The annual All-Star Classic of the American Hockey League (AHL) was recently held in Springfield where all seats were sold out.
This is an unusual occurrence given that three years ago, the team in Springfield (the Falcons) was at the bottom of the league and was ready to move to Arizona. However, a new team, the Thunderbirds, came to Springfield and has had an average of 4,500 fans attending each game over the last three years.
The president of the Thunderbirds, Nathan Costa, said the idea is to do more than just play a game, extending to creating an experience for the fans, which helps to increase sales. Various kinds of Corporate Gifts can also be handed out at such events to bolster the enthusiasm of the crowds.
The evening started with introductions and the singing of the Canadian and national anthems. The game itself was different in that teams from each of the four divisions of the AHL competed in a mini-tournament. One goaltender and three skaters from each team participated. As there were fewer players than in a game in the regular season, there was less contact, but those on the ice were able to show their skills to the fans.
The game and the all-star title were won by the North Division over the Atlantic Division, which included the Thunderbirds, in a score of 2 to 1.
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