San Diego Gulls To Host Military Appreciation Night On Veterans Day
Nov 9, 2023The San Diego Gulls announced today that the American Hockey League (AHL) club will honor active and retired service members by hosting Military Appreciation Night, brought to you by Indian Motorcycle of San Diego, on Saturday, Nov. 11 vs. the Colorado Eagles at 6 p.m. This Veterans Day celebration will pay tribute to San Diego’s military members and their families, as well as raise awareness and funds that will be donated to the Armed Services YMCA.
The Gulls Community Relations Department will donate over 1,500 tickets to the game to local veterans, service members and other military support organizations, bringing the Gulls donation total to over 22,000 tickets all-time for these specific games. In addition, all local veterans, service members and other military support organizations will receive free parking in any general lot by showing their military identification card to the parking attendants at Pechanga Arena San Diego. Military members and their families can also sign up to participate in a free post-game skate (limited to 150 participants).
Armed Services YMCA Executive Director and 31-year Navy veteran Frank Martin will drop the puck prior to Saturday’s contest. Martin served as a Surface Warfare Officer in the Navy and held command of Navy installations in Korea, Japan and the Navy Midwest region. In his last active assignment, he managed an annual operating budget of $290 million as Commander Navy Region Midwest.
San Diego will wear specialty red, white and blue uniforms throughout the game to commemorate the event and the first 8,000 fans in attendance will receive a free Gulls hat in the same style, courtesy of Indian Motorcycle of San Diego. The Gulls will also feature additional military-themed memorabilia at all merchandise stands on both Friday, Nov. 10 and Saturday, Nov. 11.
The San Diego Gulls Foundation will also host a game-worn jersey raffle and a special military-themed Surprise Puck sale. Raffle tickets ($10) and Surprise Pucks ($25) will be available at the San Diego Gulls Foundation booth on the concourse at Section 10. Fans can select pucks at random, with five surprise pucks including an additional gift of either Gulls player-signed memorabilia or Gulls merchandise. A limited number of pucks are available (limit five per person). Additionally, a selection of the team’s game-worn jerseys will be autographed and available through an online silent auction during the game. More information on the auction can be found at SanDiegoGulls.com/Auction or by texting MilitaryApp to 76278. All proceeds raised by the San Diego Gulls Foundation via the auction, raffles, and Surprise Puck sale will be donated to the Armed Services YMCA.
Saturday’s game will also be broadcast live on KUSI-SD, the first Gulls game ever to be broadcast on the station. Gulls’ play-by-play broadcaster Aaron Cooney and color analyst BJ MacPherson will be joined by FOX 5 San Diego’s sports director Troy Hirsch, who will provide rink-side analysis.
Individual game tickets can be purchased through SanDiegoGulls.com/Tickets, by calling (844) GO-GULLS or in person at the Pechanga Arena San Diego box office. Tickets sold at the box office are first-come, first-served.
About the San Diego Gulls Foundation
The San Diego Gulls Foundation serves as the team’s main charitable beneficiary. The mission of the San Diego Gulls Foundation is to facilitate and support programs that produce positive change for children and families throughout San Diego by providing educational opportunities, broadening access to the sport of hockey and addressing the health and wellness needs of our community. To learn more about the San Diego Gulls Foundation and its community initiatives, please visit SanDiegoGulls.com/Community.