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WORLD CUP OF HOCKEY 2016

MARKETING PLAN
By Anthony Roufos
Sports Marketing
Professor Steve Greenberg
December 3, 2016
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Executive Summary – World Cup of Hockey

Sales

Objective:

• To create ticket packages that will play on factors such as rivalries, nationality, and
youth, to entice fans.

Solution:

• “Rivalry” Package
o The focus of this package is rivalries. With the way the groups are determined
there will be a total of four rivalry games to choose from. The fan could select 2-4
games to attend, which would create the package. The groups have determined the
rivalries.
▪ Group A Rivalries: USA/Canada, Czech Republic/Europe
▪ Group B Rivalries: Finland/Sweden, Russia/North America
• “Young Guns” Package
o This package will consist of games involving Team North America. The interest
here is that these are the future stars of the NHL, and for many this will be there
first time on the major international stage, because no casual fans really watches
the World Junior Championships. Also every team in their group has high level
NHL talent, which will sell tickets.
▪ Games available to bundle: NA/Finland, NA/Russia, NA/Sweden
• “National” Packages
o These packages will be for fans who showcase national pride, and are less
concerned with rivalries or skaters of the future. There will be a USA, Canada,
Europe, Finland, Sweden, North America, Russia, and Czech package. Fans can
create a package starting anywhere from 2 games.

Promotion

Objective:

• To create a fun and entertaining environment for the fans, and transform each game into
an event, not just another hockey game

Solution:

• To help transform game day into something special, the tournament should look to
borrow pregame, in-game, and postgame rituals from the NHL
• Pregame:
o World Cup of Hockey Fanzone
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▪ This will be similar to the NHL Fanzone present at special games, such as
the winter classic, stadium series, and opening nights. First, there should
be appeal for children. There could be shooting competitions, skills
games, etc…Sponsors will have booths available that give away free gear
and drive in business. There will also be an adult section, maybe
consisting of a beer garden, which could be sponsored by Molson, Labatt,
etc…
o Meet and Greet With Retired Players
▪ Bringing in older retired players to be part of the pregame ritual will be
essential. It can serve both the adult and child demographic, as it could act
as a family activity with photo opportunities.
o Tailgate and Concert
▪ There should be a couple of bands for entertainment and to help pass the
time. Accompanying the live music should be plenty of food, possibly
local food trucks, popup restaurants, or booths provided by sponsors.
• In-game:
o Chuck-a-Puck
▪ This is something for the kids, and maybe the profits could be a 50/50 split
for charity. They do this at AHL games, where each person who pays gets
a rubber puck, and at the end of the game they throw them on the ice and
the person with the closest puck to center ice wins.

• Postgame:
o “Shirts Off Their Backs” Ceremony
▪ The NHL does an event on the last home-game every year where players
line up and give lucky fans their game-worn jerseys. I think this would be
an excellent way to get fans more involved. It would also build fan
loyalty, and embrace the start power available to each team.

Advertising

Objective:

• To leverage the connection with ESPN and use television commercials to promote and
spread awareness of the tournament.

Solution:

• T.V. Commercials
o Simply put, the plan is to leverage the star power of each team. Every team has
NHL talent, with many of the leagues beset players from different teams in the
tournament there should be no problem appealing to fans from all over Canada
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and the US. Using players in commercials such as the wildly successful “This is
Sports Center” commercials that many NFL players participate in, would be a
good start.
• Interviews and Player Biographies
o There are many players in the tournament that have interesting backgrounds.
Auston Matthews, 2016 first round pick, and star of North America would be a
good start. Born in Phoenix he represents the youth movement of hockey in
America. TJ Oshie was a national hero in the 2014 Olympics, something can be
done relating back to that. There are also several players who will be facing off
against NHL rivals and teammates, which could make for great interviews.
• “Road to the World Cup of Hockey”
o Each year there either EPIX or HBO does a program that follows star-players on
their path to the winter classic. I believe that this can be an interesting take on
preparation for the tournament. Because the season hasn’t started yet you could
capture players at home in their daily lives, in preseason, and then with their
national teammates. The on-ice footage and “miced up” sections are usually a hit
as well, allowing fans to hear the game at ice level and get a glimpse into the
locker room.

Merchandising

Objective:

• Determine which company will earn the rights to create official WCOH apparel, as well
as create and design the jerseys

Solutions:

• Rights Auction
o Simply put this will be an auction available to the big three of the hockey market.
Nike has made uniforms for international competition in the past, Reebok has
done NHL jerseys and winter classic specials since the 90s, and Adidas will soon
be taking over NHL jersey/apparel production. Propose the right to print WCOH
gear to all three competitors and then determine who will meet fan needs, as well
as give the tournament the best deal.

Public Relations

Objective:

• To get a positive presence, and to build relations between the players and the fans

Solution:
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• Hand Delivery of tickets


o If some of the major stars from each team were given the opportunity to
personally deliver tickets to fans, it would be a great PR boost. It would help to
market the tournament as well, and would be a good photo opportunity.
• Youth Hockey Camp
o If schedules allow it, a short 4 day youth hockey clinic with some players willing
to volunteer would go a long way in generating good PR. The kids could get to
learn from athletes from all over the world, who are most likely NHL stars. All
teams could participate, but it might be beneficial for the North America team of
young players, they might be more relatable.

