The Vancouver Canucks didn’t have much to cheer about this season but the team celebrated its supporters with a Fan Appreciation Night in their final home game Saturday against the Oilers.
As part of the festivities, the first 13,000 fans who were of legal drinking age received special Budweiser goal-synced glasses.
They lit up in unison during the national anthem.
They also lit up whenever the Canucks scored.
It got us thinking about other memorable in-game sports promotions in recent years.
Rats litter the ice in Florida
Fans throwing plastic rats on the ice at Florida Panthers games began during the team’s improbable Stanley Cup Final run in 1996. What do rats have to do with Panthers, you ask? Legend has it that then-Panthers captain Scott Mellanby killed a rat in the dressing room prior to the 1995-96 home opener and went on to score two goals that game with the same stick.
Fake rats were frequently tossed on the ice throughout the 1996 playoffs and in 2016 the franchise brought back the rats. The Panthers were penalized during a game against the Devils after fans delayed the game with multiple rat-tossings.
Cubs give fans old-school toys
The Chicago Cubs weren’t a good team a few years ago, so anything to appease the fan base was welcome. So, in 2014, the Cubs held a classic toys giveaway. Some of the Cubs-branded items included a Rubik’s Cube, Mr. Potato Head keychain (RIP Don Rickels!) and Etch-A-Sketch.
This promotion took place in 2014 following a six-year post-season absence. The Cubs went to the NLCS in 2015 and won the World Series in 2016. Coincidence, or was the toy giveaway the key to their turnaround?
Chia Pets are better than bobbleheads
Earlier this season the San Jose Sharks took in-game giveaways to another level. Bobbleheads? Pfft. How about a Joe Thornton Chia Pet?
Replica trophies/rings are popular
If your team won a championship, you’d want something to commemorate the accomplishment, right? Especially if it was free and miniature! This type of giveaway is common and in 2016 there were a couple cool ones in the MLB. Fifteen thousand New York Mets fans received replica championship rings from the 1986 World Series and the Kansas City Royals gave away replica trophies.
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