Batman jerseys, cheap tickets and underwear toss: Peoria Rivermen expand promotions for 2023-24
PEORIA — Batman will be skating at Carver Arena in the 2023-24 SPHL season.
So will Robin. And the Joker. And the Peanuts characters and a wizard and the Flintstones and a long list of others, all part of 19 planned special jersey nights for the Peoria Rivermen.
The team will skate in these specialty jerseys and then auction them off to the fans after each game. There are also food nights, ticket discounts, 14 giveaway items and more as the 41-year-old franchise builds a winner on the ice and off of it.
"We are focusing on premium giveaways, and adding value to a ticket and the experience of coming to Rivermen games," Rivermen co-owner Bart Rogers said. "We started out with the specialty jerseys years ago, and in the first year we did four of them. The second year, we did one per month.
"Now we're at 19 nights, and our fans absolutely love them. We've partnered with Warner Bros., Lucasfilm and other entertainment giants, and there's some pretty cool looks our guys will be playing in."
More: 'It's beautiful': Rivermen surprise retired goaltender with special jersey team will wear
The re-brand night will return — the Rivermen changed their name to Flying Carp for one game last season and wore special jerseys — although the new one-game name is as yet undisclosed.
Below is a complete list of the jerseys. Photos of the jerseys are online at pjstar.com.
Eric Levine Retirement (Oct. 27)
Military/Veterans (Nov. 10)
Hockey Fights Cancer (Nov. 17)
Peanuts Characters Holiday Celebration (Nov. 18)
Flinstones (Dec. 8)
Elf Christmas (Dec. 23)
Disco Night Jersey (Dec. 29)
Wizard Jersey (Dec. 30)
Country Celebration (Jan. 12)
Dinosaurs (Jan. 13)
Scooby-Doo (Jan. 19)
Rivermen Half & Half (Feb. 10)
USA jerseys (Feb. 16)
DC Comics Batman, Robin, Joker (Feb. 17)
Chicago Blackhawks jerseys (March 1)
Lucasfilm Star Wars (March 2)
Rivermen re-brand name night (March 9)
St. Patrick's Day (March 16)
Baseball Jersey (April 6)
Why giveaways and promotions matter
The Peoria Civic Center is expected, by the Peoria City Council, to replace the aging ice plant in Carver Arena next summer and complete a five-year lease agreement with the team. It was part of a $20 million gift the city gave to the Civic Center for desperately needed repairs.
The Rivermen are mindful they need to do their part in the bargain.
"We're looking for ways to be more involved in the community, get more fans to see our games," Rogers said. "We have been an institution in central Illinois for decades, and we want to keep building on that presence."
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Rogers said the team's 56 dasher board advertising spaces are sold out for 2023-24. They have sold 18 ice-surface ads.
"I believe 100% it's great to get that kind of support from the community," Rogers said. "The specialty jerseys, there are businesses on a wait list who want to be title sponsors for one of those nights, have their names on a jersey. We've sold out all 19. I credit our staff for building those relationships. They've done a great job of making sure we have something for everyone."
What giveaways do the Peoria Rivermen have?
The Rivermen have more than doubled their giveaway item nights from last season, adding an adult replica jersey, a Rivermen puzzle cube, a 3-foot-by-5-foot outdoor Rivermen flag, a team stocking cap for adults and youth. Here is the full list.
Oct. 27: Opening night, magnetic schedules to first 2,000 fans.
Nov. 3: First 1,000 fans get a Rivermen pennant.
Dec. 8: First 1,000 fans get a Rivermen stocking cap.
Dec. 30: First 1,000 fans get a Rivermen hat.
Jan. 12: First 1,000 fans get a Rivermen team calendar.
Jan. 13: First 750 kids 12-under get Rivermen youth stocking cap.
Jan. 19: First 1,000 kids 12-under get a Rivermen puzzle cube.
Feb. 16: First 1,000 get Rivermen fanny pack.
Feb. 17: Pace Puck Night. Special wooden pucks, used to teach stickhandling, and called pace pucks, will go to the first 500 kids 12-under. The owner of the Pace company is former Rivermen player Drake Hunter.
Feb. 23: First 1,000 get a Rivermen 20-ounce thermal etched travel mug.
March 2: First 1,000 get an adult Rivermen jersey.
March 8: First 1,000 kids 12-under get youth Rivermen jersey.
March 15: First 1,000 get a Rivermen outdoor flag.
April 6: First 2,000 get a Rivermen team photo.
More: 11 things to know about the Peoria Rivermen schedule for the 2023-24 SPHL season
What other promotions do the Peoria Rivermen have?
Here is a list of Peoria Rivermen ticket and food discounts, plus special promotions for 2023-24. For more information or to buy tickets, call (309) 676-1040 or visit the team online.
Dec. 8: Annual teddy bear toss night.
Dec. 14: Annual Education Day, 10:30 a.m. at Carver Arena, where kids get in for $5.
Dec. 31, Jan. 14, Feb. 18: Sunday Family Fun Days. Kids 12 and younger get an upper bowl ticket for $7. There is a pre-game festival for kids, with inflatables, balloon art and face painting and mascot appearances. And all fans can skate with the players after the game, collect autographs and pictures.
Jan. 12: Inaugural Underwear Toss Night. Fans are asked to bring packaged undies to throw onto the ice after Peoria's first goal. The team will gather them and donate to area organizations to distribute to homeless and others in need.
Feb. 10: Saturday "home" game at Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington.
Feb. 17: The Rivermen will wear three jerseys— Batman, Robin and Joker, one in each period.
March 15: $5 Ticket Night. All upper bowl seats and select lower bowl seats will be $5.
April 6: Call Julie Night. All upper bowl tickets are $8.11.
Food specials: The Civic Center will offer $3 hot dogs on Nov. 3, $3 domestic draft beers on Nov. 17, $4 pizza slices on Dec. 30, $3 hot dogs on Jan. 19, $3 12-ounce domestic draft beers on Feb. 16, $3 12-ounce fountain soda on Feb. 17, $4 margaritas on March 1, and $4 pizza slices on March 15.
Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist, and covers Bradley men's basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. He can be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @icetimecleve.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Peoria Rivermen special jerseys, giveaways, entertainment plan for 2023
