Love this game.

[hip check]

I've been a Devil's fanatic since our first season, despite a few fans on here experiencing some disruptive behaviour last season from apparently sponsor's ticket holders I must say it is a great family sport, everybody seems to mix together like friends and family and you can safely bring your wife/ children and be reasonably sure they will enjoy a great evenings entertainment, home and away fans mingle and mix with nothing more than a little banter.
I've written this thread because I also support 'City' (from a distance) and I was reading a thread on one of their forums where a man and his children were verbally abused and threatened by some Pompey youths last night, Welsh c***s and b******s were hurled in their direction and the children were obviously scared, I am so glad I've been following such a family friendly sport for so long and the on and off ice product is so good that we regularly sell out, long may it continue and stay free from idiots like the one's down the football last night.

 

[BostonBart22]

I've been a Devil's fanatic since our first season, despite a few fans on here experiencing some disruptive behaviour last season from apparently sponsor's ticket holders I must say it is a great family sport, everybody seems to mix together like friends and family and you can safely bring your wife/ children and be reasonably sure they will enjoy a great evenings entertainment, home and away fans mingle and mix with nothing more than a little banter.
I've written this thread because I also support 'City' (from a distance) and I was reading a thread on one of their forums where a man and his children were verbally abused and threatened by some Pompey youths last night, Welsh c***s and b******s were hurled in their direction and the children were obviously scared, I am so glad I've been following such a family friendly sport for so long and the on and off ice product is so good that we regularly sell out, long may it continue and stay free from idiots like the one's down the football last night.

Never going away in football, i would say all clubs have a good core of nutters , and its those ones that dont even watch the game and intent on spoiling it for others..

 

[Kevlar68]

Even though i agree with you, this is just my opinion, the Saturday nights are getting a bit less family friendly.
I'm a 54 year old guy who has worked in the hospitality industry for 38 years and seen it all in bars, clubs and sporting venues i've managed BUT the Saturday night crowd is why i've gone without a season ticket this year as i don't like the atmosphere the Saturday night out crowd brings with it (not the real Devils fans).
Fans who are newer to the team and not seen the fan base through the years won't see the difference but there has definitely been a change on the Saturday nights.
I see people talking and messing about all the way through the game, some constantly on phones not bothered about the game going on.
My one nephew was abused during one game on a Saturday night by supposedly Devils fans but he'd never seen them there before as he's a season ticket holder.
I also saw a scuffle break out in the bar with a Giants fan, again never seen that before.
It will never be as bad as football but it has changed that's for sure.

 

[ASHIPP]

Even though i agree with you, this is just my opinion, the Saturday nights are getting a bit less family friendly.
I'm a 54 year old guy who has worked in the hospitality industry for 38 years and seen it all in bars, clubs and sporting venues i've managed BUT the Saturday night crowd is why i've gone without a season ticket this year as i don't like the atmosphere the Saturday night out crowd brings with it (not the real Devils fans).
Fans who are newer to the team and not seen the fan base through the years won't see the difference but there has definitely been a change on the Saturday nights.
I see people talking and messing about all the way through the game, some constantly on phones not bothered about the game going on.
My one nephew was abused during one game on a Saturday night by supposedly Devils fans but he'd never seen them there before as he's a season ticket holder.
I also saw a scuffle break out in the bar with a Giants fan, again never seen that before.
It will never be as bad as football but it has changed that's for sure.

Saturday night spoilers beautifully illustrated here and experienced by several former season ticket holders (never to attend a Saturday night game again) on this forum.

 

[Kevlar68]

In fact just from my family 5 season ticket holders have not renewed, 3 in block 10 and 2 in block 4, that's over £2500 less revenue in one hit.
We'll just go to the other games and give Saturday nights a miss but it's still better than football crowds.

 

[hip check]

I've got to be honest other than a couple of games the season before last in block 4 I've never experienced any unsavoury incidents (other than on the ice lol), maybe I'm sitting in the wrong block to experience it.

 

[Kevlar68]

During the covid restrictions I had many idiots around me over the season in block 4 (again devils fans were great) on a Saturday, endless pints just so can keep masks off, messing about and swearing.
I had to get up and tell 3 guys to stop shouting out swear words as 2 little lads were sat 2 rows in front of them with their mum.
The guys also had no clue of the game.

