Royals Provide Sneak Peak Preview of Promo Calendar for Season Sixteen

Reading, PA – The Reading Royals of the ECHL, affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League, today set out a Mid-Summer Preview of the 2016-17 Promotional Schedule of Game Night Events, Appearances and Special Giveaways.

The Royals are excited to unveil some early glimpses into what is expected to be the biggest promotional calendar in the sixteen year history of the team. With more giveaways, a completely re-vamped in-game entertainment experience, and a re-doubled commitment to creating the best in family fun around, the 2016-17 Royals’ season appears set to be one for the history books.

Season Sixteen for the Royals will explode out of the blocks…or, more accurately, out on The Block…with a rock and roll bang—quite literally—as the Pat McGee Band hits the stage for the Opening Night Block Party on Saturday, October 15. The Block Party, which will be set up on Penn Street directly adjacent to Santander Arena, will begin at 4 pm and continue straight into the pre-game activities, leading to opening faceoff in the game between the Royals and the long-time rival Elmira Jackals at 7:00 pm. Fans will be treated to what promises to be the most exciting season-launching, pregame presentation in team history and actually will be part of the effort to take the energy to the next level with “BOOM-BOOM” sticks that will be given out to all in attendance courtesy of Reading Health System.

In addition to many of the team’s traditional promotional fan favorites, Season Sixteen will be replete with brand new promotional nights and activities including unique special nights such as Purple Goes Green, Pucks & Pampering, Outdoor Night, and Special Olympics All-Abilities Night.

The Purple Goes Green night, which will be held on Saturday, January 7, will focus upon following environmentally-sound strategies for our planet, as well as encouraging health and wellness components for our fans. But even with all of these positive activities well-being of our planet and persons, we can’t forget to get our cowbell on—and to that end, the Royals will once again make sure that all of our energized fans can clang away with a brand new cowbell courtesy of the team.

Of course, the Royals not only want our fans to feel good, we want them to look good, as well. So we’ve added a special Pucks & Pampering Night on Friday, January 20, when we’ll celebrate the birthday of everyone’s favorite mascot’s “special friend” (are they or aren’t they?), Tiara. The ladies will be able to toast her in style with a brand new Royals’ wineglass, which will be given to all of the women in attendance who are 21 and older. In addition, those ladies ought to be in a pretty comfortable mood since the concourse will be teaming with activities designed to meet your every pampering need, including massages, manicures, make-up and much more!

Days later, on Saturday, January 28, we’ll channel the other side of mountain so to speak as Santander Arena will be transformed into an outdoorsman paradise for the Great Outdoor Night. That night, fans in attendance will stay nice and warm and cozy with our brand new fleece blanket giveaway.

2017 may not be an Olympic Year, but that won’t stop the Royals from honoring local Special Olympians from Berks, Lancaster and Lebanon Counties on Saturday, February 11, when the team will also host what is expected to be another spirited exhibition of sled-hockey. That night, the organization will induct another exceptional contributor to the Royals’ legacy to the team’s Wall of Honor and will give away one of four bobble heads in a series we’re calling the “Mount Rushmore” of Royals’ hockey history, which is just one of several giveaway series that the team will feature this year, including a series of three “Ugly Christmas” items and a three-part Mini-Locker Room series for kids who are fourteen and younger.

Another series the Royals are introducing this season honors the team’s NHL affiliate with Flyers Fridays. There will be five of these special Fridays—December 30, January 6, January 20, March 3, and March 24—when Santander Arena will be resplendent in orange and black. The special events for Flyers Fridays include appearances by Flyers’ alumni, special Flyers-themed activities, and a limited edition canvas Flyers’ image giveaway on December 30.

After a season of success last year, the Royals are proud to bring back our Community Series Saturdays for a second consecutive season. This year’s six game series includes Veterans Night (November 12), the Night of Hope (November 26), the Teddy Bear Toss Night (December 10), the Penn State University THON Celebration (January 21), Pink in the Rink (February 18), and our Autism Awareness Night (March 4).