Community Relations

Objective:

• Have players present in the community to draw attention to the tournament, and to show
that the tournament and its players care about the wellbeing of their nation, and fans.

Solution:

• Donation Strategy
o Partnering with a charity from each nation is only a start. What many NHL teams
do is every time they score a power play goal, they donate a certain amount of
money to a charity. I am proposing that we replicate this, and every time a team
scores, then they/the tournament donates a certain set amount of money to the
nation’s requested charity.
• 50/50 raffles at games
o Simply a 50/50 raffle where the person who wins gets to keep half, and the other
half is donated to a sponsoring charity. This is a way for everyone to get involved,
not just the teams.
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Marketing Plan

Sales:

The Air Canada Centre is the current home of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and is located in the
heart of Ontario, CA. The maximum capacity of the Air Canada Centre is 19,800 and according
to ESPN the average home attendance in the 2015-2016 season was 19,158. This is roughly 96%
of capacity. Additionally, Forbes reported that as of the 2014-2015 NHL season, the Maple Leafs
had the most expensive average ticket price in the whole league, at about $446 per game.

In order to forecast accurately, and make sound predictions past Olympics can be used as a
similar event considering the World Cup of Hockey is different than a regular season NHL game.
Although Sochi was the latest spot for international competition, it is important that the 2010
venue of Rogers Arena is used for capacity. Rogers Arena is home to the Vancouver Canucks, is
Canadian based just like the Air Canada Centre, and was not manufactured solely for Olympic
competition. It is because of these similarities that it is used as a benchmark for capacity. The
Rogers Arena houses 18,630 when at max capacity and the IIHF reported record average
attendance of Olympic hockey in 2010 with average attendance at around 16,831. That is equal
to about 90% capacity and tickets sold.

Forecasting off of the ticket sales of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, as well as the Toronto
Maple Leafs average home attendance at the Air Canada Centre, it is reasonable to expect
attendance around 17,820 (90% of capacity). It is important to remember that although the
tournament should garner support with Canadian fans, there is no reason to believe it will be as
successful as NHL turnout, which is why the benchmark of the Olympics was favored.
Continuing to use data from the IIHF, the 2015 World Junior championships held in Toronto and
Montreal had ticket packages with prices ranging from $626 – $1,746 and $431 – $1,191
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respectively. With the data available, it would acceptable to price ticket packages starting at $450
ranging to around $1,500.

Packages

Rivalry Packages:

Rivalry packages will be available in the form of single to four game packages. There are two
groups available to choose from, and each has two rivalry games:

- Group A Rivalries: USA/Canada, Czech Republic/Europe


- Group B Rivalries: Finland/Sweden, Russia/North America

When purchasing single game packages, customers can choose any of the four matchups.

If a customer opts for a two game package then they must chose a “high profile” game, and a
“low profile game.” High profile games include those bolded above, and low profile games are
those not bolded. When purchasing a high profile game such as USA vs. Canada, the customer
will be given the option of getting a lower profile game at half-off. This will help to drive sales
to the less competitive games, as well as provide a good cost/benefit to the customer.

If a customer opts for a three game package then they can select up to two high profile matches,
and one low profile match up. If they select the two high profile matches then they will only get
the single low profile game at half-off; however, if they select one high profile game and two
lower profile games then they get the benefit of two games half-off regular price.

If a customer decides to purchase a four game package, then they will benefit from receiving a
discount on one of their high profile games, as well as the half-off deal on one of their lower
profile games. The cost savings will be worth it for those who decide to purchase four games
because they will be able to get a deal on either USA vs. Canada or Russia vs. NA, a benefit they
receive with no other game package listed above. They will also get the cost savings on a lower
profile game, so they don’t feel cheated or neglected as a fan.

Young Guns Packages:

This package will be available ranging from one to three games. Team North America will be
playing three games in the tournament:

- Team North America Opponents: Finland, Russia, Sweden

If a fan opts to buy a single game package, then they will pay face value for the tickets.
However, there are potential discounts attached to the two games of Finland and Sweden. In
order to help drive sales to the NA vs. Finland game, fans who purchase tickets to this game will
be given the opportunity of getting up to 15% off their tickets to the first round of the playoffs if
the Team North America advances. If the fans purchase the tickets to the NA vs. Sweden game
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then they have the opportunity of a 10% discount off their tickets’ face value if Team North
America advances to the playoffs.

If a fan opts to buy a two game package, then they will have the benefit of being able to get a
cost savings on their second game. They must pay face value for the NA vs. Russia game, but
they will receive a discount up to 20% on their purchase of either the Finland or Sweden game.

If a fan opts to buy the three game package, then they get the benefit of going to all three games
and a cost savings for the two lower profile games. They will pay face value for the NA vs.
Russia ticket, but will get a savings of up to 15% on both the Finland and Sweden games. They
will also be given early access to the playoff tickets if Team North America advances to the first
round.

