The Checkers average attendance is 7,292, which is the fifth highest in the league, as of Jan. 16. Photos: Courtesy of the Charlotte Checkers; Ashley Mahoney/Axios
Months before "Heated Rivalry" took off in popularity, the Charlotte Checkers were planning their themed nights for the upcoming season. They chose Jan. 31 vs. the Providence Bruins as their Book Club night.
Why it matters: The pre-game event, which also includes a ticket to the game, has drawn so much demand that they've opened it up to 500 people, Checkers' VP of sales Annie Eagle tells Axios.
Zoom in: As avid readers, Eagle and Laurenne Losier, director of group sales for the Checkers, knew how popular hockey novels, particularly romance novels, are right now.
They reached out to Trope Bookshop, Charlotte's romance bookstore, to bring the event to their book club. When more than 300 tickets were sold, the Checkers decided to open the pre-game event to as many people as the BOplex's East Charlotte room can hold.
What to expect: The Jan. 31 event includes a pre-game happy hour, player meet-and-greet, a themed tote and a ticket to the 4pm game.
Tickets range from $40.65 - $63.70 as some are just for the game and others include the happy hour.
