How The Seattle Kraken Listened To Their Fans
Annual Seattle Hockey Holiday Party at The Angry Beaver. (Photo by Jonathan West, original work)
How Aversion Turns Into Agreement
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.”
More @NHLSeattle_ Kraken good news: They sold over 50% more merch than the @GoldenKnights did for the same 24 hour period following both teams’ branding reveal. The Kraken are the top-selling team across all leagues on the Fanatics network of sites, per @Fanatics. pic.twitter.com/hjo06sK4IS
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) July 24, 2020
Accessible Staff
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.”
Winning The Crowd
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.⚓
scout’s honor 😉 pic.twitter.com/YeksPz9MPq
— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) July 29, 2020
Jonathan West lives in Seattle’s Mount Baker neighborhood. Follow him on Twitter: @JonathanSWest