National Packages:

These packages will be available starting at two games, and will be bundles of each nation’s
games. The teams to choose from are:

- USA, Canada, Russia, North America, Finland, Sweden, and Europe

The most expensive packages will be consisting of the USA, Canada, and Russia. These teams
have the most star power, the most recognition, and the largest following. Sweden, Czech
Republic, and North America will follow, they have NHL talent and are popular but there is less
high expectations when it comes to fan support. Lastly will be Finland and Europe, Finland does
not have the most recognizable talent, and Europe may be filled with a wide variety of players
but it is the oldest team in the tournament and is not really favored to advance.

- First Tier: USA, Canada, Russia


- Second Tier: Sweden, NA, Czech Republic
- Third Tier: Finland, Europe

If a customer buys tickets to a combination of two games, they will get a discount on the second
game. For a two game package with a selection of first tier teams, then they will receive a 5%
discount on their second game purchased. For a two game package with a selection of a second
tier team, they will receive a 10% discount on their second game purchased. Lastly, for a two
game package with a selection of a third tier team, they will get a 15% discount on their second
game purchased. The benefits will extend beyond discounts as well, because there will also be
pre-game, in-game, and post-game entertainment to take advantage of as well.

The above deal will be extended for purchases of three game packages as well. For example, a
purchase of a three game first tier team will get you 5% off on your second and third game
purchase. The three game package will also give customers early access to playoff tickets if their
team advances to the first round, something that is exclusive to them and those who purchase a
certain number of games in the Young Guns Packages.
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For a package of four games, then customers will receive the discount on all four of their games.
They will also be given the opportunity to get first access to tickets if their team advances to the
second round of playoffs or the championships. If their team does advance to the championships,
then they will also be given a 5% discount on tickets (excluding the seats in the lower bowl, and
suites). This is a benefit that no customer has in any other package within the tournament.

______________________________________________________________________________

Promotion:
Pre-game Promotions

Bridgestone World Cup of Hockey Fan Village:

For the World Cup of Hockey to be successful and draw crowds, there has to be a strong
emphasis on pre-game promotions. To ensure that all major demographics are captured, we
created the “Bridgestone Fan Village” which will be filled with several other attractions each
catering to a different/unique audience. This will give the Tournament a hub of activity, and will
create a sense of togetherness necessary to take the idea of a single game to an event. This has
been done in the past, and is in really a mirror of the NHL’s Winter Classic pre-game promotion.
However, while the NHL does have the Fan Zone, the Fan Village will cater to a wider variety of
fans and attendees. There will be two distinct sections to the Fan Village, the family and kids
section, and the adult section.

Fan Village Sector 1: Family & Kids Zone

The Family and Kids Zone will feature a wide variety of activities, from games and interactive
exhibits to meet-and-greets with mascots and team ice girls for the kids. The target for this sector
of the Fan Village will be families and kids from ages 4-18. Each booth will be sponsored by a
different company, and will provide its own little giveaways after each participant completes
their game. Each participant will also be given a punch card upon entering the Family & Kids
Zone. For completing 3 games the fan will earn a 2016 World Cup of Hockey Rally Towel, for
completing all 5 games the fan will earn an exclusive 2016 World Cup of Hockey T-Shirt, with
the logo of the tournament on the front, and all the sponsors listed on the back of the shirt. A
mockup of the towel and shirt will be provided in the Appendix of the report.

Games:

- Warrior™ Fastest Shot


o This will be an interactive game for kids of all ages. The object of the game will
be to try and get your fastest shot possible. Warrior will be sponsoring the booth
and all sticks and equipment will be provided by Warrior Hockey. Participants
will have 5 shot attempts total to record their fastest wrist shot.
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- Bauer™ Most Accurate Shot


o This will be another interactive game for kids of all ages. Bauer will be
sponsoring this booth and will provide all the gear and equipment necessary.
Participants will have 30 seconds to shoot as many pucks as they can at the net.
The net will be equipped with sensors that will award different point values for
corners verses the middle of the net. At the end of the 30 seconds participants will
be able to see their score and compare their performance to friends and family.

- Easton™ Silky Mitts Stick Handling Challenge


o Another interactive game for kids of all ages. Easton will be sponsoring this
specific booth and will provide necessary gear and equipment. Participants will be
given a stick and puck, and will be timed as they navigate their way through a
stick handling obstacle course. They will have one attempt and will be given their
time at the end of their turn. They can compare their time with friends and family
for bragging rights.
- CCM™ Goalie Challenge
o Another interactive game for kids of all ages. This one will require that parents or
guardians to sign a waiver in order for them to participate. CCM will be
sponsoring this booth and providing the necessary sets of goalie pads with varying
sizes for the participants. There will be three games of this going on at a time
because of the logistics of keeping a line moving and having to dress participants
in goalie gear. Participants will have 60 seconds to stop as many shots as they
can, while staff launch foam softballs at them from a slowed down pitching
machine. Staff will be able to increase the speed of the shot for older participants,
and lower it for younger ones. At the end of 60 seconds the challenge will be over
and they can see how many saves they were able to make.
- EA Sports ™ Bubble Hockey
o Participants of all ages will be able to try this activity. This will be a moderation
of the original arcade Bubble Hockey game that used to be played. There will be a
see through “bubble” tent that will cover a makeshift solid floor ice-rink. Players
will each choose a place on the board. There will be sticks fixed in 3 positions for
offense-men, two for defense-men, and one for each goalie. The stick placements
will act like foosball player holders, in that they can only move side to side, not
north to south across the surface. The six on six game will be 5 minutes long and
the team with the most goals at the end will be declared the victor.

