THIS IS FROM TODD KELMAN (using Katrina's login because I don't have one)
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Hi Folks – I wouldn’t normally choose this forum to discuss issues, but I wanted to acknowledge some of the points raised.
Firstly, I want to make you all aware since the start of the season we have pre-game and post-game discussions with our security and stewarding team every game. From the get-go, we have been implementing additional measures that some of you may be unaware of but have already shown to have had a positive impact.
With that said, this is the first season we have had to operate with COVID measures in place and it has and continues to be a learning curve for all of us. So we hear you, and these are the additional measures we are putting in place going forward.
ADDITIONAL SECURITY & MASK ENFORCEMENT – We currently have the correct ratio of stewards to spectators, but we are going to add more security staff, we have already upped the numbers compared to earlier this season, but we will add even more now. We will also have the stewards going up and down the rows in between whistles (not every whistle, but throughout the game as much as possible) to try to enforce the mask wearing even more. The stewarding and security team actively challenged more on Saturday, and there was a marked improvement in fans complying, although sadly there is always going to be a minority who will remove them as soon as the stewards move onto a different area, but we will ask fans to leave who continue to fail to comply.
FOUL LANGUAGE – This will be addressed more with announcements and use of the screens to drill in the message to people that this is a family sport and there are a number of children in the stands enjoying the game as well.
PUBLIC DRUNKENNESS – We will speak to the bar staff about reporting anyone they feel are too drunk. They also will be more vigilant about not over-serving people. Again, a lot of this will fall on security and stewards to address any issues on people arriving drunk to ensure we do not allow them into the games if they are showing up heavily intoxicated.
REPORTING – It is important to report any issues to the steward in your section who can talk to the security staff and to us. We will aim to address issues in game more promptly without taking away from the experience of the fans around you who are trying to watch the game.
IN CLOSING - It is not an easy task to monitor 3,100 people to ensure they are wearing their masks, not drinking too much and not swearing at all. We have all been to events, concerts, live sports where our experience is affected by the people sitting around us. We still have issues every week ensuring adults watching the Junior Devils, Cardiff Fire, Xtreme Edges, figure skating, public skating spectators and general arena users wearing their masks. We will up our game to ensure all users are adhering to the same rules.
I don’t think people are buying tickets just to come get drunk, there are cheaper ways to do that. I do believe some newcomers (not all) come for the experience and don’t really care much about the score, but more just to have a good time with their friends. I cannot stop this from happening, but we can be better at ensuring the experience for everyone is still safe, clean fun instead of people worrying about others getting drunk or using foul language or not wearing masks.
Our aim is to make it a fun, family friendly environment, but we also cannot control every person that decides to buy a ticket online and come to a game.
THE GOAL - Our goal is to ensure we stay open all season. All of the above play a part in making sure that rules, particularly COVID regulations, are adhered to and every one of us can do our part. We (The Devils Org) can do a better job and we will do our best to ensure that things calm down so as to allow this forum to get back to complaining about losing to Sheffield on Saturday or Guildford on Sunday rather than what happened in the stands.
Thanks – Todd Kelman and the Team