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The backlash against comments from Yormark (not a hockey fan until now) continues; why not dynamic pricing?

On Lighthouse Hockey, Dan Saraceni writes an open letter to Barclays Center/Nets/Islanders CEO Brett Yormark, who recently provoked lots of negative coverage by encouraging visitors in the obstructed-view seats to check their phones or the scoreboard: Dear Brett Yormark: Please stop talking. Signed, an Islanders fan.

Saraceni makes three key points:
  • Hockey fans never forget a mistake...
  • Hockey fans are always upset or outraged about something...
  • Hockey fans want hockey. Good, fun, winning hockey and a lot of it.
He reminds us of a very interesting admission. "I've never really been a hockey fan," Yormark said at about 2:26 of this interview, "and I'm becoming one very quickly." (Remember, Marty Markowitz said he never was a basketball fan.)

Various commenters suggest ways Yormark could have finessed the issue with apologetic candor and empathy.

Separately, a columnist suggests Yormark should step away from the Islanders, which ain't gonna happen. Another catalogued Brett Yormark’s Many PR Gaffes.

Three suggestions

On IslesBlog, Joseph Buono suggests 3 Ways To Improve The Obstructed View Seating Experience
1) Brand it “The Barn”... Hand out rally towels, props, something that makes fans sitting in those seats feel a part of the game. Make the overall game experience in these sections different and not just because they can only see one goalie.
2) Tarp It / Horse Shoe Configuration... It would be far from ideal, but it would be unique, maybe even charming over time....
3) Incentivize the Experience... Dynamic Pricing or no dynamic pricing, these seats should not cost more than $10-15. If you are going to charge more, make other aspects of the Barclays Center experience more affordable for these fans.

All good ideas, especially the third one.

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