Magnet Schedules
I hope that after my blog on Pocket Schedules, some readers were inspired to collect schedules. I know that Alan from Kenora, Ontario loves his new hobby and is thrilled by all the new schedules he is acquiring. He sent me an e-mail and he can’t believe how much fun and inexpensive Pocket Schedule collecting is. In this blog, I will cover an extension of Pocket Schedules – Refrigerator Magnet Schedules.
Magnet Schedules first came on the scene in the late eighties and have become very popular with schedule collectors. The original Winnipeg Jets were one of the first hockey teams to issue one in the 1989-90 season. Most teams give out their free Magnet Schedule during an early season promotional game. After the promotional game, the magnets are usually available from the team’s marketing department, the team’s souvenir shop, or from the sponsor of the schedule. Even the Montreal Canadiens got into the act in the 2002-03 season by giving away their very first Magnet Schedule as part of a promotion before their Halloween game.
The magnets can be quite beautiful. Most display the team’s logo, have the team’s season schedule, and usually advertise the team’s sponsor. Many teams also place photos of their superstar players. The magnets may be rectangular or die cut into an odd shape. The team is also able to celebrate a milestone like an inaugural season or a Stanley Cup victory on its magnet. This is evident on the Detroit Red Wings 2002-03 magnet which has a die cut image of the Stanley Cup following their cup victory the previous year. The Florida Panthers marketing department is always very creative when it comes to schedules, tickets and line-up cards. They have had die cut Magnet Schedules in the shape of the team’s jersey and in 1999-00 had a beautiful hockey puck shaped magnet. One of my favourite magnets is the 1994-95 Boston Bruins magnet. This was the last season in The Boston Garden and to commemorate the event, the Bruins had a photo of the inside of The Garden on their magnet.
Storage is always a problem for collectors and Magnet Schedules, because of their weight and odd shapes, pose a greater problem. Collectors want to store memorabilia in a way that displays the item’s beauty while still maintaining its good condition. I store my magnets in 1-pocket and 2-pocket sheets which are housed in large 3-ring binders. The magnets are arranged chronologically by team in alphabetical order. In this way, it is easy to add new magnets to my collection and flip through the binder and enjoy the beauty of my magnet collection. But, the binder can get quite heavy and it may be necessary to add a second binder as the collection grows.
I obtain the majority of my magnets directly from the team by letter or e-mail request. There are also magnets up for auction on internet auction sites like Ebay. You do not see that many Magnet Schedules at collectible shows, but I’m sure that as the hobby becomes more popular, dealers will jump on the bandwagon and have magnets on their tables for sale. And of course, trading with other magnet collectors is always a fun way to acquire Magnet Schedules that I need. There is even a Yahoo Group called SkedNet, which is a message board devoted to schedule collecting, where collectors post their trade list and want list of Magnet Schedules. Please feel free to contact me if you are interested in Magnet Schedule collecting and would like any additional information.