 

[Samael]

Personally l haven't experienced any unsavory behavior, but having said that l am unable to attend any Satuday games due to my shift working.

It makes me sad to read season ticket holders not renewing because of the atmosphere creeping in at the IAW. Unfortunately it is to be expected that as the club gets bigger and attracts newer fans you'll get casual yobs who are more interested in getting leathered than enjoying the game.

I remember when l was a teenager attending a game at the wnir against Sheffield when Chinny was playing for them and he got knocked flying and was rolling round on the floor making more of it than it was to draw a penalty like footballers do. I jumped up and yelled 'get up off your fat arse and stop play acting you big pansy' l then had a poke in my shoulder off some old geezer sat behind me who said, 'we dont use that sort of language here.' my first thought was to tell him to get stuffed but l kept my mouth shut. I was stunned tbh l was thinking this is a hockey match not the opera. I never yelled anything again for the rest of the match and fortunately never had to sit in that block ever again but it stuck in my head. Where l used to normally sit people would often yell like this, usually at the ref though.

Anyway the point l'm trying to make is people need to lighten up and accept the club needs to attract new fans and with this come new behaviours. Game night is not your private country club! I'm not condoning drunken lewd behaviour, especially when they are effin and jeffin around families and kudos to Kevlar for saying something to some idiots, although l do wonder where or what the stewards were doing at the time. If Todd wants to widen the fanbase of the club and do more Saturday and midweek nights to draw in and hopefully convert more casual fans they need to employ experienced professional staff too, not teenage volunteers in hi-vis vests. While there are decent people in the fan base who will police those causing disruption, they really shouldn't have to.

 

[Kevlar68]

It's the Saturday night out jolly brigade that's the pain NOT people who are actually coming to watch hockey for the first time.
Any other night the atmosphere is great.
As for the swearing, I've sworn many a time but not around children and these guys weren't just saying bloody hell, the were laughing calling players wanker and using the "C" word with children close and I just had enough of them being disrespectful.
The club itself ask not to swear and also they want it to be family friendly.
Many of the stewards are young kids.
For me to spend over £1000 only to get annoyed at the drunks just isn't worth it.

 

[Samael]

Yeah that's out of order. You don't use language like that in front of kids. I know the club don't want that behaviour as MC Kelman says on the mic during the intro. A zero tolerance stance needs to be taken now though to nip it in the bud, even if they are corporate guests on the wallop on a Saturday night. If they are acting like animals they should be treated as such and be removed from the premises, forcefully if needed. Which is why proper security is needed on nights where there is likely to be disruption due to increased alcohol consumption. If they don't, it will hurt the club long term.

 

[Wannabe2]

What was quite a big factor in match night upsets was the Covid epidemic, with the face mask scenario, people playing the game, and wearing them to help with safety and being respectful to others, and those who couldn’t give a toss as long as they had their own selfish way. Drinking of course was their excuse for being disrespectful and not wearing masks putting their two fingers up to Arena rules, in the area where I sit most of these pests were sat in corporate seats, and really were pests and could be pretty rude, obviously a Saturday night didn’t help with the hockey just being the first port of call towards a night on the lash. My hope is that now the worry of masks and divides Peeter out, the match night experience returns to its norm, although I won’t be holding my breath, we certainly need forceful security, and to hear of long time season ticket holders backing off is very worrying to say the least. Fortunately our top brass reads this forum, and care about peoples experience being pleasurable, so we live in hope.

 

[moggy#9]

Back in the early days bad language and drunken behaviour could be a problem, especially on road trips. Luckily we had people like the late Jim Mannings, who made sure that people knew when they overstepped the bounds. That helped build the club to the environment it became.

In my opinion what has changed now, apart from the corporate guests, is the free and easy availability of alcohol throughout the game. Combine that with non hockey people with a football or egg chasing mentality and you're asking for trouble.

 

[august04 2.0]

I wish I could feel as positive as the original poster but Saturday night games have become pretty unpleasant this last few years. It’s not new, it’s been that way for a year or two pre pandemic too, and isn’t getting any better. I’ve seen some awful behaviour and language from the casual ‘fan’, usually out on the lash in large groups, with young stewards who quite frankly are not up to policing the problem. There should be a zero tolerance stance from the club on this. Any poor behaviour and you’re out. Time and again security let these situations continue. I hope to see a change this season, but not holding my breath.

