So let me get this right: The Red Wings are running a promotion that has nothing directly to do with the Red Wings (it’s not the best Red Wings holiday display, just the best holiday display), gives a non-Red Wings prize as first place, and awards as second prize something that requires the “winner” to figure out how to get 288 miles away 38 hours later to use it or lose it on a night in which any hotel in the region you’re going to will charge an exorbitant rate because it’s New Year’s Eve. And couldn’t you see someone winning first prize and going, “I’d rather have the game tickets?”

That, ladies and gentlemen, is quality marketing!

He’s right. This is a mess and the only flawless aspect of this whole contest is the 3rd prize jersey—prizes 1 & 2 should have been combined.

Obviously every team has it’s marketing misfires (Vancouver has certainly taken its share of hits lately) but this Wings one is pretty trainwreckish.

After all, is there anything sadder than the thought of a couple Wings fans winning those Classic tickets and unable to do anything with them? Stuck in some seedy Detroit bar, watching the game and imagining what could have been…

I’d rather save that kind of fun for their pre-purchased and unnecessary Stanley Cup Finals tickets, after they get bumped out of the playoffs by Dallas or something. (Now that would be fun.)

But taunting them with Winter Classic tickets they almost certainly won’t be able to use? That’s just plain mean.
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*my thanks to Christy for the head’s up in my Twitter feed today.