Our game honoring our nation’s Veterans and active military personnel on November 12 will once again feature the annual afternoon showdown between the Army and Navy hockey teams and will include a special Rally Towel giveaway at that evening’s showdown between the Royals and Manchester Monarchs.

This season’s Night of Hope is an expanded variation of last year’s Shelter Night. This year, the Royals have partnered with the Hope Rescue Mission as a part of the organization’s effort to sponsor ten men at the Mission for an entire year. That night, we’re also giving away an orange trapper hunting hat thanks to our friends at Deibler Dental, just in time for hunting season!

Of course, the Royals look forward to making the teddy bears rain from the rafters for Toys for Tots by scoring early and often in the Teddy Bear Toss game when the team will give away a Toy Train Ornament.

The Royals will seek to continue a long-running history of success in raising funds for the largest student-run philanthropy in the world, Penn State University’s THON Four Diamonds Fund, when the team will don another version of the blue-and-white specialty jersey to be auctioned after the game, while fans will be able to enjoy the third in what will be a series of three world-famous “Ugly Christmas” items.

The team will also seek to tap the power of pink once again in our Pink in the Rink, when women fifteen years of age and older will be resplendent themselves in a one-of-kind pink hat to be given away that night. As always, the ice will be a perfect shade of pink and the real-men of the Royals will wear their pink jerseys which will be auctioned after the game to raise money for the on-going effort to battle the impact of breast cancer.

The Royals will kick-off Autism Awareness Month in early March when the team will once again partner with the Autism Society of Berks County and Unending Promise, where fans will receive one of the four series in our “Mount Rushmore” of the Royals bobble head series.

Of course, the Royals—under the guidance of our resident Merchandise Magician Gregg Lewis—have historically been league-leaders in the minor-professional sports world for bringing a unique and creative sense to our Specialty Jerseys. That legend is expected to continue to expand and grow this season with a series of new-look uniforms that will be capped by unique jerseys, which will be available for auction and benefit local non-profit organizations, including those for Veterans Day Game, Ugly Christmas Sweater, Pink in the Rink, a “Throw-Back” version of the Royals’ jersey, and our “Autism Awareness” look.

It is important to note that the following list is just a preliminary preview of the 2016-17 Promotional Calendar and the complete schedule is still evolving and will be updated as we approach the season. Please also note that all promotions, dates and giveaways are subject to change.

2016-17 READING ROYALS PRELIMINARY PREVIEW OF

GAME NIGHT PROMOTIONAL EVENTS, APPEARANCES and SPECIAL GIVEAWAYS

(Limited Availability Giveaways In Parentheses) (All Events and Giveaways are Subject to Change)

Saturday, October 15, 2016 (v Elmira Jackals): FREE Pre-Game Block Party on Penn Street with the Pat McGee Band; Boom-Boom Stick giveaway courtesy of Reading Health System.

Friday, October 21, 2016 (v Wheeling Nailers): OCTOBERFEST! Beer Stein giveaway.

Sunday, October 23, 2016 (v Norfolk Admirals): Haunted Hockey Halloween Night; Candy on the Concourse.

Saturday, November 12, 2016 (v Manchester Monarchs): Veterans Recognition Night; Third Annual Afternoon Army / Navy Game with Skills Competition (One Ticket Gains Admission to Army-Navy and Royals’ Games); Rally Towel giveaway at Royals’ game; Specialty Jersey to be worn by team.

Sunday, November 13, 2016 (v Atlanta Gladiators)

Saturday, November 26, 2016 (v Cincinnati Cyclones): Night of Hope; Orange Hunting Hat giveaway courtesy of Deibler Dental (2500); Specialty Jersey to be worn by team.

Saturday, November 27, 2016 (v Cincinnati Cyclones): “Ugly Christmas” Item Giveaway Number One.

Wednesday, November 30, 2016 (v Wheeling Nailers)

Friday, December 9, 2016 (v Indy Fuel): Jack Gulati ‘R-U Happy’ Night?

