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Smashville—Jan. 20, 2014—VOL. 67, Issue 13 - David Boclair

Three games. That’s the number Nashville Predators’ executives believe they need to create a hockey fan out of anyone.

The franchise is in its 15th season and is a success in terms of playoff appearances (seven in the past nine seasons) and fan support (averaging more than 20 sellouts in each of the past three seasons). Still, it faces the challenges of a non-traditional sportsmarket. “Ifthey come three times, then they start understanding the game,” says Sean Henry, president/chief operating officer. “Hockey is one of those addictive sports and a lot of people in our market didn’t grow up with it. If they have a good time, they’re probably going to come back to watch us again.”

To get those folks hooked, the team has created a unique game day atmosphere that emphasizes rather than apologizes for the city and its shortage of professional hockey history.

GETTING STARTED Bridge-stone Arena sits on the edge of the city’s primary entertainment district, a concentrated collection of bars, restaurants and other tourist haunts where live music plays 24 hours a day, hamburgers are served countless ways and practically any other culinary craving can be satisfied. Nashville is known for its incredible barbecue, which should wet the appetite of any person who has yet to experience it firsthand.

As early as 11 a.m. people in hockey sweaters begin to surface in some of the nearby restaurants and “fill up” for the day, so they can get ready for the evening’s festivities. “You see throughout the day it just swells and grows and grows and grows,” Henry says.

THE PLAZAThings at the arena begin to pick up at 4 p.m. That’s when the plaza party commences outside the building’s main entrance. Typically, a band plays, while merchandise and food booths and a temporary bar emerge. During the post-season a “smash car” shows up. It’s a junkyard purchase, painted in the opposing team’s colors and adorned with its logo that Preds fans batter with sledgehammers. It’s quite the sight and a whole lot of fun.

This year, franchise officials have added the “Gold Walk,” which allows fans to have a red carpet-type experience as they stroll toward the entrance along a stretch of concrete illuminated by gold light, where fans are “cheered on by alums, our dancers, our own employees, some of our super fans,” Henry says. “People love it.”

ON THEIR FEET For all the planning that goes into game presentation, occasionally you have to wing it. It first happened late in the 2010-11 season and has become an increasingly common occurrence since. Usually in the third period, at a critical point in the game, fans stage an impromptu standing ovation that lasts through an entire media time out.

It’s not scripted or scheduled. It simply happens and preempts whatever the game operations staff had planned for that break. It also never goes unrecognized by Predators players and coaching staff.

OUTSHINING THE STARSThe star power inside the arena on any given night rivals that of Staples Center in Los Angeles or Madison Square Garden in New York. Consider that a stretch of four suites in one corner of the arena belong to Mike Fisher’s wife, country music superstar Carrie Underwood, Reba McEntire’s management company, Starstruck Entertainment, and the long-running William Morris talent agency.

Unlike those other storied venues, though, the famous tend to remain pretty close to anonymous. “We have a pretty incredible season-ticket holder list,” Henry says. “On any given night, who knows who’s going to be in any one of those suites. But nobody bothers them.”

IT IS ‘MUSIC CITY’ First and second period intermissions include a mini-concert from a live band, typically the Small Time Rock Stars, a trio that has been together for 20 years, boasts a “massive and ever growing song list” and currently has a recurring role on the television show Nashville.

Their history includes stints as the backing band for some of the biggest names in music and the combination of their versatility and deep connections lead to memorable guest appearances. Some who have joined them on stage above the Zamboni tunnel include Alice Cooper, Vince Gill, Trisha Year-wood and Wynonna Judd. “It’s exhilarating,” says John Elefante, former lead singer for the band Kansas, who has jumped in with the band. “The fans are already hyped up. Usually your sole responsibility is to get them up, but they’re already ready to go – especially if the team is winning.”

It’s in moments like these when there’s no doubt Nashville does have a sizable number of hockey fans.

Craving a bite before the Preds tear into their foes? Check out these spots for game-day consumption

1. PUCKETT’S GROCERY AND RESTAURANT

It’s classic southern comfort food in a casual setting that claims, “The main ingredients are real food, real people and real atmosphere.” It has been a local favorite for more than 50 years and in recent times expanded to several locations. The downtown shop, three blocks north of the arena, opened in 2010.

2. JACK’S BAR-B-QUE

3. THE PALM

4. DEMOS’

5. RIPPY’S BAR AND GRILL