Nearly as disappointing as the result...

[captainjack]

...was the pretty amateur display off the ice tonight.

I'm a pretty new fan (only started coming to the Blaze regularly this season) and tonight what really stood out more than ever before was a distinct lack of know-how off the ice.

Firstly, I ordered tickets over the phone which I had to collect on arrival. I was told to go and find a girl who was "outside somewhere". I found the girl, she asked for my surname and told me to go and queue in front of another guy with a stash of tickets. I waited, informed him of my surname and he sent me back to the girl I spoke to in the first place!!!

Secondly, was it me or was there a couple of c**k ups with the scoreboard tonight? Missed penalties, timing errors etc.

Thirdly, being quite new to the skydome I was looking for the loo and accidentally wandered into the Sheffield changing room!!! Nobody saw me, or asked me what I was doing there as I quite innocently went about my merry way thinking I was entering a toilet.

Fourthly, the hot dog setup at the standing end of the arena is a joke. Why you have to pay at one stand and get your hot dog from the other I do not know. I queued, paid my £3 then moved along to wait for it to be served. There were two kids in front of me, one brandishing a £10 note. They asked for two hot dogs, the guy asked if they had paid and served them even though he clearly had no idea whether they had paid or not. I can't swear to it but I'm pretty sure they hadn't. If they had why would they be waving a ten pound note in his face???

Finally, twice tonight we had stops in play because of the condition of the boards around the arena. I know the boards take a battering but surely we should not be having problems like this with what is supposed to be a professional ice hockey venue.

Not serious issues and I don't want to be making a fuss but stuff like this makes the whole spectacle look a bit amateurish. None of this is rocket science after all!

I might be being a bit harsh here so please give me some feedback if you think I'm right or if you think I'm being a bit Victor Meldrew.

Up the Blaze!

[eckland]

Welcome to the Blaze & Planet Ice.

My wife has just had her money refunded after she paid for me to go on to the ice for my 40th birthday at the end of November.

The blaze forgot to put my name in the match night program and despite asking for it every home game since they still can not produce the photograph, after asking for a refund she was handed the £15 without an apology.

Dont want to " make a song & dance " but agree with captain jack, it does look amateurish.

[deadsquirrel]

I'm a 'regular' newbie this season and it is frustrating that things don't run as they should.

As with all things, have you sent your concerns to the club, so they have a chance to fix things.

I would concur with many of your thoughts (I haven't tried a hotdog though :-) ) and I've also ended up in the visitors or referees dressing room (I left quite quickly, so I'm not sure!)

[captainjack]

No I haven't forwarded these comments to the management, hopefully someone will see them on here and take note.

I work professionally and take pride in doing a good job to the best of my ability. I can't stand it when I get to the Skydome and I see kids left in charge who don't know how to do a simple job properly. As a loyal Blaze fan (and as a customer!) paying £15 a match I find it a bit pathetic.

In my work we have something called feedback. When things don't work out as they should, we review what went wrong, why it went wrong, and what steps we need to take to avoid it happening in the future.

As someone in the movies once said:

"Whatever happens, lets be professional!"

[deadsquirrel]

Jan 7, 2009 15:15:03 GMT 1 @captainjack said:

No I haven't forwarded these comments to the management, hopefully someone will see them on here and take note.

Why hope, when you can email [e-mail] and pass your concerns directly?

[Dave]

I have to admit, I love the hockey but the whole off-the-ice set up does often appear to me as being extremely amateur.

[Claret & Blue Army]

Can I commend the programme and ticket sellers for the excellent job they do though.

[captainjack]

Here here Beer Money Inc, they do a good job. As do the staff manning the merchandise shop in mbargo.

I did note last night that the Hot Dog stall setup had been sorted, it was a smaller stall with the operatives beavering away, one with the money, the others serving. All orderly and organised, got served pretty quick and I enjoyed my Hot Dog!

Also noticed the stewards seemed a bit more vigilant as well, keeping an eye out guiding people and making sure they didn't go astray.

It seems the comments on here might have been noted and acted on.

If so, well done Blaze staff!!!

Up the Blaze!!!!!