 

[moggy#9]

I wish I could feel as positive as the original poster but Saturday night games have become pretty unpleasant this last few years. It’s not new, it’s been that way for a year or two pre pandemic too, and isn’t getting any better. I’ve seen some awful behaviour and language from the casual ‘fan’, usually out on the lash in large groups, with young stewards who quite frankly are not up to policing the problem. There should be a zero tolerance stance from the club on this. Any poor behaviour and you’re out. Time and again security let these situations continue. I hope to see a change this season, but not holding my breath.

I saw a post on Facebook saying that some of the owners are over for the start of the season. Perhaps it's something that should be pointed out to them first hand.

 

[E.D.S.]

I wish I could feel as positive as the original poster but Saturday night games have become pretty unpleasant this last few years. It’s not new, it’s been that way for a year or two pre pandemic too, and isn’t getting any better. I’ve seen some awful behaviour and language from the casual ‘fan’, usually out on the lash in large groups, with young stewards who quite frankly are not up to policing the problem. There should be a zero tolerance stance from the club on this. Any poor behaviour and you’re out. Time and again security let these situations continue. I hope to see a change this season, but not holding my breath.

Agree, entirely. The frustrating thing is, it seems like such an easy fix. The behaviour just doesn’t fit the ethos and culture of what ice hockey is about and more importantly what ice hockey in Cardiff is about. There are more people that recognise this behaviour and aren’t in favour of it than those that support it. It just simply doesn’t fit in with a night at the hockey. It should be easier to eradicate than doing something like going to watch Cardiff City play football and asking people not to swear.
I’m not anti fun or a good night out but having drinks spilt on me, repeatedly, and my family being exposed to bad language is not part of what we are.
I don’t see enough being done but I have belief in this organisation to do something about it.
Start with the corporates… when they are being welcomed and addressed in their hospitality area make it clear what the spirit of hockey is … the mental stuff happens on the ice. It’s a family environment. Then back and support those poor stewards who really need help.
So much more could be done. Not moaning, just want to see a change.

This club has consistently put fans first, without exception. Even when they really didn’t need to. I know they will address the concerns we have.

 

[august04 2.0]

Agree, entirely. The frustrating thing is, it seems like such an easy fix. The behaviour just doesn’t fit the ethos and culture of what ice hockey is about and more importantly what ice hockey in Cardiff is about. There are more people that recognise this behaviour and aren’t in favour of it than those that support it. It just simply doesn’t fit in with a night at the hockey. It should be easier to eradicate than doing something like going to watch Cardiff City play football and asking people not to swear.
I’m not anti fun or a good night out but having drinks spilt on me, repeatedly, and my family being exposed to bad language is not part of what we are.
I don’t see enough being done but I have belief in this organisation to do something about it.
Start with the corporates… when they are being welcomed and addressed in their hospitality area make it clear what the spirit of hockey is … the mental stuff happens on the ice. It’s a family environment. Then back and support those poor stewards who really need help.
So much more could be done. Not moaning, just want to see a change.

This club has consistently put fans first, without exception. Even when they really didn’t need to. I know they will address the concerns we have.

I’m afraid actions speak louder than words and I’ve seen very little action from the club to stamp this poor behaviour out - it‘s been going on for too long, what has changed to address it? Nothing that I’ve seen anyway…..yet.

 

[terry hunt]

I believe a good part of this behaviour is from people associated with sponsors.I hope some of this will be sorted this season.
My OH stopped attending matches because of this even after i moved seats.
She has refused point blank to renew her season for this year so i will wait and see.

 

[James]

All the bad behaviour Ive encountered has been due to sponsors and alcohol. That may be partly due to the fact I sit adjacent to sponsor seats though.

 

[BostonBart22]

That's what happens when lightweights can't handle free beer..

 

[august04 2.0]

All the bad behaviour Ive encountered has been due to sponsors and alcohol. That may be partly due to the fact I sit adjacent to sponsor seats though.

I don’t think it's confined to the sponsors. I’m sat on the opposite side of the arena and see it virtually every Saturday game.