Photo Opportunities:

- Team Mascots
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o Team mascots for each of the team will be present in the Fan Village Family and
Kids Zone, and will be able to take pictures with fans. This will be something
available to families and children.
o Team mascots from all 30 NHL teams will also be on hand at the event, to take
pictures with fans. This will help create some variety for fans as well as give the
younger fans some mascots that they might already know and be connected with
on a personal level. It will also provide those in the World Cup of Hockey mascot
suits to take periodic breaks as they will all be working in shifts
- Ice Girls
o Young fans will be able to also meet the ice girls from their respective national
teams. This will be something that maybe the older fans who attend the Family
and Kids zone might enjoy. This is also going to be present in the Adult section as
well, but it is essential to have the representatives at the Family and Kids Zone as
well.
o Not only will ice girls from the national teams be present, but there will also be
representatives from all 30 NHL teams as well. Each NHL team will select 2 Ice
Girls to accompany their mascot to the World Cup of Hockey.

Fan Village Sector 2: Adult Section

The Fan Village Adult Section will feature a variety of events for adult fans who wish to remain
separate from the Family and Kid’s Zone and want to socialize with other fans. The Adult Zone
will be targeted at those from 19-50 (others in the realm of 16-18 will be allowed access to only
those areas that do not serve alcohol, with the legal age being 19 in Toronto, Ontario). The Adult
Zone will feature a section for Molson Canadian, there will be different concerts each day, and
meet-and-greets with players from the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.

Molson Canadian™ Beer Garden:

The Molson Canadian™ Beer Garden will have wide variety of activities available for fans to
participate in. There will be a range of individual parts to the Beer Garden, each one offering
something different for fans to enjoy. The main bar and tables will be under an enclosed tent of
sorts, while the concert will take place outside.

- “The Penalty Box” Bar


o Nicknamed “The Penalty Box” this will be the main bar area of the Beer Garden.
Molson will staff its own bartenders and the tournament will provide security for
the event. Molson will make available as many of its drafts as it wants, and will
be able to serve all those over the legal drinking age. There will be carding at the
door. The Penalty Box will be made to replicate a larger version of a penalty box,
with ample room to serve at the bar, and an open area for fans to relax, watch the
game/highlights from the day on TV, and socialize with other fans.
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- Sampling Table
o Molson will also be able to setup a sampling table where they can give out free
samples to those who want to buy beer at the bar but might not be extremely
familiar with the brand. Molson can offer a sample of all the lagers it will be
selling at the bar to those who wish to try, and bartenders can serve at their
discretion. A separate security detail will also monitor to ensure that there is no
one abusing the system, and that there is no one overindulging.
- Golden Ticket Giveaway
o This will be available to everyone that purchases a beer at the main bar. One
specially marked can everyday will be served to one lucky winner. This person
will win a free pair of tickets to the quarter finals game, and on the last day of the
giveaway during the semi-final round the pair of tickets will be to the final game.
- Free Giveaways
o Molson will also be providing giveaways in the form of free bottle openers,
lanyards, beer cozies, and keychains. These can be hockey themed but do not
have to be featuring the World Cup of Hockey logo.
- Player Meet-And-Greet
o For 2 hours every day (not in succession) fans will be able to meet a player from
the 1996 World Cup of Hockey. Occurring in 2016, this will be the 20th
anniversary of that game, and some great players from the USA and Canada
teams will be in attendance for each day. Players will be available for only that
time, and no longer after their two hours. They will doing photos with fans for
free, and autographs will be an additional $10. They will only be signing the
photos of themselves provided by the staff, and nothing else. There will be
security details with each player, as well as a staff member assigned as a “player
ambassador” to ensure safety and everything goes well.
▪ Players available from the Winning USA 1996 Team:
• Mike Richter
• Chris Chelios
• Brian Leetch
• Mike Modano
• Tony Amonte
▪ Players available from the Runner-Up Canada 1996 Team:
• Martin Brodeur
• Steve Yzerman
• Mark Messier
• Wayne Gretzky
• Scott Stevens
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- Photo Ops
o Fans will be able to also meet the ice girls from their respective national teams.
The ice girls will be present for photo opportunities, and the fan can take pictures
themselves, or they can opt for a professional photo which will cost them $14.99
and will include a commemorative 2016 World Cup of Hockey Frame
o Not only will ice girls from the national teams be present, but there will also be
representatives from all 30 NHL teams as well. Each NHL team will select 2 Ice
Girls to accompany their mascot to the World Cup of Hockey.

Pepsi World Cup of Hockey Concert Series:

The Pepsi Concert Series will be a series of 5 acts that will be performing over the course of five
days. There will be one big name artist a day for the 5 days, and then after these 5 days pass
there will smaller acts featuring local bands from the Toronto area. Price of admission will be
variable, in the respect that those who do not have tickets and merely wish to enter the Fan
Village will be charged $20 to attend the concert, but those who have a ticket to a game can
present it as a coupon and get their concert ticket for only $15.

