Marketing NHL stars

[LadyStanley]

The Body Issue

In the ESPN body issue (may be NSFW depending on your workplace rules), Kane gives 5 minute interview and talks a bit that he believes that one reason the NHL is #4 in major sports is because the league is not very diverse (and he's willing to do whatever to get that market share up).


(Biz note... this is the last year ESPN will have print body issue available. Guessing it'll be electronic in the future.)


Edit: Sharks' Evander Kane

Click to read more...

 

[USAUSA1]

Hockey is also one of the least accessible sports outside Canada. I can find a soccer field/court, football field, basketball court or baseball field in every neighborhood. I have to drive 20 minutes just to get to the next hockey rink.

 

[tony d]

I agree, the NHL needs to do more in marketing its stars. On another thread here today I read Mcdavid's jersey was #10 in sales this year, the guy's your best player, he should be #1 in sales or at worst #2 or #3.

 

[kgboomer]

I agree, the NHL needs to do more in marketing its stars. On another thread here today I read Mcdavid's jersey was #10 in sales this year, the guy's your best player, he should be #1 in sales or at worst #2 or #3.

Well McDavid is playing for a small market team in Canada, one that keep missing the playoff. Difficult to market that to start with, and he's as boring in his interview as they come.

 

[USAUSA1]

If McDavid was a ranger and add Crosby to the mix, NHL would be ecstatic. Can you imagine the press?

 

[ziggyjoe212]

Well McDavid is playing for a small market team in Canada, one that keep missing the playoff. Difficult to market that to start with, and he's as boring in his interview as they come.

This. Edmonton is one of the tiniest markets in the 4 major sports. It's barely half the size of Pittsburgh, which is also considered a small market team. Most people in the USA don't even know what edmonton is.

If McDavid played in NYC or Toronto he would be on the level of Sid in terms of popularity.

 

[DannyGallivan]

I can really care less about all this "market the stars" b.s. So what. For generations, NHL fans following the game always knew who the stars were, the stars were always selling things, their faces were on hockey magazines, hockey cards, cereal boxes, etc. I could care less if the NHL failed to inform the less than casual fans in their fringe markets (and places that aren't even markets yet) who Connor McDavid is. Why should I care if NHL owners make more money? Why should I care if NBC's ratings are up?

 

[joelef]

I can really care less about all this "market the stars" b.s. So what. For generations, NHL fans following the game always knew who the stars were, the stars were always selling things, their faces were on hockey magazines, hockey cards, cereal boxes, etc. I could care less if the NHL failed to inform the less than casual fans in their fringe markets (and places that aren't even markets yet) who Connor McDavid is. Why should I care if NHL owners make more money? Why should I care if NBC's ratings are up?[/QUOTE]
so people can stop fussing about able to find the network.

 

[SupremeNachos]

Hockey is also one of the least accessible sports outside Canada. I can find a soccer field/court, football field, basketball court or baseball field in every neighborhood. I have to drive 20 minutes just to get to the next hockey rink.

And you don't even need an official field for some of those.

 

[DowntownBooster]

Well McDavid is playing for a small market team in Canada, one that keep missing the playoff. Difficult to market that to start with, and he's as boring in his interview as they come.

I think it has less to do with him playing in Edmonton and more to do with a lack of personality and the team missing the playoffs. Gretzky played in Edmonton and I'm pretty sure the jersey sales were robust despite the market.

 

[Hasbro]

I think it has less to do with him playing in Edmonton and more to do with a lack of personality and the team missing the playoffs. Gretzky played in Edmonton and I'm pretty sure the jersey sales were robust despite the market.

Gretzky had a personality that him entering a room was like two people leaving it.

 

[I am not exposed]

Hockey is also one of the least accessible sports outside Canada. I can find a soccer field/court, football field, basketball court or baseball field in every neighborhood. I have to drive 20 minutes just to get to the next hockey rink.

Growing up in England, it was about an hour and a half away!

 

[Lions67]

You can’t market the NHL Stars when they don’t want to be marketed.
The players prove this time and time again.
They would all rather play in markets where no one knows who they are.
The league can’t do anything more than they are doing.
This is on the players.
They all want the big money but don’t want to be “put out there”.
Playing in Canada is too hard, too much pressure haha! Would much rather play in Carolina or Miami where I can go do my job and no one notices me win or lose.
That is the way to make sure the league stays under a radar. So stupid.
Without Canada these stars would be making considerably less.

 

[Hanji]

Marketing isn't the problem. It's 2019 and NHL culture still espouses an antiquated code of 'respecting the game', which, to a typical kid nowadays, has about as much emotion as playing monopoly.

These unwritten rules are in contrast with the ethos of American millennials and gen Z's who not only value absolute individualism, but also multiculturalism; which leads us to Kane's statement about lack of diversity (he's 100% correct).

I can entirely understand if some American kid finds no connection to, or interest in a bunch of white guys with Canadian accents saying "Aw, shucks, I give all credit to my teammates, blah, blah, blah,"

 

[Cacciaguida]

Ice Hockey is a traditionally Northern sport and it excels in northern markets, one could say Canada is completely northern, and it certainly applies in America and Europe. Boston is established and Miami/Tampa Bay is comparatively not as prestigious for a reason. Internationally Finland excels and Italy foes not for this same reason.

That doesn't mean southern markets cannot be profitable, or produce their own local talent, but apple to oranges.

 

[BOS358]

A lot of good points on here, such as the players in small markets, their wooden personalities, etc., but I think there's one point that hasn't been mentioned.

Think of some of the most heavily-marketed athletes: Michael Jordan, Deion Sanders, LeBron James, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Roger Federer.

