MSBLSaturday411 –NHL Seattle continues to set itself apart

Being around for the birth of a sports franchise, especially for a local team, is a unique experience and only VERY RARELY happens. When I started at Seattle University in 2008, it was right at the birth of the Seattle Sounders. It was fun to watch all the pieces that make the Sounders so uniquely northwest come to life, including having the chance to attend the FIRST game. The Sounders were so successful in fact that they were used to help launch the next round of expansion teams and became a blueprint for MLS success. Unfortunately, the latest Seattle expansion franchise (NHL Seattle) launched in the shadow of Las Vegas' success; but, if the moves they’ve made so far are any indication, I think that the first season has the potential to be just as special and something uniquely northwest as well.

NHL Seattle’s first major public announcement, and demonstrating its community-minded approach to integrating itself into the community, was its decision to locate team operations to the redevelopment site at the location of the former Northgate Mall. This facility will house the team’s office and practice space and a Virginia Mason clinic, and a total of 3 ice rinks and a new park all privately financed. NHL Seattle said that the facility will be open to the community seven days a week and include 1,000 seats around one rink for special events or games. Simon Malls had already announced plans to redevelop and diversify the Northgate Mall parcel, but as steam behind the NHL Seattle, big increased talks began to explore a mutually beneficial relationship. With this new Northgate Ice Centre and the property redevelopment and the impending completion of the Northgate leg of the light rail system, it will make this facility easily accessible to a large amount of the local community and an attractive destination.

Earlier this year, on February 25th, NHL Seattle announced an (at least) $7 million investment into the Seattle Center Monorail. This money will be used to upgrade the Westlake Mall station and improve the overall monorail infrastructure to handle the anticipated increased traffic created by future games and other events at the arena. While long seen as a potential solution to the transportation issues that have traditionally plagued the arena (historically,) this partnership gives all single-game and season ticket holders free round-trip service, a first for Seattle sports and the third sports franchise to offer the service nationally. While the monorail is often viewed as a tourist attraction in Seattle, according to the NHL Seattle announcement, with the ability to transport 25% of the arena capacity in 40 minutes they (NHL Seattle) see it as an opportunity to build out a unique fan experience.

Recently, NHL Seattle, Oak View Group, and Amazon announced on June 24th a first in naming rights deals for the former Key Arena (which naming agreement ended in 2010 – a year after the Sonics left) to be called "Climate Pledge Arena." Amazon’s dalliance with sports continues as it will become the first corporation to purchase a naming rights deal for a professional stadium WITHOUT its name actually appearing on the stadium in what the NHL Seattle release called a “…transformational partnership for the city and Pacific Northwest, sports and entertainment industries and the planet.”

The partnership is designed to make the Climate Pledge Arena the first zero-carbon arena in the world and powered exclusively by renewable energy resources. It will run solely on electricity for daily operations, becoming the first major arena to operate without fossil fuels as part of their operation in some form. The name is also in reference to Amazon’s climate plan that was first unveiled by CEO Jeff Bezos in September of 2019, of which the Oak View Group has also joined. In a statement regarding that announcement CEO Jeff Bezos said:

“Instead of naming it after Amazon, we’re calling it Climate Pledge Arena as a regular reminder of the importance of fighting climate change.”

Typically, while naming rights deals are designed to increase the profile of a corporation, no one can argue or deny that Amazon's name recognition and domination in the online e-commerce demographic is very secure so the need for naming it wasn't needed. Instead, this move is seen as part of Amazon's effort (after significant employee pressure) to address its environmental impact.

Some of the other significant breakthroughs from this deal include:

• The first arena to ban single-use plastics

• Electric Zambonis and the ice sheet itself being made from reclaimed rainwater

• The largest coordinated effort for fan engagement with climate issue of ANY NHL team

The arena will also be seeking to earn a Zero Carbon Certification from the International Living Future Institute, the world's preeminent non-profit organization creating green building standards. Oak View Group and NHL Seattle will also make annual contributions to Amazon's "The Climate Pledge" initiative to help lead and motivate other companies as well as organizing annual sustainability events at the new arena.

Through all of these actions, NHL Seattle has really made an effort to engage the community and work to make their footprint in the community as authentic and strategic as possible and (in the process) have built a very positive public profile. I didn't even touch on their notable efforts (already underway) to engage with the youth community both in public schools and the youth sports scene as well as the LGTBQ+ community this last month during pride month. All of this effort has taken place before there is a name on the jersey, a roster, or a puck having been dropped…NHL Seattle I think (like the Sounders before it) is re-writing how to launch a franchise, and I for one am excited to see what the effort on the ice will look like when off-the-ice has been so great already.