Charlotte Checkers Home Opener Friday, October 15 - Thinking of Going?
by Bob Wage on Jul 19, 2010 11:00 AM EDT
52 comments
Once this season starts, the Carolina Hurricanes will not be playing a game at the RBC Center for almost a month. The team plays an exhibition game against the Atlanta Thrashers on October 1, (an afternoon game for which the club is giving away free tickets), then the next appearance they make at the RBC is not until October 27 when the Washington Capitals come to town.
Are you interested in watching some live hockey during the downtime?
While the opponent is yet to be determined, the Charlotte Checkers know that they will have their home opener on Friday night, October 15. They are looking to sell out this event and want to make it a night to remember because not only is this a significant moment in franchise history, it's also an important night for the sport of hockey in North Carolina.
There should be several familiar faces performing for the Checkers. Obviously, there is not room for everyone to make it to the NHL, so look for players like Bryan Rodney, Michal Jordan, Kyle Lawson, Jared Staal, Jonathan Matsumoto, Matt Kennedy, Chris Terry, Nick Dodge, and others to be playing that night. There is a good chance that Mike Murphy will be in net.
The Hurricanes play Thursday night, then do not play again until Sunday night as they make their way through the "mother of all road trips," so there is no conflict with the home team.
We have been in communication with some staff from the Checkers and they are willing to include a special "Canes Country.com Night" as a part of their opening night celebration. Benefits for Canes' fans might include things like discounted tickets for the game, discounted bus transportation, (round trip from Raleigh), discounted hotel accommodations, and meal coupons for local restaurants.
The Checkers are still working out the details on some of these partnerships, but there are several different possibilities for Caniacs who are interested in attending. While some fans might enjoy a bus trip, others might prefer to drive themselves or take a train, but still use the discounted game tickets and hotel information. These are the types of details we need to know.
Most importantly, we need an approximate head count as to how many people might be interested in attending.
This is very early in the process and we realize that plans change, but if you might be interested in attending we ask that you take just a couple minutes of your time to fill out a brief survey so that we can gauge interest.
You can access the survey by clicking the following link, Canes Country Checkers Survey. Again, it should just take a couple of minutes and it would really help us to determine if there is enough interest in this to go through the trouble of organizing everything. There is a place for comments and/or suggestions on the survey, but as always, feel free to discuss this in the comments below.
If you have friends who might be interested in attending who are not necessarily regulars here at the Blog, they are welcome to take part as well. Please have them come and fill out the survey. Everyone is welcome.
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Would...
I would be going but my wife is due the first week in November so we’re not able to travel. Hopefully they’ll be able to get some TV coverage (even the AHL online streaming) so those of us who can’t make it can watch.
Should be a fun season having the kids so close by!
I'll be there, BUT
seing i live in Winston I’ll get down there on my own..and did you say there was a “survey” ?? And i hope than many of the caniacs & CC folks made their presence known to Tara and other Checkers staff who were there at fun fest…catchy’all later…got some things to do and got to run to the market too..Be Safe !!
And if it Aint Hockey,It Aint Nothin !!
That Checkers 3rd Sweater ROCKS !!!
Thanks Bob, Cory, HMo2 for taking the initiative and working with the Checkers to arrange this for us!! We’ll be going regardless and was thinking about making hotel reservations today… so I’ll hold off a few days :)
When the Canes were playing in Greensboro the Chamber of Commerce put together bus trips to the games. Those were some EPIC bus rides! Would be fun to do that again. And one benefit of taking the bus is someone else will be doing the driving, so you don’t have to worry about being too tired to drive or what you have to drink at the game.
"The increase in pain is way beyond what you would expect a person to play with," said coach Paul Maurice. "Unfortunately it’s even beyond what Tim Gleason can play with, because he can play with just about anything."
Yeah, we were talking about going as a group here at work, this would be awesome! :)
"...they will not force us...they will stop degrading us...they will not control us...we will be victorious..."
Mah blog.
I would love to attend
I live in a location that im 2 hours away from both cities so I would love to go to the home opener of the checkers. I wanna get at least my wife to go and maybe a few more seeing the tickets are cheaper. I’m excited about this.
Perfect family road trip
Planning on driving down but would be interested in hotel accommodations, etc
Take survey? Check.
This would be very cool. I’d even consider dragging my roommates along for company on the road. I’m not sure they’ll know what to make of the CC gang. :D
"What Carolina really has going for them is Brandon Sutter. When that kid first showed up, he looked like a skinny little thing that wouldn’t last two weeks. But he’s turned into a real star."
I am just going to assume they will be in AWEE because we are so AWESOME! :D
but ya know what they say about assuming….
RAKASTAN SUOMEN!!
Well y’all are awesome. And they would be in awe, but I’m not 100% sure one is the direct cause of the other. ;)
"What Carolina really has going for them is Brandon Sutter. When that kid first showed up, he looked like a skinny little thing that wouldn’t last two weeks. But he’s turned into a real star."
Most important question!!!
Can we tailgate?
Is it possible to be addicted to hockey?
I’ve only been to that arena once and we parked in the parking deck beside of it, but I don’t think there’s really anywhere to tailgate.
"The increase in pain is way beyond what you would expect a person to play with," said coach Paul Maurice. "Unfortunately it’s even beyond what Tim Gleason can play with, because he can play with just about anything."
Yeah, I know. Just like the idea of taking the tailgate on the road.
Is it possible to be addicted to hockey?
I have nothing against tailgating in a parking deck :)
"The increase in pain is way beyond what you would expect a person to play with," said coach Paul Maurice. "Unfortunately it’s even beyond what Tim Gleason can play with, because he can play with just about anything."
If we're taking a bus...
That’s 3 hours of tailgating on the road.
Laws? What laws?
