Photo via Erin Magee
When you think of Washington Capitals Superfans, arena regulars like The Horn Guy, Red Man, Goat, our pal Ovie the Bulldog, and T.J. Yoshie & Mario (a.k.a. Brouwer Rangers, a.k.a. Knuble Knights) come to mind. But no one exudes support and enthusiasm for the guys in red more than the Caps’ very own In-Game host, Erin Magee.
You can find her on the concourse, in the stands, and on the big screen at the Verizon Center during Caps game breaks and intermissions. She may be encouraging an excited fan to ‘Spot the Cow’ for a chance to win a prize, or interviewing Caps alumni or honoring a member of the military. No matter what she does to get the crowd involved, she does it with spirit and flare. Magee is a true Superfan.
Magee grew up the in Washington area. Always a Caps fan, she decided to audition for the Red Rockers Spirit Squad five years ago and was excited to make the team. She quickly became a fan favorite and an integral part of the Monumental Sports and Entertainment family. After two years of supporting the Caps as a Red Rocker and developing a substantial fan base, the opportunity arose to jump into the role as In-Game host. Magee didn’t hesitate. She went for it, got the job and hit the ground running. This season marks her third year as In-Game host.
“My favorite part about being the In-Game host is interacting with fans. If I have a bad day for some reason, I know going and seeing my Caps family will make my day brighter and better,” said Magee. “It’s amazing how just being around the people you love, and bonding over something you love, can make you feel so at peace. And then the guys start fighting on the ice… and the peaceful feeling goes away but the love I have for the fans stays the same.”
Magee’s energy and passion for interacting with others doesn’t stop at the end of a Caps game.
“It has always been a dream of mine to teach science so I got certified back in April to teach science in middle school. I’m now teaching science at [a private school] in Rockville. I teach 4th, 5th and 6th graders,” she said.
Being a Superfan, Magee has always encouraged Caps fans to show off their team spirit. She and the folks at Monumental Sports and Entertainment have taken it a step further this season by introducing Erin’s Challenge.
According to Magee’s blog on the Scarlet Caps website, this new campaign invites fans to break out the glue guns and sparkle, buy the big container of markers and pick up a poster board. She wants fans to show the team how creative they really can be when making signs for the home games. Fans can stay tuned for all the signs created throughout the season on Magee’s Instagram, Twitter and Facebook page.
“The Scarlet blogs are a combination of things I’d like to write about and also topics that appeal to the readers,” Magee said. “The more I write and get feedback, the better my blog posts have been. I really want fans to interact with me more on Twitter and now on Facebook, too! We’re brainstorming more ideas on how to get Caps fans even more involved. We also have a new pregame show called Caps Countdown that takes place before warm-ups, I’m working more closely with Scarlet Caps and I will be attending some of their events throughout the year.”
Whether the multi-talented Magee is being silly and wacky, or doing a serious interview, one thing is certain — she loves her job as In-Game host.
“If I had to describe how I feel in my position now I would have to say grateful. Grateful for the opportunity to meet so many amazing and inspiring people. Never in a million years would I have thought that my life would lead me to talking to 18,000 people in Verizon Center, but it has and I am so thankful every single day for this chance. I wouldn’t trade it for the world!”
Look for Erin Magee on Caps’ game days at the Verizon Center and visit her blog.
