Philadelphia Flyers
Flyers’ New Ticket VP Undaunted by Tough Challenge Ahead
Lisa Feigenbaum has been thrown into a difficult situation — trying to get Philadelphia Flyers fans to watch a team coming off the second-worst season in franchise history — but she is undaunted by her task.
Having spent eight years (2012-20) with the NBA’s lowly Sacramento Kings prepared her for her new job as senior vice president of ticketing for the Flyers and the Wells Fargo Center.
“I had a tremendous opportunity there, and I think in many ways, the situation there makes me uniquely qualified to come in and really have an impact here,” said Feigenbaum, who was born and raised in West Hartford, Conn.
She will oversee all ticketing at the Wells Fargo Center, including the Flyers, Wings, concerts, and family shows.
Most recently, she worked briefly as senior VP of ticketing for the XFL, a pro football league set to re-launch in February.
“And when this opportunity came about,” she said, “it was a no-brainer to get to work for such an iconic franchise.”
Long drought
Well, the Flyers at one time were an iconic franchise. But not many fans would use that adjective anymore.
The Flyers have won one playoff series in the last 10 years. They are only slightly better than the Sacramento Kings during Feigenbaum’s eight seasons there: zero playoff appearances in that span.
Feigenbaum is well-aware of the Flyers’ struggles over the last decade.
Does that make her job tougher?
“Listen, I get it,” she said in an interview last week. “But to me, it’s all about what I can control, and it’s all about energy and optimism and focusing on the iconic brand and legacy that this organization has. I believe in our fan base, and I’m not worried about it.”
‘All in’
Feigenbaum exudes enthusiasm.
“I love Philly. I’m all in,” she said, noting she recently set roots here by purchasing a Fairmount condo.
After working for the NBA’s Kings, she was executive VP and chief strategy officer for the WNBA’s Dallas Wings and Panther City Lacrosse of the the National Lacrosse League.
Because the Sacramento Kings struggled, she knows the challenges her job with the Flyers will bring.
“I got to open a brand-new building there,” she said. “And the transformation project that has happened here ($350 million in renovations to the Wells Fargo Center) is fantastic. And look, the Kings haven’t made the playoffs since 2006 and we have a very loyal and excited fan base in Sacramento. I never thought I had experienced such a prideful fan base — and now I find myself in this situation. The passion of the Philly sports fans is (great). I’m really excited to marry my past experience and bring some new energy here and hit the ground running.”
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Feigenbaum said she will “focus on the fan experience.”
“And given the situation we were in in Sacramento, it really gave me the opportunity to double-down on that, and I’m really excited to have an impact here, too.”
She said she will “lean” on the Flyers’ tradition and creating year-round benefits for season-ticket holders.
Searching for new fans
One of her aspirations, Feigenbaum said, is to figure a way to “get some new fans exposed to our product. The younger, casual fans, people like me who are moving into the area.”
The Kings’ home attendance increased in most of the eight seasons Feigenbaum was there, setting a single-season record in the process.
”We crushed it,” she said. “Part of that was having a very loyal fan base, and part of it was having someone like me at the helm, who understood the vision and how to execute that with a great staff.”
The Flyers averaged 16,541 fans per home game last season, their lowest full-season total since 1972-73.
Feigenbaum didn’t have the number of Philadelphia Flyers season tickets that have been sold for the 2022-23 season, but it is expected to be much lower than last year. The Flyers made few off-season moves, and they are counting heavily on Sean Couturier, Ryan Ellis and Kevin Hayes to bounce back from injuries.
While Feigenbaum will be involved in other Wells Fargo Center events, most of her job will revolve around the Flyers.
“I’m really excited to take the fan experience to the next level,” she said. “Innovation is going to be really key, too, as we explore several technology tools. All these little things that will take us into a new era of fan experience.”
Nothing, of course, would improve that experience more than a successful season.
Good Fn’ luck! It will be a cold day in hell before I pay to see this debacle dressed in orange. I’ve been watching the Flyers since 1985 but don’t have time for them anymore.
After years, decades really, of consistent sell-outs, I never would have thought the Flyers would be in such a position to have to entice people to attend games. Sadly, they have become an afterthought in the city. It’s like 1967 again. Good luck.
Once again, here comes another corporate drone hired by Comcast to talk about the “fan experience.” More proof that Comcast doesn’t have a clue how to run this franchise.
Hockey fans just want to watch a competitive team. That is the only “fan experience” that we care about. Keep the corporate BS in your lousy cable business and out of the hockey franchise. Just more proof that Comcast will never run a successful pro franchise!
What a farce. Like Valerie, another OUTSIDER from other sports and other cities coming in to “attract younger more casual fans?” Seriously. How about putting together a skilled team that long time DEDICATED fans will enjoy watching? How about bringing in top hockey minds like Sakic or Yzerman to run the team and improve, like, HOCKEY THINGS?
Wow…she bought a condo. She’s “all in.” Slow clap.
This organization continues to flounder in ways I never thought possible. Something big has to give.
She claims to be uniquely qualified to come here because she worked in the NBA in Cali and was born in CT? Ummmmmmmm….how about “no?”
“The younger, casual fans, people like me who are moving into the area.” — Yeah, this is just what we need for hockey. More casual, more watering down the product, more experiences, and less actual quality hockey.
You can take it because I’ve left it.
She’s excited to take the ” fan experience to the next level ” . . . .She had a meeting with what’s her name, Valerie Camillo . . .
We need folks at the top with a plan, building a great team, serious hockey talent at management level, scouting level, developing level . . . Not this fan experience B.S.
Get a dominating team on ice and see what happens with the ” fan experience “
Totally agree. The Corporation has its misguided ideas about how and to whom to market the team. Many longtime fans have either been priced out of attending games or have been turned off by a substandard on-ice product and “fan experience” gimmicks.
A few suggestions:
And there focus continues to be in all the wrong areas. When Gritty and a ticket person are stories, it’s clear you do not have focus on putting the best team possible on the ice. They continue to try to find other ways to fill seats. This franchise is currently a disgrace and it breaks the heart of a life long Flyers fan. Your best choice here would have been to not write this story at all. I guarantee her being here will have no effect on filling seats. Not real difficult to understand what will.
It. DOESNT matter how many gimmicks the Flyers use to attract people to come see them; if the Team on the ice is putrid and seemingly assembled and put together by idiots that dont know what their doing in a Cap World NHL. Never thought id see the Philly Flyers in this situation. What Fletcher has done in REALITY is chain the entire Organization to a Cap Hell for the next several seasons. They are going to be lousy for a long time to come. GUARANTEED.