GRIFFINS HONORED BY AHL FOR TICKET SALES AND DIGITAL MEDIA EXCELLENCE

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Griffins’ front office earned several honors from the American Hockey League during its recent meetings in Scottsdale, Ariz., and Hilton Head, S.C.

The Griffins were honored with numerous Team Achievement Awards and Personal Achievement Awards during the league’s marketing meeting in Scottsdale in June, before winning the Overall Ticket Sales Growth Award and Digital Media Award for Western Conference teams last night during the Board of Governors’ annual meeting in Hilton Head. This marks the second consecutive year in which Grand Rapids has earned the Digital Media Award and the second season overall that it has secured the Overall Ticket Sales Growth Award (2008-09).

Team Achievement certificates were presented to the Griffins for achieving an average of 1,750 group tickets per game; a 10% increase in per-game FSE (full-season equivalent); a 90% full season ticket renewal rate; 500 new FSEs; and a 10% growth in corporate cash.

During 2014-15, a total of 307,110 fans – 8,082 per game – attended Griffins home games. Thanks to them, Grand Rapids’ average attendance at Van Andel Arena increased for the fifth straight season and eighth time in the last nine seasons; eclipsed 8,000 for the first time since 2000-01 (8,022); and was the highest since 1999-2000 (8,819). As a result, several members of the team’s ticket sales department were recognized with Personal Achievement Awards:

• Season ticket sales and customer service account manager Mike Myeno ranked first in the Western Conference in new FSE sales;

• Former season ticket sales and customer service executive Luke Palmer ranked second in the Western Conference in new FSE sales;

• And group ticket sales manager John Hoffa placed second in the Western Conference in group ticket sales revenue.

As part of its Team Business Services program, the AHL honored one club from each conference for top revenue growth in four areas during this past season: overall ticket sales, season-ticket sales, group ticket sales and corporate sponsorship sales. The winners in overall ticket sales revenue growth were the Hartford Wolf Pack (Eastern) and the Griffins (Western). Winners for season-ticket sales growth were the Albany Devils (Eastern) and the Utica Comets (Western). The Hartford Wolf Pack (Eastern) and the Lake Erie Monsters (Western) earned the awards for group ticket sales growth, and the Syracuse Crunch (Eastern) and Chicago Wolves (Western) were recognized for their corporate sponsorship sales growth.

Additionally, teams from each conference were selected for excellence in the areas of digital media, community relations and fan experience. The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Eastern) and Griffins (Western) were honored for digital media excellence; the Hershey Bears (Eastern) and Charlotte Checkers (Western) earned the nods for exceptional community relations efforts; and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (Eastern) and Iowa Wild (Western) were recognized for outstanding fan experience at home games.

The AHL also honored several teams and individuals for their efforts during the 2014-15 season at the league’s marketing meeting last month, including the Chicago Wolves as the sponsorship sales department of the year and the Lake Erie Monsters as the ticket sales department of the year.

The Rochester Americans were recognized for unique ticket sales promotion or theme night (“Boy Scouts Salesmanship Merit Badge”); the St. John’s IceCaps were selected for unique game operations, community relations or social media promotion (“IceCaps Street Team”); and the Toronto Marlies were given the award for unique sponsorship package or entitlement (“Legoland Discovery Centre Partnership”).

In operation since 1936, the AHL continues to serve as the top development league for all 30 National Hockey League teams. More than 88 percent of today’s NHL players are American Hockey League graduates, and for the 14th year in a row, more than 6 million fans attended AHL games across North America in 2014-15.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Griffins’ front office earned several honors from the American Hockey League during its recent meetings in Scottsdale, Ariz., and Hilton Head, S.C.

The Griffins were honored with numerous Team Achievement Awards and Personal Achievement Awards during the league’s marketing meeting in Scottsdale in June, before winning the Overall Ticket Sales Growth Award and Digital Media Award for Western Conference teams last night during the Board of Governors’ annual meeting in Hilton Head. This marks the second consecutive year in which Grand Rapids has earned the Digital Media Award and the second season overall that it has secured the Overall Ticket Sales Growth Award (2008-09).

Team Achievement certificates were presented to the Griffins for achieving an average of 1,750 group tickets per game; a 10% increase in per-game FSE (full-season equivalent); a 90% full season ticket renewal rate; 500 new FSEs; and a 10% growth in corporate cash.

During 2014-15, a total of 307,110 fans – 8,082 per game – attended Griffins home games. Thanks to them, Grand Rapids’ average attendance at Van Andel Arena increased for the fifth straight season and eighth time in the last nine seasons; eclipsed 8,000 for the first time since 2000-01 (8,022); and was the highest since 1999-2000 (8,819). As a result, several members of the team’s ticket sales department were recognized with Personal Achievement Awards:

• Season ticket sales and customer service account manager Mike Myeno ranked first in the Western Conference in new FSE sales;

• Former season ticket sales and customer service executive Luke Palmer ranked second in the Western Conference in new FSE sales;

• And group ticket sales manager John Hoffa placed second in the Western Conference in group ticket sales revenue.

As part of its Team Business Services program, the AHL honored one club from each conference for top revenue growth in four areas during this past season: overall ticket sales, season-ticket sales, group ticket sales and corporate sponsorship sales. The winners in overall ticket sales revenue growth were the Hartford Wolf Pack (Eastern) and the Griffins (Western). Winners for season-ticket sales growth were the Albany Devils (Eastern) and the Utica Comets (Western). The Hartford Wolf Pack (Eastern) and the Lake Erie Monsters (Western) earned the awards for group ticket sales growth, and the Syracuse Crunch (Eastern) and Chicago Wolves (Western) were recognized for their corporate sponsorship sales growth.

Additionally, teams from each conference were selected for excellence in the areas of digital media, community relations and fan experience. The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Eastern) and Griffins (Western) were honored for digital media excellence; the Hershey Bears (Eastern) and Charlotte Checkers (Western) earned the nods for exceptional community relations efforts; and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (Eastern) and Iowa Wild (Western) were recognized for outstanding fan experience at home games.

The AHL also honored several teams and individuals for their efforts during the 2014-15 season at the league’s marketing meeting last month, including the Chicago Wolves as the sponsorship sales department of the year and the Lake Erie Monsters as the ticket sales department of the year.

The Rochester Americans were recognized for unique ticket sales promotion or theme night (“Boy Scouts Salesmanship Merit Badge”); the St. John’s IceCaps were selected for unique game operations, community relations or social media promotion (“IceCaps Street Team”); and the Toronto Marlies were given the award for unique sponsorship package or entitlement (“Legoland Discovery Centre Partnership”).

In operation since 1936, the AHL continues to serve as the top development league for all 30 National Hockey League teams. More than 88 percent of today’s NHL players are American Hockey League graduates, and for the 14th year in a row, more than 6 million fans attended AHL games across North America in 2014-15.