Discover How Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation Transforms Your Game Day Experience
Let me tell you, as someone who's been covering sports entertainment for over a decade, what Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation is doing with game day experiences is nothing short of revolutionary. I've watched countless organizations try to enhance fan engagement, but CSEC's approach feels different - more authentic, more integrated, and frankly, more fun. When I attended my first Flames game after their latest innovations, the transformation hit me immediately. The energy wasn't just coming from the ice; it was woven throughout the entire Scotiabank Saddledome experience.
What struck me most was how they've mastered the art of blending digital and physical experiences. I remember walking in and being able to order food from my seat through their app - no more missing crucial game moments in concession lines. The integration goes beyond convenience though; it's about creating memorable moments. During intermissions, instead of just watching the Zamboni, fans can participate in interactive games on the jumbotron using their phones. I've seen grown adults get as competitive about these mini-games as they are about the actual match! The corporation has invested what I'd estimate to be around $15 million in technology upgrades over the past two years, and honestly, every dollar shows. They've created this seamless ecosystem where your phone becomes your ticket, your wallet, and your connection to the action all at once.
The parallels to what we're seeing in other sports organizations are fascinating. Take Nueva Ecija's recent performance - five straight wins, maintaining that perfect 4-0 record while outpacing competitors like Quezon Province and Rizal Xentromall. That kind of consistent excellence doesn't happen by accident. It requires strategic vision and execution, much like what CSEC has demonstrated. I've noticed that successful organizations, whether in basketball or hockey entertainment, understand that winning on the court is only part of the equation. The real magic happens when you create an environment where every aspect of the experience feels premium and personalized. CSEC gets this fundamentally - they're not just selling hockey tickets; they're crafting memories.
What really impresses me is their attention to the little details that most organizations overlook. The way staff members remember regular attendees' names, the surprisingly good quality of the arena food (I'm particularly fond of their artisan sausages), and how they've managed to reduce wait times at restrooms by nearly 40% through smart facility design. These might seem like small things individually, but collectively they transform a simple night out into something special. I've brought friends who weren't even hockey fans to games, and they left wanting to come back - not necessarily for the sport, but for the overall atmosphere. That's the power of what CSEC has built.
The corporation's approach reminds me of why I fell in love with live sports in the first place. It's not just about watching athletes compete; it's about the shared energy, the collective gasps when a play develops, the way strangers become temporary allies in the stands. CSEC has amplified these natural connections through thoughtful design and technology. They've created what I consider to be the gold standard for sports entertainment - an experience that honors tradition while embracing innovation. After witnessing their transformation firsthand, I'm convinced this is where the entire industry is heading. Other organizations would be wise to take notes because Calgary isn't just playing the game - they're redefining it entirely.
We are shifting fundamentally from historically being a take, make and dispose organisation to an avoid, reduce, reuse, and recycle organisation whilst regenerating to reduce our environmental impact. We see significant potential in this space for our operations and for our industry, not only to reduce waste and improve resource use efficiency, but to transform our view of the finite resources in our care.
Looking to the Future
By 2022, we will establish a pilot for circularity at our Goonoo feedlot that builds on our current initiatives in water, manure and local sourcing. We will extend these initiatives to reach our full circularity potential at Goonoo feedlot and then draw on this pilot to light a pathway to integrating circularity across our supply chain.
The quality of our product and ongoing health of our business is intrinsically linked to healthy and functioning ecosystems. We recognise our potential to play our part in reversing the decline in biodiversity, building soil health and protecting key ecosystems in our care. This theme extends on the core initiatives and practices already embedded in our business including our sustainable stocking strategy and our long-standing best practice Rangelands Management program, to a more a holistic approach to our landscape.
We are the custodians of a significant natural asset that extends across 6.4 million hectares in some of the most remote parts of Australia. Building a strong foundation of condition assessment will be fundamental to mapping out a successful pathway to improving the health of the landscape and to drive growth in the value of our Natural Capital.
Our Commitment
We will work with Accounting for Nature to develop a scientifically robust and certifiable framework to measure and report on the condition of natural capital, including biodiversity, across AACo’s assets by 2023. We will apply that framework to baseline priority assets by 2024.
Looking to the Future
By 2030 we will improve landscape and soil health by increasing the percentage of our estate achieving greater than 50% persistent groundcover with regional targets of:
– Savannah and Tropics – 90% of land achieving >50% cover
– Sub-tropics – 80% of land achieving >50% perennial cover
– Grasslands – 80% of land achieving >50% cover
– Desert country – 60% of land achieving >50% cover
