Tampa Bay Lightning’s Game Presentation Crew Treats Fans Like “Extended Family”

John Franzone (left) and Stephen Frey settle for a 2025 Stanley award for the very best recreation presentation within the Nationwide Hockey League.

Courtesy John Franzone

Entertain. Have interaction. Encourage. These are the pillars by which the Tampa Bay Lightning’s recreation presentation crew conducts its enterprise in producing a top-shelf product skilled by practically 20,000 of the crew’s followers even earlier than they enter Benchmark Worldwide Enviornment. It’s why the crew was acknowledged this summer time by the Nationwide Hockey League in profitable a 2025 Stanley Award for placing on the very best present after being a finalist two of the earlier three years.

“Destiny smiled on us this 12 months and we have been fortunate sufficient to win the trophy,” stated John Franzone, the Lightning’s senior vice chairman of recreation presentation.

Possibly there was some luck concerned. Maybe, extra so, Franzone’s forged of pros creates its personal luck in the case of elevating the fan expertise. In any case, it’s a veteran group that is aware of the best way to learn the temperature so as to make it occur for the followers.

“What do you do subsequent?” stated Stephen Frey, in his sixth season producing the present and twelfth with the Lightning. “We gained this award, which is unimaginable, after which it’s, ‘Wait, how will we one up this?’ Our followers are those watching us execute, so we do the whole lot for them.”

Totally different groups do it alternative ways. The Lightning desire to offer engagement when the chance arises, regardless of how slim the window opening.

“You could have the chance in the middle of a sporting occasion the place there may be an ebb and circulate,” stated Franzone, who has been with the Lightning for 17 years and has 4 many years of trade expertise. “The place you see a possibility, you’d be silly to not take it. Some producers, some groups, might choose to put low and play some music. We usually choose to grab the chance if we’re afforded a window to inform some tales, a window to have interaction the followers or a window to encourage the followers.”

There may be loads of inspiration, particularly when a veteran stands beside a fellow veteran, retired U.S. Air Drive Technical Sergeant Sonya Bryson-Kirksey, as she performs “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Or in-game staples such because the Standing Salute, when an lively or retired army member is acknowledged for profession achievements. Likewise, neighborhood service endeavors have their place at Tampa Bay Lightning video games. The Community Hero program was launched in 2011 and honors those that have gone above and past in the case of volunteerism and such deeds.

“After I obtained right here in 2008 there weren’t essentially many traditions exterior of the sport, and we’ve created a number of of them, which has been nice to be part of,” stated Franzone.

From season ticket holders attending nearly each preseason, common season and playoff match to the patron making his or her debut at a Lightning recreation, there really is one thing for everybody. That features, in the beginning, recollections.

“There shall be somebody who involves all 41 (common season) video games and there would be the one who comes right here as soon as,” stated Franzone. “You must obtain a stability and maintain it contemporary for the people who come to most each recreation, or make it memorable for the individual coming right here for the primary time. That type of underscores our philosophy, and it’s all based on making a reminiscence, which you are able to do in quite a lot of methods.”

Each fan is valued. Therefore, the presentation crew’s motto is “one fan is each fan.”

“We put our greatest foot ahead always,” stated Frey. “The game of hockey is thrilling sufficient, and it’s our job to color the image round it.”

Those that are heard and/or seen in portray that image through the course of a recreation equivalent to host Greg Wolf, reporter Gabby Shirley, intermission host JP Peterson, organist Krystof Srebrakowski, public handle announcer Paul Porter, who has been behind the mic because the Bolts’ inaugural season on the Florida State Fairgrounds, plaza host Steve Arfaras and Deiah Riley, who introduces the Neighborhood Hero, mixed to serve what Franzone refers to because the “consolation meals.” Their constant presence and rhythm make patrons really feel at dwelling.

“You could have these parts of recreation evening which are a part of your prolonged household if you’re a Lightning fan,” stated Franzone, of an expertise that features an award-winning video manufacturing crew that’s current from the morning skate to postgame interviews. “We’re all connective tissue in that respect, and our present is a type of parts.”

Thunder Alley

The connectivity begins exterior Benchmark Worldwide Enviornment within the plaza referred to as Thunder Alley. What takes place effectively earlier than puck drop may be likened to a welcome mat resulting in the bigger manufacturing contained in the 19,092-seat venue. Not that what takes place alongside the plaza is essentially the undercard. Moderately, there may be a lot taking place with bands, the Bolts Blue Crew, which, amongst different issues, tosses t-shirts as a manner of getting followers in game-time mode, and sponsor activations.

This season marks the debut of Lightning video games televised by Scripps Sports activities. At a time when different broadcast entities are discovering methods to chop corners, Scripps Sports activities goes the wrong way in some ways, together with the having pregame broadcast set as a part of the exercise in Thunder Alley.

“It actually offers the entire plaza a ‘School GameDay’ really feel,” stated Franzone.

Together with host Paul Kennedy, former Tampa Bay gamers Dave Andreychuk, Braydon Coburn and Adam Corridor have been a part of the pregame present, and this season they’ve been joined by a few different people that wore the bolt on the entrance of their sweater, Pat Maroon and Ryan Malone. (Malone and his father, former NHLer, Greg, have performed large work in assisting veterans by means of hockey.)

“Earlier than a fan has sat down to absorb the sport, you have got from 60 to 90 minutes of ambiance that takes you away out of your every day routine and offers you a way that you’re in a brand new land,” stated Franzone. “The muse of our presentation begins exterior.”

A lot has been constructed on high of that basis, which followers have lengthy skilled inside the sector.

“There are a bunch of individuals working actually onerous to deliver it to life,” stated Franzone.