Florida Panthers hold full team practice at Baptist Health IcePlex in Fort Lauderdale on March 18. The Panthers are encouraging all their fans to wear white for Thursday nights game as a “White Out” will be taking place in the crowd at Amerant Bank Arena. We have seen many of these promotions executed successfully in the sports world over the years, and this should be no different. Here is a look at some of the best fan involved gameday promotions: PENN STATE/WINNIPEG JETS WHITEOUT [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYuSCk1EFxg[/embed][embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwJNA4pk6eU[/embed] These two fan bases are great examples for Panther Fans in executing a near perfect white out. Both packed the stands, and every fan was a willing participant in making both the in game fan experience and at home fan experience more enjoyable with how enthusiastic they bought in. These videos are both blueprints for Panther fans to follow! TAYLOR UNIVERSITY SILENT NIGHT [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoSIBQPxfpY[/embed] Taylor University is a small NAIA School in Upland, Indiana and has a student enrolment of just 2221 people. However, they manage to go viral once a year with their "Silent Night" tradition. For this game the students attend a sold-out basketball game around Christmas time and dress in various costumes. The gimmick is that they remain completely silent until Taylor has scored its 10th point of the game and then rush the court in celebration once the 10th point is scored. Taylor is a stunning 25-1 in the silent night games, so hopefully the Panthers can pick up on that trend and get back to their winning ways. IOWA FANS WAVE TO CHILDRENS HOSPITAL [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQFcqhAv4s0[/embed] While the Taylor Silent Night tradition is fun and gimmicky, the Iowa Hawkeyes fan wave is much more heartfelt. Right behind Kinnick Stadium, where the Hawkeyes play their home games there is a children’s hospital. The Hawkeyes fans and their players have developed a tradition that between the first and second quarter they will turn and wave to the kids in the hospital. It’s impossible not to feel good every time you see it. HERSHEY BEARS TEDDY BEAR TOSS [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WF2VJZyYGgk[/embed] The Hershey Bears "teddy Bear toss" tradition is both charitable and fun at the same time. The premise of the promotion is that fans are encouraged to bring stuffed teddy bears to the game and once Hershey scores a goal throw their teddy bears on to the ice. All are then collected and donated to those in need such as underprivileged kids and those with autism. It combines both a great cause and a fun gimmick into one to be both charitable and enhance the fan experience at the same time.