Artists Booked:

1. The Killers
2. American Authors
3. Fall Out Boy
4. Imagine Dragons
5. Bruce Springsteen

The first four bands are high-energy youthful bands that have appeal across the board when it
comes to age demographics (from about 18-35 year olds). Additionally, each of the top four
bands either has experience playing at an outdoor NHL event, or has featured music on NBC
Sports’ NHL commercials. For those who do not prefer newer music, and the older audience
Bruce Springsteen will be in attendance the last day. Springsteen is a good bridge artist that will
attract large crowds because he is such an iconic name in rock and roll, and he has a lot of sway
with the older audience (35-50 year olds).

In-game Promotions:

In-game promotions will consist of things that are easy to carry out throughout the game and do
not take away from the experience of attending the game, but rather use the game and pre-game
promos as a cornerstone to build upon.
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Chuck-A-Puck

This is done at several AHL games all over the country, and is extremely simple and easy to
carryout. It is an activity really focused on and meant for children, but adults and families can all
participate. Throughout the first and second period fans will have the opportunity to purchase
foam pucks at stands near the concessions. Each puck will be $5, is given a unique number and
acts as a lottery ticket. At the end of the second period intermission, puck sales will cease. At the
end of the third period after all other ceremonies are finished fans will be instructed by a
countdown to throw their pucks onto the ice aiming for the center faceoff dot. The closest puck
to the center dot will receive a prize. The prize for each game will be a jersey signed by each
captain of the teams competing in that specific game. The nation of the jersey will be dictated by
which team is designated the home team for that specific matchup. The money raised will be a
50/50 split. Half will go to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, with the other half going to the
tournament revenue.

50/50 Raffle

The 50/50 raffle will be available at every game, and will benefit Operation Hat Trick. Tickets
will be on sale throughout the pre-game intermission up until the start of the third period. During
a TV time out in the third period the winner will be announced, and they will have 30 days to
claim their prize, with two runner-up numbers drawn in case of a no-show. Fifty percent of the
money will go to the tournament revenue, and the other fifty percent will go to Operation Hat
Trick which is just recently starting to partner with the NHL in the regular season. This is an
easy promotion for staff and participants, and there is not much work to be done other than
splitting up the reward and awarding the half to the correct winner. It also ties into the
tournament’s community relations strategy.

Silent Auction

The silent auction will be a promotion like the others, which run from the pre-game intermission
up until the beginning of the third period. This will be catered more towards the adult
demographic, with memorabilia from the players who played in the 1996 World Cup of Hockey
available, as well memorabilia from those playing in the 2016 Cup. The benefits of this auction
will be split 50/50 just like the raffle, except fifty percent will go towards revenue, and the other
fifty percent will be equally distributed in a pool of organizations. The latter fifty percent of the
funds will be pooled and divided equally among each participating nation’s National Sled
Hockey Team. For Team North America, the funds will be given to starter programs in the
US/Canada region, and for Team Europe the funds will also be given to developmental leagues
throughout the continent. This also ties into the tournament’s community relations strategy.
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T-shirt Toss and T-shirt Cannon

This is a routine event that will take place at every game. On-ice staff including Ice Girls and Ice
Cleaners will be responsible for tossing T-shirts to those fans seated in the lower bowl of the
Arena. The mascots will patrol the upper part of the stadium or be responsible for using T-shirt
cannons to launch shirts at those seated in the upper bowl of the Arena. This will ensure that no
fans feel cheated, as sometimes those in the upper bowl are never able to receive any of these
free promotions that go on during games. Shirts will be the same as those given out as prizes at
the Fan Village.

Goal Songs

This is a fun-upbeat thing that will be easy to attach to the tournament. Each team will get a goal
song that reflects something about them, and represents them as a team. This will engage fans,
especially the younger ones, and create more of a sense of comradery among each team’s
respective fans. Each song will be made known to fans through social media, most likely Twitter.

They are listed as:

- Team USA  “Born In The USA” by Bruce Springsteen


- Team Canada  “The Hockey Song” by Tom Connors (Remix by Boogie Hill Faders)
- Team North America  “West End Kids” by New Politics
- Team Sweden  “En För Alla För En” by Tre Kronor
- Team Czech Republic  “Kendo Anthem” by Teflon-Brothers
- Team Russia  “Kalinka” by Red Army Choir
- Team Europe  “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes
- Team Finland  “Peto on Irti” by VilleGalle

Post-game Promotions:

Shirts off Their Backs Ceremony:

The traditional closing ceremony for every team in the NHL, at the last home game the team
selects lucky fans from the crowd to come down to ice level, and stand with a player as they
receive the shirt off their back and receive an autograph and picture. Whereas this traditionally
happens at the end of every NHL season, this would occur at the end of every game in the
tournament. It is not costly and the logistics are quite simple. Fans will be selected randomly
with 10 minutes left in the period, and will be escorted by staff down to ice-level. Both teams
will be presenting jerseys at the same time as well, to reduce time on the ice and wrap-up the
ceremony as quick as possible. This ceremony appeals to both the young and old fans, as it gives
them a chance to get close to the stars and meet them on a personal level. It will also help entice
ticket sales to those earlier preliminary round games that involve the third tier teams, with fans
hopeful that they could meet some of their NHL favorites in person. This ceremony will also
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help the fans get more attached to the players on a personal level, and create a greater loyalty to
the tournament in general.

