Poker Tournament

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Its pretty ridiculous how unaware the Wings are of their fan’s financial positions. Especially when Michigan has been going downhill pretty rapidly for several years now, long before the rest of the nation fell off a cliff along with it. It’s especially odd when you consider how well Illitch has run each of his operations (Wings, Tigers, and Caesar’s). How can you be this blind to your fanbase, especially in a sport where your main revenue is the night’s gate, not revenue sharing from TV contracts or whatever like the NFL. Absolutely ridiculous.

I would argue that it is a donation. It may not be tax deductible (I don’t know), but the proceeds go towards the Detroit Red Wings Foundation. Not the Red Wings, but their foundation. The DRWF helps pay for the care of Vladdy and Mnatsakanov as well as grants funds to help inner city hockey programs, the Salvation Army, and other youth hockey programs across the state. So the money from events like Poker Night and Toast of Hockeytown are going to great charitable causes.

Obviously not everyone can afford the $200 or $250 cost (depending on the event), especially in the struggling economy. However, there are plenty of people who are willing to do so. Toast of Hockeytown sold out and raised over $145,000 for the Foundation. Poker Night is almost sold out and those proceeds will also all go towards the Foundation. Plus, everyone in attendance at the Poker Night will get a complimentary hotel room that night, meet the team, play poker against at least one player and the top 10 finishes will receive prizes valued at $250 or higher. That seems pretty reasonable for the cost and it goes to charity.

If the Wings were pocketing these donations or entry fees, I could understand the frustrations over the prices but the proceeds are all going towards charity. If people can and are willing to pay for it, why wouldn’t the Wings take advantage of that and do what they can to raise the most money for charity?

Not sure I agree with the comment about the poker tourney, as that is a combo fund raiser/fan access thing. That’s something akin to a politician fund raiser at $500 bucks a plate of rubber chicken, where you might be a supporter, but unless you’re a rich one, you’re not getting access. I don’t have a beef with that, especially due to it’s charity nature.

The Stanley Cup thing is different…Holy Grail or not, it’s still just a trophy, and Detroit fans certainly would know how to treat it. I’ve got friends who were at the Michigan event, and they have a great pic of themselves with the cup. For some overzealous, ego inflated ‘security’ person to be riding herd on people for slowing down to admire the game’s greatest icon is just insult on top of being treated like you’re not worthy of getting to see the Cup up close.

First my apolgoies for the delay on this: real life caught the best of me.

OJTrucker: I’m not saying no security around the Cup. I can tell you from past experience that the Cup Handlers do not let you pick up the Cup at all: when I first had my picture taken with it (in, of all places, Oklahoma City in 2000: a story in and of itself), I wanted to have the ‘97 and ’98 team listings in view, and when I tried to turn it, there was a severe freakout moment from the NHL staff. There’s a difference between protecting it and (literally) putting it on a pedestal.

WakeUp: You’re kinda all over the place there, but let me clarify (and support Christy’s comment): no one is insinuating or attempting to link this to any sort of hockey-operation decision-making, so don’t go there. The DRWF is 100% separate from the Red Wings front office. You don’t get 501© status just by filling out some paperwork at the IRS offices.

Ahtrap: I understand the idea of money=access, but a sports franchise is a lot different insofar as one can be a fan without spending a dime, and what builds and supports that fan base is the opportunity to be close to the team without spending a penny. These are the moments that plant seeds that germinate to a love of a team. If you don’t do the smaller, less money-making things, when those people have money and disposable income, it becomes less and less likely they’ll participate at the bigger, more money-making things.

Christy: I chafe when I get my annual “Premium Seat Donation” form from U-M for my Hockey Club Seats, but at least I get to take 80% as a deduction, so I’ll spot them that. That’s my rule of thumb: can I deduct it at tax time? If I can, it’s a donation. If I can’t, it’s not.

To all: I’m a believer in charging what the market will bear, and if they’re selling this out (as Christy notes), then they clearly have not overpriced the market for this event (and I’d even listen to the argument that it’s underpriced). The point above, however, is if the only way for fans to have any sort of interaction with the team is to attend a high-priced event, then you’re sacrificing the long-term growth of the fanbase. The Pistons learned that in the early 90s. The Lions are learning it now. It’s my growing fear of the Red Wings going forward, and that’s the point I was trying to make here.