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Angry Birds Night Highlights Dayton Gems Promotional Schedule

September 28, 2011 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Dayton Gems News Release


Dayton, Ohio - The Dayton Gems professional hockey team, a proud member of the Central Hockey League, are excited to announce the promotional schedule for the upcoming 2011-2012 season at the historic Hara Arena.

Headlining a season chalk full of entertaining promotions and unique giveaways, the Dayton Gems will give a nod to the incredibly popular video game Angry Birds with their first "Angry Birds Night" set for Friday, December 23. The Gems will be handing out free Angry Birds plush dolls to the first 500 fans through the gates, and the evening will be complete with a real life-sized Angry Birds game played by a few lucky fans on the ice during an intermission. Additionally, game characters will greet fans as they roam around the arena in honor of the wildly successful game's two year anniversary.

December 23 will also feature the return of the Gems annual "Teddy Bear Toss", to which fans will be encouraged to bring a stuffed doll or toy to toss onto the ice after the Gems first goal of the game. Players will then take the collected tossed donations and will personally distribute them to local children in area hospitals.

New for the 2011-2012 season, the Gems will be offering a promotional giveaway each and every regular season home game inside the historic Hara Arena, each tied to a particular theme of the night. Dayton Gems President Joe Greene noted the addition, saying "our goal this season is to firmly establish the Dayton Gems as the Miami Valley's winter family entertainment destination, and a big part of that is making sure each game is an event with giveaways and theme nights helping us do just that."

The theme nights and giveaways officially begin on opening night for the Gems, set for Saturday, November 5 at 7pm; as the Gems hit Cassano's Italian Ice at Hara Arena wearing retro "throwback" jerseys, reminiscent of those worn by the original Dayton Gems during the 1960's and 1970's. A special postgame auction will give fans the chance to bid on the game worn retro jerseys, while fans will be treated to a special pregame tailgate party just outside the main entrance and the first 1,000 fans through the turnstile receiving Gems thunderstix prior to faceoff.

The month of November continues the festivities, with the Gems celebrating the 25th anniversary of the classic film Top Gun with the first 300 fans receiving Aviator sunglasses when the team hosts the Evansville IceMen on November 12. This game will also feature a $1 hot dog night. Another popular film gets its turn on November 17, when the Gems help fans get ready for the release of the newest Twilight film, complete with a vampire teeth giveaway to the first 500 fans, in addition to Twilight prizes and themed interaction throughout the night for some immortal fun.

The Gems will kick off 2012 with camouflaged uniforms for the first annual "Beer League Hockey Night", featuring the design made popular by RUT Hockey, a Texas-based adult recreational team. In addition to $2 beer specials, the first 500 fans 18 and older will receive a free Dayton Gems pint glass and members of the local Mega City adult recreation hockey team will showdown with RUT Hockey in a shootout competition during the first intermission.

Many popular theme night promotions from last season will return, including Thirsty Thursdays (beer specials and Gems stadium cup giveaways), postgame skates every Sunday game, WPAFB night, Pink in the Rink (for cancer research), Guns N Hoses night, pack the house night and Gems trading card giveaways every Tuesday game. Giveaways including fan favorites such as team posters, cowbells and youth jerseys join the many unique and collectable giveaways that will debut this season, featuring Blade weeble wobbles, Gems bobbleheads, mini sticks and special game worn jersey auctions.

The Complete 2011-2012 Dayton Gems Promotional Schedule:

November 5 - Opening Night presented by Kettering Medical Center (Retro Jerseys, Thunderstix Giveaway to first 1000 fans, Tailgate)

November 11 - Salute to Veterans Day (team poster giveaway to first 1000 fans)

November 12 - Top Gun Night (Aviator Sunglass giveaway to first 300 fans, $1 hot dogs)

November 17 - Twilight-Breaking Dawn Night (Vampire Teeth giveaway to first 500 fans)

November 23 - Gems Stress Ball Giveaway to first 500 fans

November 26 - OSU vs Michigan Night (OSU/Michigan beads giveaway to first 500 fans)

December 10 - WPAFB Night (American flag giveaway to first 500 fans)

December 23 - Angry Birds Night (Angry Birds plush giveaway to first 500 fans)

December 23 - Teddy Bear Toss (fans encouraged to bring new or gently used stuffed toy for donation)

December 31 - Family New Year's Eve Party presented by Buffalo Wild Wings (cowbell giveaway to first 500 fans)

January 7 - Beer League Night presented by Heidelberg Distributing(pint glass giveaway to first 500 fans 18+ & Camo Jersey auction)

January 27 - Rally Towel giveaway to first 500 fans presented by Kendall Marketing Solutions

January 28 - Blade's Birthday Blowout/Mascot Mania presented by Greater Ohio Virtual School (youth jersey giveaway to first 1000 kids 12 and under & cupcake giveaway to first 500 fans)

February 11 - Pink in the Rink (pink tote giveaway to first 500 ladies & Pink jersey auction)

February 17 - Gems drawstring bag giveaway to first 500 fans presented by Coffee Movers

February 18 - Faith & Family Night presented by OinkAdoodleMoo (Blade Weeble Wobbler giveaway to first 500 fans)

February 24 - Millionaire Night (fortune cookie giveaway to first 500 fans)

February 25 - Scout Night (Gems bobblehead giveaway to first 1000 fans)

March 9 - Gems Carabiner Giveaway to first 500 fans

March 10 - Kids Eat FREE Night (Gems mini stick giveaway to first 1000 kids 12 and under)

March 16 - Guns N Hoses Night (Gems T-shirt giveaway to first 500 fans limited sizes available)

March 24 - Pack the House Night (retro youth jersey giveaway to first 1000 kids 12 and under)

Every Sunday game - Postgame skate & autographs. Team poster giveaways to first 1000 fans.

Every Tuesday game - Gems trading card giveaways to first 1000 fans. Special 6:30pm faceoff time.

Every Thursday game - Thirsty Thursday (Gems stadium cup giveaways to first 500 fans except Nov. 17)

The Dayton Gems opening night is set for Saturday, November 5 at 7pm when the Gems host division rival Quad City Mallards on Cassano's Italian Ice. Single Game Tickets are on sale now at the Hara Arena box office and all Ticketmaster outlets. In addition, full season and mini pack ticket packages are still available starting at $27! Call the Gems at 275-7777 for more information and to order by phone.



Central Hockey League Stories from September 28, 2011


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