All of these had signature products to market, especially those worn during competition. They all had signature shoes, branded clothing, and the like. How can you adapt this to hockey? Well, I'm not sure this is possible. Everybody needs shoes, but not everybody needs skates, sticks, or goalie gear. The market for hockey equipment is small enough that even the best players in the world don't have signature models of their gear that can be moved to the masses.

Additionally, the companies making hockey equipment are small and don't have the muscle that Nike, adidas, and Under Armour have. Of all hockey companies, the only one that is owned by a shoe company is Warrior (subsidiary of New Balance.)

No product + no potential consumers = no marketing.

 

[flooredaccord]

A lot of good points on here, such as the players in small markets, their wooden personalities, etc., but I think there's one point that hasn't been mentioned.

Think of some of the most heavily-marketed athletes: Michael Jordan, Deion Sanders, LeBron James, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Roger Federer.

All of these had signature products to market, especially those worn during competition. They all had signature shoes, branded clothing, and the like. How can you adapt this to hockey? Well, I'm not sure this is possible. Everybody needs shoes, but not everybody needs skates, sticks, or goalie gear. The market for hockey equipment is small enough that even the best players in the world don't have signature models of their gear that can be moved to the masses.

Additionally, the companies making hockey equipment are small and don't have the muscle that Nike, adidas, and Under Armour have. Of all hockey companies, the only one that is owned by a shoe company is Warrior (subsidiary of New Balance.)

No product + no potential consumers = no marketing.

I agree with you except for the underlined. What about when Nike was the company making it?

 

[BOS358]

I agree with you except for the underlined. What **** when Nike was the company making it?

Nike tried with Sergei Federov, but it didn't work out as planned. They saw a better potential for growth in some kid named Tiger and later sold off their hockey division at a serious loss.

EDIT: I dug that up at work earlier today. That was the first I had heard of the "signature street hockey shoe." I do, however, remember the ads, but they weren't around for very long.

 

[flooredaccord]

I was just pointing out those companies have made hockey equipment. Although I do recall my number blades splintering like no other blade. I agree it's tough to sell the equipment to be used everyday. Sneakers, shorts, polos, etc very easy to sell... Blockers, visors and shoulder pads... Not so much

 

[Bostonzamboni]

Thank goodness for Dunkin' Donuts doing hockey ads. Based in Boston, a strong hockey area with stores seemingly on every other block, helps.

The David Pastrnak penalty box commercial was funny and cute and even used, I think, on national hockey broadcasts even in the playoffs. Every hockey fan in America has seen it nationally on NHL broadcasts.

But I don't think any other American city with a Dunkin' Donuts presence did their own DD local commercial with their recognizable local NHL players? Did fans in other American hockey cities still see the Pastrnak commercial but none for their own team? Hopefully DD does another commercial sometime this season, at least for the Boston market.

 

[Cacciaguida]

Thank goodness for Dunkin' Donuts doing hockey ads. Based in Boston, a strong hockey area with stores seemingly on every other block, helps.

The David Pastrnak penalty box commercial was funny and cute and even used, I think, on national hockey broadcasts even in the playoffs. Every hockey fan in America has seen it nationally on NHL broadcasts.

But I don't think any other American city with a Dunkin' Donuts presence did their own DD local commercial with their recognizable local NHL players? Did fans in other American hockey cities still see the Pastrnak commercial but none for their own team? Hopefully DD does another commercial sometime this season, at least for the Boston market.

 

[Svechhammer]

Marketing isn't the problem. It's 2019 and NHL culture still espouses an antiquated code of 'respecting the game', which, to a typical kid nowadays, has about as much emotion as playing monopoly.

These unwritten rules are in contrast with the ethos of American millennials and gen Z's who not only value absolute individualism, but also multiculturalism; which leads us to Kane's statement about lack of diversity (he's 100% correct).

I can entirely understand if some American kid finds no connection to, or interest in a bunch of white guys with Canadian accents saying "Aw, shucks, I give all credit to my teammates, blah, blah, blah,"

I mean just look at the Storm Surge in Carolina. The players are having a little fun, the fans love it, the league markets it in their ads and promos, and EA made a point of putting it in this year's game. And what was the reaction by the media?

Outrage and spinning up a controversy because the players were 'disrespecting the game'. You got Baby Boomers frothing at the mouth angry at how childish it is, and if you're a kid watching this all unfold, is there any way that would make you want to follow the NHL? Especially during a time when leagues like MLB, NFL, and the NBA are making a direct focus on breaking people out of this mindset and encouraging their players to show individuality and have fun?

 

[ahmedou]

Marketing the NHL around the earth globe before marketing the *.

 

[oknazevad]

I mean just look at the Storm Surge in Carolina. The players are having a little fun, the fans love it, the league markets it in their ads and promos, and EA made a point of putting it in this year's game. And what was the reaction by the media?

Outrage and spinning up a controversy because the players were 'disrespecting the game'. You got Baby Boomers frothing at the mouth angry at how childish it is, and if you're a kid watching this all unfold, is there any way that would make you want to follow the NHL? Especially during a time when leagues like MLB, NFL, and the NBA are making a direct focus on breaking people out of this mindset and encouraging their players to show individuality and have fun?

Well, Don Cherry may have botched and moaned (not that he shouldn't talk about flashy self-marketing with those suits). But the team and the league jumped on it like a tiger pouncing on a meal, and 20,000 "Bunch of Jerks" t-shirts later they're the ones laughing now.

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

I've been following the NHL for over 25 years and they've been talking about this nonsense for all of that time. Like almost verbatim this stuff was being said in the late 80s/early 90s. It's all very silly and hilariously overestimates the power of marketing.