Reason number four for attending Colorado Avalanche games is because the in-game entertainment is so enjoyable.
The Colorado Avalanche have been off for 18 weeks. We’re deep in the heart of the offseason, and it’s been 18 weeks since we’ve seen any Avs hockey.
The Avs have released the date for their annual Burgundy and White game — September 17. Shortly after that comes the preseason. And then, come October 5, we’ll have regular Avs hockey again.
Probably a lot of you are planning on attending the October 11, home opener against the Boston Bruins — I know I am. However, we know the Avalanche aren’t going to be contending this season. There’s going to be a time when attendance for Colorado fans starts dropping.
As part of the offseason, I’ve been chronicling 10 reasons to attend Colorado Avalanche home games even if they’re not playoff bound next year:
The Pepsi Center features a lot of in-game entertainment. First of all, we have one of the biggest screens in the NHL with Pepsi Vision:
We’re really pretty lucky. The Columbus Blue Jackets have to make do with a big screen TV instead of a jumbo-tron:
Seriously, the Pepsi Vision scoreboard is one of the biggest in the NHL. Anyway, replays and, you know, the score, they project fun little videos such as this Ask the Avs segment from a couple years ago:
Let’s take a moment to appreciate Tyson Barrie, a.k.a. Teddy Bear, answering he likes both cuddling and walks on the beach followed immediately afterward by Erik “The Condor” Johnson stating, “Neither.”
Here’s the Hockey in Colorado History Video playing out on Pepsi Vision:
Now, it’s no secret that the Ice Girls aren’t my favorite part of Pepsi Center entertainment:
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However, I have talked to many of the ladies at Avalanche Watch Parties, and they are nice. What’s more, they do have skill — sometimes they even put on a show during intermission:
No, I don’t think that’s Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog dancing with the Ice Girls, but I also can’t say for certain that it isn’t.
The Colorado Avalanche mascot, Bernie, always puts on good entertainment:
He’s very interactive for being silent.
We’re not as “famous” for our rendition of the National Anthem as the Chicago Blackhawks because in general we don’t think hooting through the thing is appropriate. However, singer Jake Schroeder does such a great job:
What’s more, I love how everyone in the arena sings along with “Our flag was still there.” Even opponent fans are getting the hang of it.
Two seasons ago Pepsi Center installed a 4K ice projection system. It essentially transforms the ice into a 3-dimensional screen. The Colorado Avalanche have created numerous 3-D videos as entertainment:
It’s pretty majestic watching this in person.
Even as grand as the Pepsi Vision and the on-ice projector are, the absolute best in-game entertainment is when the Colorado Avalanche win and they introduce the stars of the game:
You’re not going to attend Colorado Avalanche games just to watch the in-game entertainment any more than you’re going for the food or the warm-ups. However, it does provide a fun perk.