Advertising:
The way the tournament will be broadcast is that it will be divided between coverage by NBC
and ESPN. NBC was one of the pioneer networks responsible for televising the NHL in the
American market, and since has grown to be one of the most influential ways to advertise the
NHL’s product. Not only has NBC worked so well with the NHL for so long, they also have
many of the most notable commentators that fans from all over the globe will recognize. From
the booth duo of Mike “Doc” Emrick and Eddie Olczyk, to on-ice commentators like Pierre
McGuire, NBC and NBCSN is more than equipped to cover the high-impact games. Because of
this, NBC will be covering the later rounds of the tournament and the finals. This is a system
similar to what happens in the NHL during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, where local/regional
channels give-way to NBC after the first round. ESPN will be responsible for the preliminary
games and the round robin tournament. This will give the tournament the leverage of advertising
on ESPN and its subsidiaries, as well as NBC and all its subsidiaries, a two-prong advertising
system.

Commercials:

In 2011 NBC began a trend with their TV advertising of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. They
began creating a theme around each year’s commercial campaign, with 2011 being based off the
theme of “History Will Be Made.” Since then the network has continued the trend in every
season. These commercials work to cause chills in the viewers, and are really quite eye-catching.
For their coverage of the tournament NBC will create a similar theme revolving around “Will
history repeat itself?” depicting scenes from the 1996 World Cup, and splicing in highlights of
the 2016 players. This will create a buzz around the elimination rounds of the tournaments, and
will be shown on the NBC network, as well as the NBC Sports Network. Contrasting this more
serious and emotional advertising campaign, will be the ESPN commercials. ESPN has had great
success with their “This is SportsCenter” ads, combining star players inside an office
environment to create humor and a lighthearted tone. These will run during the preliminary
rounds, and will help to entice those who might not be as committed to the tournament to tune in.
These commercials will run on ESPN, and its subsidiaries.

Player Profiles:

Player profiles will be short 30 minute segments that feature star players from each team, and
will be made available through social networking and linked to the tournaments YouTube page.
This advertising campaign will look to target the younger fans, and bring them into the fold of
the tournament.
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- Team USA
o Patrick Kane
▪ Perennial goal scoring leader, and all-around star for the Chicago
Blackhawks, Kane is a fan favorite and an easy selection.
o TJ Oshie
▪ Oshie is a young player on the roster in comparison to some of the
veterans, and many of the younger audience members will recognize him
from the 2014 Olympics where he had a stellar performance for Team
USA against Russia in an iconic shootout.
o Ryan McDonagh
▪ Top defenseman for one of the most popular franchises in the US, the New
York Rangers, McDonagh is sure to bring in views and promote the
channel, as well as the tournament with the younger fans.
- Team Canada
o Sidney Crosby
▪ Whether you like him or not, he is the face of today’s NHL. He is one of
the most marketed players and is one of the leading stars in the league at
the moment, and has a massive youth as well as female following.
o Patrice Bergeron
▪ Helping to bring in not only the Montreal viewers, but those in the
Northeast, Bergeron’s time with the Bruins has seen him win Selke
trophies and the Stanley Cup. A fan favorite, and a great humanitarian,
Bergeron is an excellent pick for this.
o Jonathan Toews
▪ Known to fans as “Captain Serious” it would be great to give fans a shot
of what Toews is like off the ice. He has a massive following as a
successful player in Chicago winning multiple cups. An obvious choice to
advertise the tournament.
- Team North America
o Connor McDavid
▪ One of the most prolific players to come out of the 2015 draft, McDavid
has a massive following from all over the world. He is relatable for the
audience based on how young he is, and the resemblance he shows to
natural goal scorers like Wayne Gretzky.
o Auston Matthews
▪ Born in the dessert, Matthews represents the idea that hockey can be
played in Arizona. He has a massive following among the youth, and has
helped reinvigorate hope for that southern market, all at the age of 19.
o Shayne Gostisbehere
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▪ A rising star in the NHL, and only at the age of 19, “Ghost” as he is called
in Philadelphia is a good spin because he shows the hardships of playing
as a young defenseman against the NHL’s greatest players.
- Team Russia
o Alexander Ovechkin
▪ Winner of almost every goal scoring/points award possible in the NHL,
Ovechkin is a huge asset to advertising the Russian team. Where not many
players are as prevalent, he is a huge name and is important as he is often
humorous and is a large favorite of young fans.
o Vladimir Tarasenko
▪ Not much is known about Tarasenko as his NHL career has recently
exploded with him finding his finishing touch in the 15-16 season. It
would be good to give fans a “behind the scenes” look at one of Russia’s
greatest players who has a large following in the central USA.
- Team Sweden
o Henrik Lundqvist
▪ One of the most popular goalies and players in the NHL. A star for the NY
Rangers, a large-market name, and he is wildly popular with the younger
female fans. This will help to grab some of that audience by giving them a
look at his personal life off the ice, and his humanitarian work.
o Filip Forsberg
▪ Son of one of the greatest, Forsberg is looking like he will follow in his
father’s footsteps. He is a prolific scorer, and his youth is something that
can help Team Sweden’s advertising. He is also capable of bringing in
southern viewers as a star on the Nashville Predators.
- Team Finland
o Aleksander Barkov
▪ Star with the young and upcoming Florida Panthers, Barkov is a fan
favorite in the sunshine state and is a great addition to make Finland more
marketable and exciting.
o Tuukka Rask
▪ Vezina winning trophy goaltender for the Boston Bruins, not much is
known about Rask even to his Boston fans. A short 30 minute look at him
behind the scenes and off the ice would be great to get fans more attached
to him, and want to tune into the games.
- Team Czech Republic
o David Krejci
▪ Krejci is a huge favorite in the northeast market, and is a Stanley cup
champion with the Boston Bruins. Little known, he is also a great family
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man, and this can be leveraged during these little segments to make him
more relatable to the kids.
o Jakub Voracek
▪ Voracek is a massive player in the metropolitan division and gives the
Czech team a goal scorer that can be as advertised and present onscreen as
every other team in the tournament.
- Team Europe
o Pierre-Edouard Bellemare
▪ One of the Flyer’s rising stars, and only player from France on any roster,
Bellemare can give a unique presentation on hockey in Western Europe
and attract some of the younger audience for team Europe as well as the
female audience they need.
o Anze Kopitar
▪ Captain of the Stanley Cup winning LA Kings, Kopitar helps to bring in
that vibrant and youthful crowd from the West Coast. He is a great all-
around player and is a staple in the LA community.