"Why don't you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don't you dig how beautiful it is out here? Why don't you say something righteous and hopeful for a change?" -- Oddball, from Kelly's Heroes
[My Hockey Photoshops] [My Music] [Beat a Dead Horse]
by Raccoon Fink on Jul 19, 2010 7:15 PM EDT up reply actions
It’s hard to grill on a bus. Unless we get one with a deck. Let’s get a bus with a deck!
Is it possible to be addicted to hockey?
Good idea. We just picked up a new cornhole set. A deck would give us some room.
Phoblographer and Finn Aficionado
SISU
Double decker with an open 2nd level should do the trick :)
"The increase in pain is way beyond what you would expect a person to play with," said coach Paul Maurice. "Unfortunately it’s even beyond what Tim Gleason can play with, because he can play with just about anything."
comp tix
When we were doing seat selections at the RBC Center, they mentioned something about working out a deal with the Checkers for free general admition passes for Canes STH. Don’t know if that will come about or not, but it would be great for those stretches in Oct and Dec.
by James Pendergraph Howard on Jul 19, 2010 12:42 PM EDT reply actions
Unless this is a really new development, I don’t know anything about it.
I have a mini STH with the Canes, and I made that abundantly clear when I signed on for a mini-plan with the Checkers. That agreement was never expressed to me.
Also, to my knowledge, there isn’t any GA seating. The seats are technically assigned, but most nights you’ll be able to sit wherever you want.
I was, however, told about one of the Checkers mini-plans that they’re calling “flex”, wherein you get vouchers which are redeemable any time you want. There may be some new deal where some of these vouchers are made available to Canes full season STH, but I sure haven’t heard about it.
by redblackhockey on Jul 19, 2010 6:14 PM EDT up reply actions
In my S-A-S session, they mentioned the free general admission tickets for all plan-holders to the Canes preseason game on 10/1. Then they also mentioned the joint ticket packages where you could get mini-plans for both the Canes and Checkers. I’m thinking perhaps you merged the two comments?
Phoblographer and Finn Aficionado
SISU
comp tix
I didn’t know that there might be some arrangement. I know that they are selling packagaes that include 10 checker games and 10 canes games. I already am a FSTH so that package didn’t interest me.. maybe there will be some other kind of deals through out the season.
Oh, way off topic and probably too early, but are you planning on doing the fantasy league again this coming season?
yes, I still have to make an announcement of the winners from last season and figure out a way to give them their trophies. But that is coming up and we will do it again this season, starting in September.
Editing Manager of CanesCountry.com
last question on this topic. I intend to play here, but Im also interested in the keeper salary cap leagues, do you have any suggestions? Info’s been kinda hard to come by this time of season.
sorry, don’t know anything about them. never participated in one.
Editing Manager of CanesCountry.com
Are looking for a place to host it or getting a league together? I think you can do a keeper league on Yahoo under the custom settings, but not sure about a salary capped keeper league. If you’re looking for players, I would be very much interested.
Is it possible to be addicted to hockey?
Are blog newbies allowed to join in the fun in Charlotte?
If y’all don’t mind a Canes Country blog newbie, and friends, joining in the fun I’d be interested. My husband and I, and another couple of STHers, were talking this past weekend about going to opening night for the Checkers.
I’ve actually been a member for a few years now but am not one to comment much, and for the longest time, I couldn’t figure out what my login was – too many passwords rolling around in my head. Apparently, I did the UserID to make passwords easier, but I forgot I did that too.
Hi sunshine12! Of course you’re welcome to join. :-) The more the merrier. You just need to be ready to be around some slightly crazy people.
"The increase in pain is way beyond what you would expect a person to play with," said coach Paul Maurice. "Unfortunately it’s even beyond what Tim Gleason can play with, because he can play with just about anything."
Slightly Crazy?
To say the folks at CC are slightly crazy is like saying Refrigerator Perry was slightly big.
Absolutely – all hockey fanatics welcomed with open arms and a broad smile!
Twitter @HMof2
by hockeymomof2 on Jul 19, 2010 5:57 PM EDT up reply actions
I’ll be there with my 3 kids. Bus ride and hotel are iffy til I know more. Really excited about this game. If it’s Hershey, my enthusiasm might be higher than for the Canes home opener. That would be a BIG GAME!
(remembering how, during the playoffs, only the diehard Albany fans came out with game attendance less than 2000 seats. ouch)
Twitter @HMof2
I would have some reservations about riding the train to the game. Although you could make a weekend of it, the arrival times in Charlotte aren’t convenient to puck drop time, and unlike the bus station, the Amtrak station is still in a seedy part of downtown. Within a few years, they’ll have that sorted,but for now, it’s neither close enough to the arena nor convenient enough with arrival/departure times.
The bus depot is very nice and very close to the arena, though.
Just a thought… you guys at canes country are big time. Why don’t you rent out a party bus and schlep a bunch of folks down there? A few hundred bucks for the bus/van, another hundred or so to tip the driver. I think you could get a bunch of people who would sign up and offset your cost. You might even pull the right strings and get someone to “donate” the transportation.
I jumped on board and bought a mini-season ticket (ten games for only $140) to the Checkers, and they were running a promotion which got me four free tickets to opening night. They’re not running that anymore, but it wouldn’t hurt to ask.
Sounds like a great plan to me.
I think the idea of going to watch the Checkers opener is a great idea. I have a friend who is one of North Carolina’s authorities on passenger trains; and I’ve talked with him about trying to get good train schedules between Raleigh and Charlotte for hockey games, both Canes and Checkers games.
I totally missed this!!!
Sign me up! (I just filled out the survey)
I can't handle... this team.
by Andrea's evil twin on Aug 13, 2010 7:50 PM EDT reply actions
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