Saturday, December 10, 2016 (v Indy Fuel): Teddy Bear Toss Night; Toy Train Ornament giveaway; Specialty Jersey to be worn by team.

Wednesday, December 21, 2016 (v Manchester Monarchs)

Friday, December 23, 2016 (v Adirondack Thunder): Christmas Game; “Ugly Christmas” Item Giveaway Number Two.

Wednesday, December 28, 2016 (v Elmira Jackals): Pucks for Paws; Bobble Head Giveaway Number One.

Friday, December 30, 2016 (v Wheeling Nailers): Flyers Friday Number One; Limited Edition Flyers Canvas Image giveaway; Specialty Jersey to be worn by the team.

Friday, January 6, 2017 (v Adirondack Thunder): Flyers Friday Number Two

Saturday, January 7, 2017 (v Adirondack Thunder): Purple Goes Green Night; Cowbell giveaway.

Monday, January 16, 2017 (v Elmira Jackals): Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Matinee; Bobble Head Giveaway Number Two.

Friday, January 20, 2017 (v Adirondack Thunder): Pucks and Pampering Night; Flyers Friday Number Three; Tiara’s Birthday; Wine Glass Giveaway (Ladies 21 and Older); Concourse Pampering for Ladies (Massage, Manicure, Make-Up and More…).

Saturday, January 21, 2017 (v Wheeling Nailers): Penn State University THON Night; “Ugly Christmas” Item Giveaway Number Three; Specialty Jersey to be worn by the team.

Saturday, January 28, 2017 (v Fort Wayne Komets): Outdoor Night; Fleece Blanket Giveaway.

Sunday, January 29, 2017 (v Manchester Monarchs): Slapshot’s Birthday – Mascot Mania; Kids Mini-Locker Room Giveaway Number One.

Thursday, February 9, 2017 (v South Carolina Stingrays): Thirsty-Thursday.

Saturday, February 11, 2017 (v Norfolk Admirals): Special Olympics and All-Abilities Night; Sled Hockey Exhibition; Wall of Honor Induction; Bobble Head Number Three Giveaway.

Sunday, February 12, 2017 (v Norfolk Admirals): Train Bank giveaway (Kids Fourteen and Younger).

Saturday, February 18, 2017 (v Elmira Jackals):  Pink in the Rink; Pink Hat giveaway (Women Fifteen and Older); Specialty Jersey to be worn by the team.

Sunday, February 19, 2017 (v Elmira Jackals): NOTE: 4:00 pm start.

Wednesday, February 22, 2017 (v Greenville Swamp Rabbits)

Sunday, February 26, 2017 (v Greenville Swamp Rabbits): Faith and Family Night; Kids Mini-Locker Room Giveaway Number Two.

Friday, March 3, 2017 (v Manchester Monarchs): Flyers Friday Number Four.

Saturday, March 4, 2017 (v Manchester Monarchs): Autism Awareness Night; Bobble Head Giveaway Number Four; Specialty Jersey to be worn by the team.

Sunday, March 5, 2017 (v Norfolk Admirals): Battle of the Badges Night; Pre-Game: Reading Police Department v Reading Fire Department Hockey Game (12:30 pm) (One Ticket Gains Admission to Battle of the Badges and Royals’ Game); Kids Mini-Locker Room Giveaway Number Three.

Wednesday, March 22, 2017 (v Manchester Monarchs)

Friday, March 24, 2017 (v Adirondack Thunder): Flyers Friday Number Five.

Saturday, March 25, 2017 (v Adirondack Thunder): Scout Night Sleepover; Player Trading Card Set giveaway.

Friday, March 30, 2017 (v Norfolk Admirals)

Saturday, April 1, 2017 (v Brampton Beast): Fandemonium; Team Poster giveaway.

Season Tickets for the 2016-17 Reading Royals ECHL season are currently available. Call 610-898-7825 for more information or log onto www.royalshockey.com.

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