Exclusive: Edmonton Oilers contemplating return of Oil Change documentary, introduction of premium content services

The Edmonton Oilers are contemplating the introduction of a premium content services that may include the return of infamous documentary show Oil Change.

Oil Change originally aired providing a behind the scenes look at the Oilers organization between 2010 and 2014 amid some of the toughest days in the franchise.

A survey advertisement has recently appeared on the team’s website, and involved a 29 question questionnaire asking for opinions on a proposed OILERS+ premium content services. No similar popups appeared on any of the NHL’s other team websites.

Tom Anselmi, president of business and chief operating officer for the Oilers Entertainment Group, told OilersNation the organization is looking for new ways to engage fans.

“We have one of the most avid fan bases in all of pro sports and like everyone, we are all looking for ways to engage, and have a deeper relationship,” said Anselmi. “We have a lot of content, and our fans have an insatiable appetite for it.

“We want to get it to them and are considering a new service to do that.”

The proposed content involves Oil Change, “where out cameras will take you behind the scenes of the Edmonton Oilers Hockey Club,” as well as “elevated, in-depth unfiltered 1:1 interviews with players, coaches, management, scouts, other operations personnel and special guests from around the league.”

The services would also introduce an extensive library of archived content that may include banner raising ceremonies, the Boys on The Bus documentary series that gave a similar look as Oil Change to the 1980’s Oilers, the Farewell Rexall ceremony, and “many other special events and documentaries.”

Other potential additional content suggested was a “lifestyle series covering food, cocktails and healthy living from various subject matter experts from around the ICE District,” an in-depth look “around the rink” going behind the scenes of Rogers Place, as well as an in-depth “away from the rink” that would feature “players’ significant others and their families, both in-season and off-season.

It also asked how much the questionee would value an “Edmonton & Area Minor Hockey AAA/AA ‘Game of the Week’ live stream.”

Questionees were asked how likely they were to subscribe to the service given price ranges between $4-$10.

Anselmi said the survey was designed to be a consultation with fans.

“This is really about consulting with them, getting their perspective,” he said. “What do our fans want more access to? What is premium content vs. what’s expected? What do we need to do to engage our fans more, and have them want to engage more? What’s the best approach to all of this?”

The Oil Change documentary covered some of the Oilers toughest seasons as a franchise. Mired with multiple bottom-of-the-league finishes, the documentary provided a look into the franchise’s picks of first overall selections Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Nail Yakupov as well as the seventh overall selection of Darnell Nurse, as well as the day-to-day operations of the club.

In May 2013, the show, produced by Aquilla Productions, won awards for best director and best screenwriter. In a 2013 article in The Oklahoman, Aquilla Productions president Don Metz said the show had “over a million hours of downloading that first year on the internet.”