Devoted fans key to Knoxville’s success on and off the ice

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Hockey players may be aggressive and intimidating on the ice, but unlace those skates and you will find a group of guys thankful for all the support they receive, both in and out of the rink.
 At least, the Knoxville Ice Bears feel that way, especially with the tremendous amount of love they receive from their loyal fans, led by a very active booster club, each season.
 The SPHL is made up of just seven teams and many of the players stay within the league for their entire professional career, giving fans the chance to develop an allegiance to a particular player. This devotion is very evident at post-game player autograph sessions, during live jersey auctions and at Knoxville Ice Bears Booster Club events throughout the season.
 The Knoxville Ice Bears Booster Club (KIBBC) provides fans the opportunity to interact with the players in a more personal and relaxed setting. It provides a rare opportunity for the fans get to see the fun side of the team.
 The KIBBC’s annual karaoke fundraiser demonstrates that special relationship perfectly. 

A few highlights from the evening included defensemen Jim Jensen dressed in a Ghostbusters costume, Frank Furdero in drag doing the electric slide and the entire team serenading the crowd with Elton John’s “Rocket Man.” Needless to say, a fun time was had by the fans and players alike.
 KIBBC member Jody Mullins believes the booster club helps create a home-away-from-home and a surrogate family for the guys on the team, many of whom are from Canada and northern parts of the United States.
 “Being a booster club member is my way of being part of the team,” Mullins said.  “I will never be able to play professional hockey, so this is my contribution.”
 The booster club does more than hold events for fans and players to interact.  It also raises money to assist the needs of the players and their families and promotes hockey and the Ice Bears to the public. It is however the events that mean the most to the fans, giving them a chance to get to know their favorite players and build a loyalty that is essential to the success of any professional sports team.
 As it turns out, the players thoroughly enjoy them, too.
 “Booster club events help build team chemistry in a comfortable setting and take some stress off the players,” Mullins said.  “It really helps the new guys get to know the veterans in a casual environment.”
 While Mullins would not divulge his favorite player, there is no doubt David Segal is a fan favorite both on and off the ice.  He may be an enforcer with 299 penalty minutes, but Segal is the first to confess his appreciation for the fans.
 “The booster club is huge. They do everything for us: apartments, furniture, even babysitting,” Segal said.  “They genuinely care about the players off the ice.”
 Segal believes fan support plays a deciding factor in a player’s decision to come to Knoxville.
 “They take care of us off the ice, because if we’re not happy off the ice, we’re not happy on the ice,” he said. 
 Devoted fans make it much more fun to play at home.  The Ice Bears have a 19-6-0 record on home ice and an average attendance of more than 3,200 fans.
 With such a close relationship to the fans, the players very quickly become role models to the community. Segal acknowledges the influence he and the other athletes have on the fans and the impact they can have on a young admirer’s life. It is a responsibility that he and his teammates do not take lightly.
 “I remember meeting my hockey heroes when I was younger,” Segal said.  “It had an impact on me. It made me want to play professionally.”
 Even without being a member of the KIBBC, there are plenty of opportunities to meet the players including player autograph sessions after every home game, ice skating with the public during the Holidays on Ice in downtown Knoxville, street hockey, youth ice hockey events, and various other events throughout the season and all across town.
 With all of those extracurricular activities, it is surprising that Ice Bears Head Coach Marc Rodgers approves of and even encourages the numerous distractions.  Looking at the big picture, Rodgers understands the growth of the sport in Knoxville depends on making strong connections with the fans.
 “I believe the sport of hockey has one of the best player-fan interactions in all of sports because we are still trying to grow a fan base all over the world,” Rodgers said.  “Without the support of the fans, all sports would not be were they are today.”
 Rodgers knows what it is like from a players’ perspective.  He spent 14 years playing professional hockey, including a stint with the Detroit Red Wings and as a member of two different Knoxville teams – the Knoxville Cherokees in 1993-1994 and the Knoxville Speed in 2001-2002.
 “At levels of athletics such as ours, this [fan interaction] is extremely important because we turn to our fans for assistance in making sure that the players enjoy their time in Knoxville,” Rodgers said.
What would make the players enjoy their time in Knoxville even more is another championship.  As the Ice Bears enter the playoff season, they will be counting on those fans to support them as they go for their third straight President’s Cup.
 Kristina Shands is an intern with the Knoxville Ice Bears.
 Contact the author at kristina.shands@prohockeynews.com