AHL hands out team business awards

American Hockey League President and CEO David Andrews announced today the winners of the league’s annual Team Business Services awards, recognizing outstanding achievements in a variety of categories including ticket sales, community service and fan experience.

As part of its Team Business Services program, the AHL honored one club from each conference for top revenue growth in four areas during this past season: overall ticket sales, season-ticket sales, group-ticket sales and sponsorship sales. The winners in overall ticket sales revenue growth were the Lake Erie Monsters (Western) and the Norfolk Admirals (Eastern). Winners for season ticket sales growth were the San Antonio Rampage (Western) and the Providence Bruins (Eastern). The Hamilton Bulldogs (Western) and the Worcester Sharks (Eastern) earned the awards for group ticket sales growth, and the Texas Stars (Western) and Connecticut Whale (Eastern) were recognized for their sponsorship sales growth.

Additionally, teams from each conference were selected for excellence in the areas of community service and fan experience. The Chicago Wolves (Western) and Worcester Sharks (Eastern) earned the nods for their exceptional community service efforts, while the San Antonio Rampage (Western) and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Eastern) were rewarded for their outstanding fan experience at home games.

The AHL also honored several teams and individuals for their efforts during the 2011-12 season at the league’s Marketing Meeting in Rochester, N.Y., this week, including the Chicago Wolves as the sponsorship sales department of the year and the San Antonio Rampage as the ticket sales department of the year.

The Chicago Wolves were also recognized for the most unique ticket sales promotion or package (floor hockey program); the Grand Rapids Griffins were selected for having the most unique game operations promotion or theme night (Community for a Cure “Purple Game”); and the Houston Aeros were given the award for the most unique sponsorship package or entitlement (Living Social partnership).

In operation since 1936, the AHL continues to serve as the top development league for all 30 National Hockey League teams. More than 88 percent of today’s NHL players are American Hockey League graduates, and for the 11th year in a row, more than 6 million fans attended AHL games across North America in 2011-12.