Entertainment is much more than just opening up your doors, putting on a compact disc, taking your guests money and letting them in. Sure, you got there money, who cares. THEY DO!.
Balloon Relay Races
Balloon Tag
Dodgeball
Hot Potato
Redlight, Greenlight Stop & Go
Red Rover, Red Rover
Provide an Interactive Experience
If you are trying to double your profits, then why don't you think of this, if each one of your guests patronize your facility once a week, on a regular basis, and they are happy that their town has a local "hang out" where they wont be hassled by the police, their parents, and other elements, then they are happy, and you are happy, but how can you double your profits?
Simply by offering a unique form of entertainment, sure you play the hokey pokey, couples and trios, maybe even the races. But that is not enough anymore. Your audience, thats what they are, wants to interact. They are paying money to be entertained. They are motivated in a particular number of ways. You as a manager, your session programmer, and your staff should learn how to interact with your guests, and make them feel a part of the entertainment.
Now, this doesnt mean your Skate patrol or floor guard should leave the skate counter to go and juggle skates in the middle of the roller floor, but that isn't a bad idea!
What it means simply is when a guest is playing a video game, he is entertaining himself, and unless he really loses, he walks away happy, and he will play that game again because it was challenging, and provided a short term entertainment value for his money.
Why cant you do the same thing on the roller floor, entertain your guests, make them a part of the game, and should they lose, they are intrigued to play the game again on another day.
You can simply double your profits by making that guest patronize your facility twice a week instead on once. If they leave happy, and was encouraged to be a part of the game, a part of the business, they will feel that they had a great value for their entertainment dollar, and is now encouraged to patronize your facility more than once a week.
Family entertainmnet has no set budget amount in todays family, no matter what their income level. If a child or a family is entertained, and feel they had a great value for their money spent, they choose to spend more for that experience.
I have discovered that in businesses such as ours, the most interaction that staff has with a guest is yelling, slow down, or go spit your gum out, and more often that not, that guest, although a regular participant in your facility will actually spit the gum out right in front of you on the carpet, or on the roller floor. Do we want these guests? yes, we sure do! With some entertainment value and encouragement, your staff can motivate your guests to actually care about your facility, because they see you care about the facility, because they get a great entertainment value for their money, and they get an experience each time they visit.
I love to work the crowd, and you should too. If you see a guest seeming to not have a good time, it could be that johnny is skating with another girl, it could be that they are new to the facility and dont know what to do, it could be that they are just bored.
Its your job to find out. If your staff is properly trained, you shouldnt be counting money in your office, or otherwise hiding in your office, your facility is closed enough hours where there are no guests in your facility, to do the daily work, when there are guests in your facility, dont hide, get out there and literally thank people for coming to your facility. You should know at least 65 % of the guests in your facility, if you dont know a guest, go ask them how their experience is. Especially a confused parent, its too loud, there are too many kids, the parents are ususlly the ones you want to make on your side, they earn the disposable entertainment budget, make them happy, let them know who you are, be approachable.
Unless you just witnessed johnny defacing your property, or physically or verbally assaulting another guest, there isnt much reason to yell at a guest, in fact, even when you see these things happen, you should be in command, and take the opportunity to turn it into a positive. Not always an easy thing to do, but tactful diplomacy has always been the best serving disruptive youth.
I remember one rink operator who would literally throw his guests out of the facility, over and over again. I couldnt understand, he was mean, he was disrespectful, and each week the same kids would get thrown out. He further explained that the guests patronized his facility each week and then entered the facility to cause just enought trouble to cause this operator to lose his temper and throw them out, why not he said, i already have their money, and they come back each week anyway. Well, i watched, the group of kids did exactly that, each week, without fail. And i also noticed just before our session got over, they would come back into the parking lot to get the ride from mom or dad.
Then after a few weeks i noticed that they stopped coming. When i asked some other local kids thier age what happened to them, they told me that they were arrested for dealing drugs a few weekends ago. It was just about the same time that the parents called to inform the rink operator that it was his fault that her son got arrested. Because he threw them out of the facility. Think about it, its true! In this day of liability, and the temptations to youth today, don't throw them out of the facility if they cause a scene, at least you know what kind of trouble they are getting into in your facility, who knows what they are doing out in your community, or behind your building!
