Red Wings Red and White Game in Grand Rapids

Van Andel Arena is hosting the annual Detroit Red Wings Red VS White Game. We talk Red Wings and Griffins with Matt Batchelder, Vice President of Ticket Sales and Digital Marketing with the Grand Rapids Griffins. 

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, labor days over, it's time to talk hockey. Here's
why the season is almost here. Steve Kelly, Brett Pakata.
That's Lauren Smith. The vice president of ticket sales and
Digital Marketing. Is Matt Batchelder on the live line with us. Matt,
thanks for doing this today.

Speaker 2 (00:16):
Oh, I'm happy to be on with you guys.

Speaker 1 (00:17):
Let's start with the Red White game, although tomorrow and
Brett we'll get to the questions about single game tickets,
which is exciting. For the first time in fourteen years,
the season sort of begins, as it were, with the
Red White game. Talk to us a little bit about
that at Van Adel Arena.

Speaker 2 (00:36):
Yeah, So, like you said, it's been since twenty eleven
we've had the Red Wings here at Van Andelrena, and
we're excited to bring this game back. It's an intersquad
scrimmage featuring all the healthy players from the Red Wings roster,
and that includes the top stars like dyl Markin and
Patrick Kane. And then that's also going to be with
Griffin's future. Griffins are going to be starting up with

(00:58):
us in October, so they mix up off. You got
half the team wearing red, half the team wearing right.
White and they're gonna play it in squad Scrimmachair Vanndel and.

Speaker 3 (01:07):
Then Matt, right after that, the Red Wings have their
first preseason game September twenty third, So this really is
kind of the official kickoff of the season for the
Red Wings, and the players will be staying in Grand
Rapids with the Griffins because, as I mentioned, I mean
October seventeenth, right Friday night is the season opener at
home for the Griffins, and tickets are on sales starting tomorrow.

Speaker 2 (01:28):
Yeah, that's correct. So we've been, you know, we've been
looking forward to this game, the Red and White game,
for many months, and we're almost there. And then, as
you said, like right after the Red and White game,
the NHL preseason begins, and then from there we slowly
start to get players coming down the Grand Rapids to
get ready for the season that begins October seventeen.

Speaker 3 (01:49):
Matt, this is really a pivotal year, isn't it. I
know people were kind of looking at that last year too,
But everyone wants to see the Red Wings get back
in the playoffs, and that comes through Grand Rapids in
my opinions, just the way it's working now and to
see the young Griffins players contributing on a regular basis.
But this year, those young stars from last year they
did so long Ground Rapids really are going to be

(02:09):
relied upon. Try to make this roster and get Steve
Y and the Red Wings, the parent club into the
playoffs in the NHL.

Speaker 2 (02:16):
Yeah, you know, the Red Wings. The organization really focus
on player development and growing from within, and some of
the Griffins that are fans here in West Michigan have
seen over the last two to three seasons they're being
counted on now to step up and play big roles
now on the right wings. So there's going to be
some different movement going up and down from Grand Rapids

(02:37):
this year as Steve Eiserman and company will look to
find that right mix of youth as well as veteran players.
But there's gonna be a lot of exciting hockey here
in Grand Rapids. It's going to get really competitive for
those spots up in Detroit. So it's just all the
better for Grand Rapids Griffin's fans who are going to
see some real top level talent here.

Speaker 3 (02:57):
Matt is it rude to bring signs that just read
your welcome Detroit.

Speaker 2 (03:02):
No, it's not, you know what, they're proud of this,
that's right, and that's you know, that's why they choose
Grand Rapids. The affiliation has been so successful and it's
it's great that they draft great talent and have them play,
but you know, it's the fans. It's the support in
West Michigan and Grand Rapids here that is a big
part of why they choose us and why why they

(03:24):
feel like it's important to have that affiliation because Grand
Rapids is known as hockey town West. We are a
hockey city just as much as Detroit and and people
in the AHL know that. And I think that are
our players here in Grand Rapids that they feel that
love and it sets them up for success in Detroit.

Speaker 3 (03:40):
Matt Batchelder is our guest vice president of ticket Sales
and Digital Marketing for the Grand Rappids Griffins. He and
his team have won awards as far as customer service
and taking care of people and building up that season
ticket base. And you've got something new this year you
want to introduce to the pick'm plan.

Speaker 2 (03:56):
Yeah, pick them plan is it's perfect for fans who
want to come between in like three or five games
this season. But they want to have the same seat
every time they come out, and they want to be
able to pick the games that are in their ticket package,
so you know nothing's getting forced upon you. You pick
games as either it excites you from a promotion standpoint
or from a schedule standpoint. But you're getting a really

(04:17):
great deal on tickets. You can pick from your Wednesday
Night games, which feature our winning Wednesday promotion free ticket.
If the Griffins win the next game, you get to
our beer and hot dog Friday nights. We got giveaways
and character appearances on Saturdays and Sundays, so we have
something for everybody. So the pickup plan lets you choose
three to five games and then from there you're you're

(04:39):
saving some money and having the same great seat every
time you come out.

Speaker 1 (04:42):
Remember, if you do pick your seat, you could end
up on the jumbo trunk.

Speaker 3 (04:46):
Oh wow, full disclosure. That's why Steve is not on
your team, right, that's crap.

Speaker 2 (04:55):
Yeah, I'll be a.

Speaker 1 (04:57):
Doctor grins across the street. Just after that, we we don't.

Speaker 2 (05:00):
Have the capability of blurring on the video.

Speaker 1 (05:03):
Vice President of Ticket Sales and Digital Marketing, Matt batch
Elder always great stuff thank you, Sarah, go Griffiths.

Speaker 2 (05:10):
Yeah, thanks guys,