BENEFITS OF WORKING TOGETHER
What can other arenas learn from the collaborative relationship between neighboring New Jersey rinks, Floyd Hall Arena and Ice Vault Arena?
“ Competition is healthy, and like winning and losing games, it can either be done well or poorly. The collaboration and rapport we have developed with FHA has become an asset to our culture and our brand.”
— Jimmy Hunt Ice Vault Arena vice president of hockey operations
“ There is strength in numbers. The sharing of knowledge and information can lead to positive growth for all parties. Knowledge and sharing will lead to mutual respect and allow for participating businesses to think outside their physical box. To be able to rely upon others at times of need is not a weakness but a strength in one’s confidence in their abilities. There is nothing that any of our facilities do that is rocket science. The sharing of information will lead to those parties having a more successful business.”
— Bobby Reiss Ice Vault Arena owner
“ I think other arenas can learn that promoting our sport is one of the best ways to grow our sport and our industry. Hosting tournaments in both rinks gives customers who may not visit this arena a way to be exposed to our facility. Working together to grow our sport will in return grow our business.”
— Andrea Astorga Floyd Hall Arena assistant general manager
“ We want to promote ice skating and hockey, and it’s better to do so with a partner than alone on an island!”
— Nancy Hughes Ice Vault Arena administrative hockey director
“ Other arenas have to keep their minds open to win-win situations even with their competitors. This can only occur if arenas have a relationship with their competitors.”
— Larry Hall Floyd Hall Arena owner
“ Competition does not always have to be negative. You cannot change who builds a similar business near you, but you do have control over the impact it has on you and your customers. Sure, skaters and players in our area have a choice when it comes to where they should go to participate in learn to skate, or seeing which local travel team they have a better chance at making, but dominating the market is rarely the answer to everything because then the quality of the product you offer can suffer.
“ Arenas that are very close in proximity (Floyd Hall and Ice Vault) need to support one another, even though they are in competition with each other. Both facilities are very busy throughout the year, and with the high demand for ice and the growth of the sport of hockey, arenas must utilize their partnership to accommodate big tournaments or skating venues. This will not only help each facility financially, but it will also gain respect and trust from customers who recognize the positive relationship between the facilities.”
— Jourdan Ozga Floyd Hall Arena hockey director
“ We offer the best product we can and having a positive relationship with another nearby rink allows us to offer our customers even more — it means having access to a pool of additional ice time only a short drive away when you receive more entries for your hockey tournament than you thought you were going to have. It means sharing employees, who then receive experience in a wider array of areas and issues than you alone can offer, which ultimately makes them better employees. It also means having the ability to share resources when you realize at 1 a.m. that you do not have the materials necessary to hang the local high school hockey team’s banner in the rink. Floyd Hall Arena and Ice Vault work well together despite being competitors, and I honestly believe that both arenas are better because of it.”
— Megan Ripley Floyd Hall Arena assistant manager
ISI EDGE WINTER 2016
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