In our business, we are not americas cheapest babysitter, although on a rink-tour drive a few years back, that was on the marquee at one roller rink. We are responsible for the social develpoment and interaction with youth who patronize our facility. Just as a teacher is to the mind, and sports is to the body, in our business we are the mind. From the sweet smells of warm fresh cookies or the aroma of burnt cotton candy sugar, to johnny meeting sally on a friday night, we are an integral part of these childrens lives. It is our duty to teach, guide and motivate these children, and if we can provide a sense of entertainment value, and make it worth their while for them to attend more than one session per week, then you have suceeded, for the boss has a better profit margin, and the guests have a better value for their time.
Below are a few games we encourage you to play. They are different than most family entertainment centers. They are not a guarantee to please all crowds, but they are a part of putting the game on the roller floor, and putting the guest inside the game. Interactive play. That is the sucess of your business. Good Luck!
Set Up: 4 cones set up on the speed track, Several balloons
Call everyone to line up on the speed racing line for the Balloon Relay Race. Hand your
floor guard several balloons.
"Skaters, It's time for the Balloon Relay race. You need teams of two to play
in this game. As soon as you are all lined up on the speed racing line, I will explain
the rules on how to play the Balloon Relay races."
Have the floor guard line teammates in front of each other and distribute the
balloons. Hand one balloon to the first skater on each team.
These are the rules to the Balloon Relay Races:
"Skaters, the Balloon Relay Race is a fast paced, fun game. If you do not
trust your skating ability, you should step off the roller floor and wait for an all
skate to be called.
Skaters hold on to your Balloon tightly.
This will be a four lap race with each skater racing one lap at a time.
When I say GO, the first skater will take off and race one lap around the
four orange speed cones.
Then, each skater will CAREFULLY hand off their Balloon to their
teammate. Who will skate one lap around the track and repeat the process
again. Until the four laps are completed.
IF YOU DROP YOUR BALLOON, YOUR TEAM IS OUT AND MUST STEP
OFF THE ROLLER FLOOR."
Set Up: 4 cones set up on the speed track, 4 cones set up in a box in the center of the roller floor, Several balloons
Call everyone in front of the sound booth to line up for balloon tag. Floor guard should
facilitate the lining up process and be in the box area in order to react to a skater down.
"Skaters, it is time for the fast paced, fun game of Balloon tag. As soon as
you are all lined up on the speed racing line, I will throw out the balloons. If you
catch a balloon, head right to the center of the roller floor and wait in the box area.
While I explain the rules on how to play balloon tag."
These are the rules to Balloon Tag:
Skaters, Balloon Tag is a fast paced, fun game. If you do not trust your
skating ability, you should step off the roller floor and wait for an all skate to be
called.
As soon as you hear the music play, you can start skating in the regular
skating direction. Skating outside the four orange speed cones.
I will give you a lap or two to build up your speed. Then you will hear me
say, BREAK. At that time, my host taggers will come out of the box area, onto
the skating track with you and bop you with the balloons.
Skaters, if you are bopped with a balloon, you must stop skating where you
are. And head to the box area in the center of the roller floor. Until you hear
me say BREAK. When you know it is safe to come back onto the skating track.
Skaters, if you hear me say REVERSE, I need you to scream really loud.
Stop, Turn Around, and skate in the opposite skating direction.
Skaters, if you hear me say SKATER DOWN, that means someone has fallen
on the track. That means slow down, look around, and make sure you do not
skate over anybody.
ONE LAST WORD OF CAUTION, if you fall, and you are hurt, STAY
THERE Our floor guard will be right over to help you. If you are not hurt, get up
right away and finish playing BALLOON TAG.
Set Up: 4 cones set up on the speed track, 4 cones set up in a box in the center of the roller floor, Several Dodgeballs (or beach balls)
Call everyone in front of the sound booth to line up for Dodgeball
"As soon as you are all lined up I will throw out the Dodgeballs. If you catch
a Dodgeball, head right to the center of the roller floor and wait in the box area.
While I explain the rules on how to play Dodgeball."
These are the rules to Dodgeball:
Skaters, Dodgeball is a fast paced, fun game. If you do not trust your skating
ability, you should step off the roller floor and wait for an all skate to be called.
As soon as you hear the music play, you can start skating in the regular
skating direction. Skating outside the four orange speed cones.
I will give you a lap or two to build up your speed. Then you will hear me
say, BREAK. At that time, my host taggers will come out of the box area, onto
the skating track with you and they are going to throw the Dodgeballs at you.
Skaters, if you are tagged with a Dodgeball, you must stop skating where you
are. And head to the box area in the center of the roller floor. Until you hear me
say BREAK. When you know it is safe to come back onto the skating track.
Skaters, if you hear me say REVERSE, I need you to scream really loud.
Stop, Turn Around, and skate in the opposite skating direction.
