Power Play

February 6, 2025

When I was in high school, the New Jersey Devils hockey team started offering a pair of free tickets to area students who got straight A’s on their report cards. At first, most of my friends didn’t care much about hockey. But we did like free things! So we started making our way to the Meadowlands.

At first, it was just about the novelty; we’d pool our tickets and find a parent to drive us. After a few matches, though, we started actually appreciating what was happening down on the ice. The swish of skates, the controlled chaos of a breakaway, and the electrifying tension before a slapshot—it hooked us. We became more than just the nerds eating hot dogs in the nosebleed seats of the Brendan Byrne Arena. To this day, whenever the Devils pop onto my radar, those memories flash up and make me smile. It's the only context in which ice can give me a warm glow.

Looking back, I see what a smart win-win move that was by the Devils: They got to fill seats with young people unlikely to cause trouble and simultaneously make a long-term investment in community engagement. A simple gesture to pat us on the back for our hard work created a lifelong connection to the team. Hundreds of yesterday’s students became today’s loyal fans.

This kind of outreach isn’t limited to sports, of course; anyone offering such experiences can build lasting connections at almost zero cost with just a little creativity. Orchestras, theaters, and museums often have empty seats or extra capacity. Schools, parents, and community groups can find out whether such programs already exist, or even volunteer to help facilitate them if they don't. If you know of an organization already running a program like this, let me know—KidsOutAndAbout would love to help spread the word. And if you have a passion for something and see an opportunity to connect kids to it, consider reaching out to the group to help make it happen.

I don’t know if the Devils still offer the tickets-for-grades bribe, but you have to give them their due for the genius idea. It’s a power play worth replicating.

—Deb