I can guarantee you that majority of the fans watching the game have little to no idea of what's going on or how the game is played. It's like a Homecoming game at a university. Most of the people aren't there to watch the game, but to drink and have a great time with friends. The Wolfpack understand that knowledge of the sport is quite minimal in Canada, so they have come up with some creative elements to entice fan interaction and rebuy.

One of the main elements that contributes to this success is the introduction of the beer garden. Located along the North end of the stadium, fans can walk to and from their seats, drink craft beer from various different tents and get to meet new friends or reconnect with old ones. When you look around at the crowd, it is impossible to find one face without a smile on it.

Oh, and did I mention that the beer garden stays open after the game too? The games have started at 4:30pm on Saturdays, and the tents stay open an hour or two after the conclusion of the game. They are the only venue that keeps alcohol concessions open once the game is over. This is important because this contributes to the second factor in the fan experience success.

Fans of sport are so accustomed to understanding that once the game is over, its time to leave. With the beer garden being open, fans stick around after the game and the players love this. After every home game, you will see Wolfpack players and even players of the opposing team come out from their locker rooms and share a few pints and pictures with the local fans. It's an experience that I have never seen before, and it was amazing to be able to witness it first hand.