Seattle Kraken fans at holiday party. Photo by Jonathan West, original work)
Local hockey player Mark Siano runs into Seattle Kraken CEO Tod Lieweke after last Thursday’s name reveal. (Photo by Mark Siano, original work)
It’s been just over a week since the 605 day-old NHL Seattle franchise revealed their nickname. The mostly-virtual ceremony at “The Greenhouse,” or as many fans are now calling it “Davey Jones’ Locker,” was only announced 16 hours beforehand after a public wait since autumn 2018. The Seattle Kraken is here.
“Release the Kraken” was the cheer city-wide shortly after 9 a.m. on July 23. With tell-tale signs like Pirates of the Caribbean filmmaker Jerry Bruckheimer as part-owner, the mayor’s lobby, and a California blogger’s January leak, this was one of the least-kept secrets in the history of team name reveals. Nothing about the name itself compares to how Oak View Group and the rest of the ownership group were not only committed to listening to the fans but actually practiced what they preached.
The morning of the name reveal, Seattle native and thespian Mark Siano strapped on his rollerblades and ran into some team staff near the arena.
“I feel like the team did a good job of listening to the fans,” he said. Which is hard when everyone and their grandma has an opinion. We had a bit in one of my theater shows where we mentioned potential hockey team names, and Kraken always got the loudest response.”
“I think the focus groups on the logo worked well too. People definitely wanted a classic look and feel, not something cartoonish. The ‘S’ on the chest looks fantastic and really shows they were honoring the wishes of the fans about Seattle’s hockey past.”
Seattle Kraken.
On a rainy night in October 2019, only a few days since moving back to Seattle from my Chicago broadcasting stint, I attended my first franchise-sponsored event at Seattle University. Team CEO Tod Lieweke spoke to a packed house of Albers School of Business & Economics students while also welcoming the general public to campus. When he saw my Seattle Metropolitans replica jersey in the second row, he asked me to stand up while explaining the first Seattle hockey team, and it’s run to the 1917 Stanley Cup.
He said then like he continues to say now about the organization’s commitment to listening to the fans. Also, in a quite unpretentious and relatable way, he told the crowd about how he grew up poor. Lieweke understood the importance of making items like tickets affordable. At that exact moment, I knew this organization was going to be very special. And different from any I’ve encountered in my 27 years of hockey.
As profiled last August by Seattle Times columnist Geoff Baker, the (now) Seattle Kraken Fan Page on Facebook has over 7,100 members and counting, representing 51 countries. The largest majority reside in Washington, Oregon, Nevada, and Alaska. This safe space for Kraken supporters, with some NHL Seattle staff also as members, has a variety of community-generated content. It includes polls and surveys, history and stories, fantasy hockey leagues, homemade crafts, and draft discussions. There are 11 volunteer moderators, who find content, monitor member requests, approve postings, and watch over unruly behaviors.
Administrator Jena Scire is a Seattle Thunderbirds ticket holder and mom of two boys in Spanaway.
“Honestly, I think they were super smart about it. What a better way to engage the long awaiting hockey fans early! Not only does it increase the excitement level, but it makes the fans feel included. It gives us as fans, pride that we had a hand it the decision!”
Moderator Dan White, a Nova Scotia native, living in Kenmore, who also sings anthems for the Seattle Totems, shared her excitement.
“The fans were screaming for Kraken, and the NHL delivered…without the fans, the games aren’t half as exciting,” said White. “So starting off with a solid relationship with the fans is a great move. I can’t wait to see what they do next! I hope the fans can have a say with some of the gameday features too, like the songs, mascot, etcetera.”
The page takes precautions not to become a marketplace but allows discussion about officially licensed merchandise. There was a recent city-wide “Costco scramble” for affordable Seattle Kraken t-shirts. Group member Casey Mochel from Ballard was thrilled to buy as many as she could carry!
“People are going CRAZY! Haha…it feels good to get excited about something though (during this pandemic)”
Annual Seattle Hockey Holiday Party at The Angry Beaver. (Photo by Jonathan West, original work)
I’m a volunteer admin for the page myself. I wanted to see the name Metropolitans resurrected since the hockey community greatly reveres its history.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman’s demeanor about it during his January 11 Space Needle visit showed disapproval. There was still a chance, though. NHL division names have changed 13 times since the 1960s. I also wasn’t a fan of Kraken, due to the vice-related nicknames and competition with Detroit’s traditions.
The effort of NHL Seattle to actively listen to its fan base (plus awesome jerseys and logos) makes this hockey guy 100% on board with all the puns intended. They could have just as easily taken the Vegas approach. Team owners named approximately half of all NHL teams. Seattle bleeds local pride like none of the nine other major cities I’ve lived around. As the saying goes- “If you give fans a voice, they will follow you for life.”
Besides community forums and online opinions, the organization continued to listen in open conversations over the past two years. From being able to chat with Director of Youth & Community Development Kyle Boyd at February’s NHL Black Hockey History Tour to staff like Dan Lieweke, Molli Ronish, and Ross Aanenson skating alongside and having refreshments with local adult league players. Andy Cole, the founder of the Greater Seattle Hockey League, observed this, especially through his yearly Great Puckaroo Round-Up Tournaments in Winthrop.
“I think the outreach and listening to the fan base has been fantastic. The name choice was a very tough piece,” Cole added. “And I think they hit it out of the park…they obviously took the time to get it right.”
Tim Pipes, owner of the famous Angry Beaver hockey bar in Greenwood, agrees with Andy. At the same time, they both navigate state and local pandemic health guidelines that are affecting their businesses daily.
“I’m glad they did (listen to the fans). I think one of the things about the Oak View Group is being very open to fans and inclusive.”
In our current world of entitled viewpoints and assumed gatekeepers, many team supporters are feeling left out of the process that provides a sense of belonging. Great organizations such as the Green Bay Packers and Southwest Airlines truly listen and give back to their own. I’m proud to be following this team. From Mount Shasta to the Canadian border and Cape Flattery to somewhere in Montana, the Pacific Northwest should be proud of the Seattle Kraken for giving a voice to its fan base. And continuing to listen will do nothing but grow our hockey community.⚓
Jonathan West lives in Seattle’s Mount Baker neighborhood. Follow him on Twitter: @JonathanSWest