Just as the NHL has eagerly awaited the return of the All-Star Game, so too have the Columbus Blue Jackets, who were set to host the game in 2013 — only to see it canceled because of the lockout that shortened that season.
The game ends up coming at a great time for the franchise, despite that two-year delay. It follows a successful season on the ice for the Blue Jackets last year, when Columbus tallied its highest point total in team history and recorded its first playoff game victory (despite ultimately still losing the first-round series to Pittsburgh) since it joined the NHL in 2000.
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The All-Star Winter Park, with presenting sponsor Worthington Industries, across from Nationwide Arena will feature an outdoor rink and a 34-foot-tall snow slide.
Photo by: AP IMAGES; COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS
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That success has translated to gains at the gate this season, with attendance up more than 13 percent from this time last year. Columbus is averaging 15,589 fans a game, or roughly 86 percent of capacity at Nationwide Arena.
Additionally, the team gave fans who bought full-, half- and quarter-season ticket plans priority to buy tickets for the All-Star Game and the Saturday night all-star skills competition.
Larry Hoepfner, executive vice
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president of business operations for the Blue Jackets, said that while hosting the All-Star Game has boosted customer activity in the past year, the team’s overall on-ice strides have helped as well.
“Our fan base has been extremely supportive of this team since day one, as well as the corporate community in central Ohio,” he said. “Now our goal is to make this the best local All-Star Game that the league has seen to date.”
The Blue Jackets have been able to raise more than $1 million in additional sponsorship revenue around the game’s celebration efforts. Those efforts are headlined by the All-Star Winter Park, an area across from Nationwide Arena that will feature an outdoor rink and a 34-foot-tall snow slide. Worthington Industries signed as presenting sponsor of the park; Scotts Miracle-Gro and Huntington are sponsoring the rink and snow slide, respectively.
