You have to hand it to Tampa Bay Lightning co-owner/Hollywood producer Oren Koules: the guy knows how to market his movies, and maybe his NHL team, even a little.
Koules offered passes to Thursday's premier of his flick Saw V to the first 230 fans who bought lower-level seats to a recent Tampa game against the Atlanta Thrashers. (Saw? Thrashers? Is this too good or what?)
Lighting officials said the offer was so successful it has been extended for Saturday's game against the San Jose Sharks. (Saw? Jaws? “We're going to need a bigger boat.”)
To top off the promotion, the Lightning have taken out full-page newspaper ads with team captain Vinny Lecavalier wearing a mask from the movie. The tag line for the ad is, “I want to play a game,” which comes from the horror movie's principal bad guy, Sean Avery.
On top of that, Lightning goaltender Olaf Kolzig will be wearing two masks with a “Saw V paint scheme” on them. The masks will then be sold with the money donated to charity.
Next big NHL promotion: buy two tickets to a Florida Panthers game and you get to have NHL commissioner Gary Bettman stay at your house for a week. Two weeks if they're lower-level seats.