“Road to the 2016 World Cup of Hockey”:

EPIX and HBO have both done renditions of the hit sports documentary “Road to the Winter
Classic” in which they follow key players on each team as the game approaches, and they give
fans in-depth behind the scenes looks at locker room situations and players miced up on the ice.
This is a great way to advertise the tournament, as the camera crews will follow these players for
the month leading up to the World Cup, and then throughout the tournament all the way to the
finals. This show will help attach a sense of loyalty to a team for fans, since it will be giving a
deeply personal look into each player’s family life, and their on ice behavior. Some players
provide humor, some provide inspiration, and some are simply just those guys you love to hate.
Either way, each one is their own real life character, and bringing that to fruition in a month long
show running through the tournament will create that connection between cans and players and
increase the advertising potential of the World Cup. It will also be linked to Twitter, as fans will
be able to live tweet as they watch using special hashtags determined for each team/episode. It is
a great way to attract the target market and will help to solve the issue of so many new players
who will be getting exposure on the international stage for the first time in their career.

Merchandising:
Apparel & Accessories:

- Men’s and Women’s


o Jerseys for each team
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o Short sleeve and long sleeve t-shirts for each team and for the tournament
▪ Casual shirt and performance wear (exercise shirts)
o Sweatshirts, hooded and zipped, for each team and the tournament
o Sweaters (more form-fitting and dressier than sweatshirts)
o Jackets (softshell and parkas)
o Hats, caps and knit, for each team and the tournament
o Socks (unisex)
o Men’s Accessories
▪ Team cufflinks
▪ Team & tournament tie
▪ Team watches
▪ Team & tournament gloves
▪ Team & tournament scarves (male style)
o Women’s Accessories
▪ Team & tournament bracelets and charms
▪ Team & tournament earing studs
▪ Team & tournament gloves
▪ Team & tournament flip-flops
▪ Team & tournament scarves (women style)

Jersey Rights Auction:

There will be a pitch to three major companies for the rights to produce authentic 2016 World
Cup of Hockey jerseys. The three companies in question will be Reebok, Adidas, and Nike.
Reebok has been steadily producing NHL regular season jerseys since its contractual takeover in
the 90s and has since produced countless third jersey options as well as winter classic and
stadium series jerseys. Adidas has never produced NHL jerseys before, but will be taking over
the contract from Reebok in the coming years. Nike has been the standard when it comes to
producing jerseys for international competition, as they have made national team jerseys for IIHF
tournaments, World Juniors tournaments, and the Winter Olympics. Each company will have an
equal chance to create a “mock-up” for the every team in the tournament. From there, fans will
vote on their favorite company design of the jerseys. The top two companies with the most fan
votes will then be given the opportunity to bid for the contract for the creation of the jerseys.
This will be a unique experience, as fans have never had the opportunity to have an input on
jersey design before, and it will really help to create hype around the jersey sales and reveals.

Additional Merchandise:

The company that ends up winning the competition and auction will have leeway on producing
original designs for each team and the tournament form the merchandise listed above. However,
two companies will also be given the ability to produce their own merchandise for the
tournament and teams.
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- New Era
o Official producer of hats for the MLB, as well as a major producer for the NHL,
New Era has extensive following in the creation of hats for special events such as
outdoor games and All-star games. They will be given an exclusive contract that
will allow them to produce on design for each team, and three designs for the
tournament logo caps.
o They will not be granted permission to make knit winter hats
- Old Time Hockey
o Old Time Hockey is a brand known for its quality and unique designs. They are a
fan favorite, and will be given the rights to create “retro” designs for each team,
as well as the tournament, that will harken back to the 1996 World Cup. They will
help to provide some choices to fans, and it will also be a unique design choice as
they always have something new and original to offer.
o They will not be permitted to use the names of current roster players, only those
who have played in past games. They will also not be able to mimic any designs
by the main producer.