Skaters, if you hear me say SKATER DOWN, that means someone has fallen
on the track. That means slow down, look around, and make sure you do not
skate over anybody.
Skaters, DO NOT get caught holding the Dodgeball for more than three
seconds. Once you pick up a Dodgeball, you must throw the dodgeball right
away.
ONE LAST WORD OF CAUTION, if you fall, and you are hurt, STAY
THERE Our floor guard will be right over to help you. If you are not hurt, get up
right away and finish playing DODGEBALL.
Set Up: Sit everyone in the center of the roller floor, in a big circle, Several Hot Potato Balls (or beach balls)
Call everyone to the center of the roller floor to play Hot Potato.
"Skaters, It is time to play Hot Potato. I need everyone to head to the center
of the roller floor and line up in a circle. Hot Potato is a fun skills game which
requires no special roller skating skills. join your friends in the center floor and get
ready to play Hot Potato."
Have the floor guard line players up in a circle.
These are the rules to Hot Potato:
Everyone have a seat on the roller floor within arms distance of each other.
When you hear the music play, (Tevin Campbells' Round and Round) start
passing the Hot Potato balls to the person on your right. You must hand off the
Hot Potato Balls, Do not Throw it to the person next to you.
When the music stops, the person caught holding the Hot Potato ball is out.
And must leave the center circle.
If you hear me say reverse, stop the Hot Potato ball and hand it to the
person in the opposite direction.
As the game continues, our floor guard will take out Hot Potato balls until
we are down to our last player.
Set Up: None
Call everyone to the far end of the roller floor to line up for Redlight, Greenlight Stop &
Go.
"Skaters, it is time for Redlight, Greenlight Stop And Go. Head on down to
the far end of the roller floor and line up along the back wall. As soon as you are all
lined up I will explain the rules on how to play Redlight, Greenlight Stop & Go.
Skaters, you do not need any special roller skating skills to play this game."
These are the rules to Redlight, Greenlight Stop & Go:
Skaters, the object of this game is to be one of the first three skaters to reach
the other end of the roller floor. If you are one of the first three skaters you will
recieve a food prize from our Snack Bar.
Skaters the only time you can move towards the other end of the roller floor
is when you hear me say these two magic words, GREENLIGHT GO.
You have until the time I say, REDLIGHT STOP 1,2,3 to come to a complete
stop. However, if you are not totally, completely stopped by the time you hear
me say REDLIGHT STOP 1,2,3, you must go all the way back to the beginning.
Fair warning skaters, I am going to throw in a lot of trick words. These trick
words may sound like the magic words. But they are not.
These trick words sound like, Greenlight Goalie, Greenlight Gopher,
Greenlight Ghost, Greenlighter Go, Green Lightbulb. You never know, I may
Whisper it, I may scream it. So, listen very carefully.
Right now skaters, you need to have one hand touching the back wall.
SAY, (a trick word or two)
GREENLIGHT GO!
REDLIGHT STOP 1, 2, 3
Skaters, fair warning, this is your one and only chance to cheat. From this
point on in the game, do not get caught moving your arms, your legs, your head,
your nopse or your toes. Do not move any part of your body...FREEZE!
Fair warning, the next words out of my mouth are going to be trick
words...DO NOT MOVE.
Sample trick word list:
Greenlight goal, goalie, goat, gob, gobble, gold, golf, gong, gorilla, glow, globe, girls,
gum, ghost, gopher, grow,
Set Up: Two lanes of pylons across the center of the roller floor creating an alley, Enlist the help of your floor guard to be the host tagger for the game.
Call everyone to the far end of the roller floor to line up for Red Rover, Red Rover..
"Skaters, It is time for Red Rover, Red Rover. Head on down to the far end
of the roller floor and line up along the back wall. As soon as you are all lined up, I
will explain the rules on how to play. Red Rover, Red Rover is a fast paced fun
game, If you do not trust your skating ability, you should step off the roller floor
and wait for an all skate to be called.
These are the rules to Red Rover, Red Rover:
Skaters, I will call you over individually, or in select groups. The object is to
make it through the alley, to the other end of the roller floor without getting
tagged.
If you make it through the alley un-tagged, you continue in the game and
wait at the end of the roller floor until you are called to cross the alley again.
If you are tagged, you become a host tagger and must remain in the center
alley.
Taggers, you must stay within the alley cones to tag players skating across
the alley.
Skaters, once I call you to come over, you only have to the count of ten to
cross the alley.
This will ensure repeat business because...
This makes your guest a part of your business.
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Last Update: Monday, September 29, 1999 9:06 pm
