Cleveland-based AHL Lake Erie Monsters President of Business Operations Kerry Bubolz said that plenty of cross-promotion is "in the works" between the team and its new NHL parent club, the Blue Jackets, according to Shawn Mitchell of the COLUMBUS DISPATCH. It did not "make much sense" for the club, which is controlled by the same Dan Gilbert-led ownership group as the Cavaliers, to "do much in-house promotion involving its former parent club, the Avalanche, with which Cleveland fans had little connection." The Blue Jackets will "visit Cleveland on Oct. 6 and 7 and hold practices in nearby Strongsville." The team "won’t play an exhibition game in Cleveland this fall but is expected to do so in the future." The Monsters "announced a ticket package last week that includes games in both cities and will play host to 12 'Blue Jackets nights' in Quicken Loans Arena during which the Monsters will wear Blue Jackets-type jerseys and the team will 'celebrate all things Blue Jackets.'" Although 12 eastern Ohio counties remain Penguins TV territory, Blue Jackets games on FS Ohio are "made available to cable and satellite providers in Cleveland and each of its contiguous counties." There is "no Blue Jackets radio affiliate in Cleveland, but games are broadcast on stations in Akron, Elyria and Willoughby." Blue Jackets coach Todd Richards said that he "expects Cleveland fans to develop strong allegiances to Lake Erie players," and eventually those fans will "be lured down I-71 to see their favorites play in Nationwide Arena" when they reach the NHL. Blue Jackets VP/Marketing J.D. Kershaw said that the team has "not spent many advertising or marketing dollars in northeastern Ohio, relying on their television presence and [its] relationship with Cleveland’s large youth-hockey community to carry the load in that region." Through the Monsters, the Blue Jackets now "have a built-in pathway to another major-league market" (COLUMBUS DISPATCH, 9/23).
