Here’s a funny story. Back when I was in first grade my class “adopted” a Florida manatee as part of a science project. Most of us though this meant this manatee was going to come hang out with us in a large fish tank or something. No, it just meant we were getting some certificate with a picture of him on there while he stayed at his aquarium in Fort Meyers. We got to name him though, and there weren’t enough fellow New Jersey Devils fans in my class to support my choice of “Ken Danyeko”.
“What does this have to do with hockey”, you might be asking yourself right about now. Actually the Wichita Thunder are doing something very similar for the upcoming ECHL season. Instead of adopting an endangered marine mammal from Florida, fans can adopt a player from the Thunder’s roster.
According to The Hockey News, adopting a player is a little more complicated than that adopting a manatee story from my childhood. Five players each week will be put up for auction each week. The winning “bidder” gets the right to “adopt” said player. The Hockey News also spelt out what this might mean for players involved in in season player transactions. If a player is injured then the family still “keeps” the player. If the player gets traded the family then “adopts” whichever player they received in return. If the player gets waived without replacement then the adopting family will get his jersey and continue on with their special adoption benefits.
Enough of what happens if players leave, let’s talk about what the lucky winners of the “bid for adopting” drive get. Autographed merchandise along with his game used jersey at the conclusion of the season seemed liked a given. Players will also wear a specifically designed patch with the names of the fans who adopted them. In a world where sponsor jerseys have become the norm this is a nice little personalized touch towards fans instead of corporate sponsors.
Also included are special events such as locker room tours, getting your name on the jumbo-tron, and getting to have dinner with your player. When the Orange County SC, a “minor league"(for lack of a better word) soccer team in California, offered fans the chance to invest and become part owners last year a similar dinner with a player (and manager) benefit was included for those who contributed $25,000 or more. Unlike Billet families, fans looking to adopt a Thunder player don’t have to provide housing. At least you get the chance to meet them (unlike my manatee example).
We’ve seen plenty of wacky promotion come out of minor league hockey but this might be a first. Saying you “adopted” a player is very different than wearing “Family Guy” themed jerseys, after all. This isn’t just any old giveaway and it comes with a hefty pricetag.
The players will be auctioned for adoption silent auction style. That means who won’t necessary see the bids of who you’re bidding against. The first five players have their bidding set at $1,000 minimum. It’ll be interesting to see if certain players have higher starting bids. Imagine if the Edmonton Oilers did this, wouldn’t Connor McDavid have a hypothetical higher starting bid than Connor Brown? If you want to spend your money on some minor league hockey players from Kansas, the link to the auction is here.