As it looks more and more likely that the BCHL regular season will take place without fans in attendance, the Penticton Vees have come up with a creative way for fans to support the players and be seen at games.
The Vees have put a call-out to season ticket holders to send in photos of their faces to be blown-up into a life-size cut-out and placed in the stands.
READ MORE: Penticton Vees capture Okanagan Cup in overtime thriller
Vees public relations manager Trevor Miller thinks seeing something other than empty seats in the stands will have a big impact on the players.
“I’ve talked to the guys about the artificial crowd noise we’ve added to games and they said it makes a lot of a difference… I think fan faces will just add to that too because it will make it feel more like a regular game,” Miller said. “I know some of the guys would really like to see that instead of just staring out at burgundy seats.”
The cut-outs will be placed in the lower bowl of the South Okanagan Events Centre during games and will be visible from most angles during game broadcasts on HockeyTV.com.
To have your photo included fans must take a good quality, high resolution picture and send it to the Vees organization.
Tips for a good photo:
- Good lighting is a must.
- Choose a solid colour background. Make sure your clothing isn’t the same colour as the background or else you’ll appear as a floating head.
- If you wear a hat in your photo, make sure it doesn’t cast a shadow that will conceal your face.
- Do not raise your arms above your shoulders in the photo, they will be cut out.
- Ensure that you take the photo in a vertical (portrait) format.
- Have someone else take your photo or use the self-timer capability available on most smartphones. Selfies will not crop well.
At the end of the season, all fan faces will be signed by the team and returned to season ticket members to keep as a souvenir.
Each cut-out costs $75 or $60 each if you order three. To place an order for a cardboard photo of your face, click here. The deadline to place your order is Thursday, Nov. 26.
Despite not being able to physically interact with fans, the Vees are grateful for the outpouring of support they’ve received from fans virtually.
“The Penticton Vees would like to thank you for your continued support through the past couple of months. So many of you have shown your encouragement, whether through direct messages or on social media and the entire organization is forever grateful,” reads a release from the organization .
The Vees concluded their 14 game Okanagan Cup pre-season tournament Saturday, Nov. 14, winning the inaugural event in a 3-2 overtime victory against the Vernon Vipers. The Vees finished the pre-season with a 13-1-0 record, outscoring their opponents by a margin of 65-23.
The BCHL regular season is slated to begin in early December. An update on the status of the season is expected in coming days.
READ MORE: Meet the ultimate Penticton Vees fan
jesse.day@pentictonwesternnews.com
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