Public Relations:
Hand Delivery of Tickets:

Every year in the NHL, lucky season ticket holders are delivered their game tickets by a star on
their team. The player shows up with a camera crew and photographer, and the whole thing is
recorded and documented and then spread all over social media and TV. This is what hockey is
about though, reaching out to your fans. Hockey players are one of the lowest earning
professional athletes of major league sports, and this is actually what makes them more down-to-
earth and PR visits like these meaningful and relatable. For this reason, the World Cup will be
emulating this practice by the NHL, one or two players from each team will be responsible for
handing out tickets to some lucky fans who purchased packages to the games. The players
selected are stars, but they are also the ones who are notable on their team as relatable and truly
down-to-earth guys. The players will be:

- North America  Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel


- Team USA  Ryan McDonagh, Zach Parise
- Team Canada  Patrice Bergeron, Sidney Crosby
- Team Europe  Zdeno Chara, Anze Kopitar
- Team Finland  Peka Rine, Aleksander Barkov
- Team Russia  Alexander Ovechkin, Pavel Datsyuk
- Team Czech Republic  David Krejci, Jakub Voracek
- Team Sweden  Henrik Lundqvist, Filip Forsberg
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Youth Hockey Camp:

Growing the youth and connecting with young fans is essential to generating strong public
relations. Working with youth is a sound way to develop the game while also generating good
feelings and associations with your program. The 2016 World Cup of Hockey will be holding a
first ever International Youth Hockey Camp. Every team will participate in a clinic to help teach
young skaters from the ages of 4-12. The camp will span 4 days, and two teams will each be
assigned one day. Each team will split the day between a morning session and an evening
session. Kids will be provided lunch in the middle of the sessions, and will get to have a
Q&A/spend time with the professionals. This will be a great bonding experience for both the
fans, and the players. Pictures and videos will be taken and distributed over social media to share
the joy created by the camp.

Community Relations:
Power Play to Empower:

Just one of many charity initiatives that will be brought to fruition throughout the 2016 World
Cup, the “Power Play to Empower” will be an effort on a grand scale to donate to the UNICEF
foundation. UNICEF is a tremendous charity that works all over the world, and is a truly
remarkable cause. The premise of the donation strategy is quite simple, for every power play
goal scored in the tournament, there will be a donation of $1,000 dollars made to UNICEF. The
donation will be split by the NHL, each national team, Scotiabank, and whichever team wins the
rights to merchandising. Winning on and off the ice is an essential part of community relations,
and this will certify the latter is achieved throughout the tournament. With every power play goal
that is scored, not only will the money be donated, but there will be a tracker on social media that
will display how much money had been donated over the course of the tournament. This visual is
a great way to communicate just how much the NHL cares about its community, and the choice
of UNICEF will reflect the care of a global community.

Molson Canadian Designated Driver Program:

As part of the Molson Beer Garden, there will be a section that fans can sign up to be a
responsible designated driver. The fans will physically sign a mural of the tournament’s logo,
and for doing so they will be entered into a drawing to win a jersey signed by the captains from
every team. This is a way to show the community that the NHL condones the practice of not only
drinking responsibly, but also vowing not to drink and drive. There will also be staff on hand that
will be distributing the number for a shuttle service to the nearest hotels in Toronto, as well as
the number for Taxi Cabs. Also, if participants do sign the mural and then determine they are too
inebriated to drink, they will be afforded the luxury of having another member help them. This
Roufos 22

creates a sense of community, and the reward is really second to ensuring the safety of everyone
and keeping the tournament an enjoyable and safe event for everyone.

Various Charitable Functions Related to Promotions:

As stated above in the promotions section, during games there will be a 50/50 raffle, a silent
auction, and a chuck-a-puck activity which will all be raising funds for various charities
throughout the tournament. The progress of these activities will all be tracked over social media
in a similar way to the “Power Play to Empower” where fans can interact with the social media
platform of their choice (Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and Instagram) and see how their efforts
are helping those who are less fortunate. Social responsibility is extremely important to the
tournament. The community as a whole for this tournament is global, as it is an international
effort, and these charities have all been handpicked to reflect that aspect of the World Cup.
Those who get to play the game for a living are extremely lucky, same for those who get to work
on these events, and that is what makes giving back to those who are in need so essential to the
true success of this tournament.
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Appendix

Sponsor Rally Towel Mockup:


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Fan Village Sponsor T-Shirt:


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Works Cited

"NHL Attendance 2015-16." ESPN.com. ESPN, n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2016.

Lawrence, Jesse. “Maple Leafs Have Most Expensive Tickets in NHL.” Forbes, Forbes
Magazine, 19 Sept. 2014

“Most Successful Olympics Ever.” International Ice Hockey Federation, IIHF, 2 Mar. 2010,
www.iihf.com/home-of-hockey/news/news-

Whyno, Stephen. “IIHF Blames Hockey Canada for High Ticket Prices, Empty Seats at World
Juniors | Toronto Star.” The Star, 4 Jan. 2015,
www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/worldjuniors/2015/01/04/

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