Marketing College Hockey

[Puck Swami]

Interesting article about how advertisers might want to make college hockey a part of their marketing mix, with some interesting demographics on our target auidences:

http://www.medialifemagazine.com/ar...me_19/Your-client-at-college-hockey-games.asp

 

[Erix_The_Red]

Re: Marketing College Hockey

Best marketing strategy: Serve beer.

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: Marketing College Hockey

I don't think we're talking about how to get people to the games, but rather while we're at the games, how do they get us to buy their products. I think, if anything, it's a way of showing that college hockey is a serious market for advertising, and because of the demographic, should not be overlooked.

 

[Puck Swami]

Re: Marketing College Hockey

The most interesting part of the article for me was the demographics:

Demographics
Adult college hockey fans are 69 percent male and 31 percent female, according to Scarborough Research.

Thirteen percent are ages 18-24, 21 percent 25-34, 22 percent 35-44, 21 percent 45-54, 13 percent 55-64, and 10 percent age 65 or over.

Twelve percent of college hockey fans have an annual household income under $25,000, with 16 percent between $25,000 and $39,999, 8 percent between $40,000 and $49,000, 20 percent between $50,000 and $74,999, 20 percent between $75,000 and $99,999, 16 percent between $100,000 and $149,000 and 8 percent at $150,000 or more.

Do those numbers fit your school's crowd?

 

[alfablue]

Re: Marketing College Hockey

The most interesting part of the article for me was the demographics:

Demographics
Adult college hockey fans are 69 percent male and 31 percent female, according to Scarborough Research.

Thirteen percent are ages 18-24, 21 percent 25-34, 22 percent 35-44, 21 percent 45-54, 13 percent 55-64, and 10 percent age 65 or over.

Twelve percent of college hockey fans have an annual household income under $25,000, with 16 percent between $25,000 and $39,999, 8 percent between $40,000 and $49,000, 20 percent between $50,000 and $74,999, 20 percent between $75,000 and $99,999, 16 percent between $100,000 and $149,000 and 8 percent at $150,000 or more.

Do those numbers fit your school's crowd?

Not really- I think there are a lot more 18-24 year students than 13%. Closer to 30%. Also, the rest of the fan base is aging- I know my section has been mostly the same over the last 13 years, when the remodel happened at Yost.

But at other schools- like when I visted CC- perhaps the numbers average out well- I didn't see a student section much there.

 

[DominicHennig]

Re: Marketing College Hockey

Do you think this helps market college hockey?

Ferris State @ Northern Michigan Series Video Preview:

http://www.ferrisstatebulldogs.com/sports/mice/video/Hockey-_Northern_Michigan_Preview_1-17-11

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www.Twitter.com/FerrisHockey

 

[sbkbghockey]

Re: Marketing College Hockey

Not really- I think there are a lot more 18-24 year students than 13%. Closer to 30%. Also, the rest of the fan base is aging- I know my section has been mostly the same over the last 13 years, when the remodel happened at Yost.

But at other schools- like when I visted CC- perhaps the numbers average out well- I didn't see a student section much there.

My guess is that the 13% number is non-university fans, at a lot of schools students are free, so they are not counted as a marketing statistic. Also adding tv exposure not a lot of 18-24 year olds have digital cable packages to get Fox College Sports or ESPNU in their dorms or off campus apartments. The 13% is probably other 18-24 year olds that are not students in the communities that still attend games, buy merch., etc.. In one example I've seen a lot of students at college hockey games bring friends who come stay the weekend just to go to the hockey games.

Here's the Big problem in college hockey:

The University of Wisconsin led NCAA Division I men with an average attendance of 15,048 in 2010, according to the NCAA, followed by North Dakota (11,654), Minnesota (10,108), Nebraska-Omaha (6,866) and Colorado College (6,548).

Not every school pulls a big crowd, though. Eight men's teams averaged fewer than 1,000 fans per game in 2010: Robert Morris, Holy Cross, Mercyhurst, Connecticut, Canisius, Sacred Heart, Bentley and American International.

There's lot of great venues in college hockey but there's also a lot of schools with small 1,000-seat or less ice rinks. One aspect College Hockey can market is the distinct atmosphere from NHL or minor pro games. That atmosphere is a lot more prevalent in the larger facilities with large student sections. A lot of those teams on the low attendance list are also low in the standings, recruits are looking for some of the same things that can be marketed- good facilities and atmosphere at games.

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: Marketing College Hockey

My guess is that the 13% number is non-university fans, at a lot of schools students are free, so they are not counted as a marketing statistic. Also adding tv exposure not a lot of 18-24 year olds have digital cable packages to get Fox College Sports or ESPNU in their dorms or off campus apartments. The 13% is probably other 18-24 year olds that are not students in the communities that still attend games, buy merch., etc.. In one example I've seen a lot of students at college hockey games bring friends who come stay the weekend just to go to the hockey games.

Here's the Big problem in college hockey:


There's lot of great venues in college hockey but there's also a lot of schools with small 1,000-seat or less ice rinks. One aspect College Hockey can market is the distinct atmosphere from NHL or minor pro games. That atmosphere is a lot more prevalent in the larger facilities with large student sections. A lot of those teams on the low attendance list are also low in the standings, recruits are looking for some of the same things that can be marketed- good facilities and atmosphere at games.

One of the topics talked about is the competition over basketball. Unfortunately in some places (like Albany NY where RPI and Union generally are, I've seen similar with a couple of the Ivies), the areas are basketball towns, so when people had the choice between hockey and basketball, guess what they choose.

However, I'd say the word definitely gets out, especially local restaurants and breweries. Stick one a few blocks from the stadium, advertise it at the game, maybe offer a ticket stub discount, and I would venture a guess that sales would go way up on a game night.

 

[Goon]

Re: Marketing College Hockey

If they want to promote college hockey have a Television package like NHL Center Ice and give people an opportunity to see more teams play hockey. You could play them over the course of the week so fans from other leagues can get a chance to see other teams besides their own play.

 

[UML]

Best marketing strategy: Serve beer.

You are 100% right. We have beer in Lowell and when I ask my friends to go to an away game the first thing they ask is "do they have beer?".

 

[scsutommyboy]

Re: Marketing College Hockey

The most interesting part of the article for me was the demographics:

Demographics
Adult college hockey fans are 69 percent male and 31 percent female, according to Scarborough Research.

Thirteen percent are ages 18-24, 21 percent 25-34, 22 percent 35-44, 21 percent 45-54, 13 percent 55-64, and 10 percent age 65 or over.

Twelve percent of college hockey fans have an annual household income under $25,000, with 16 percent between $25,000 and $39,999, 8 percent between $40,000 and $49,000, 20 percent between $50,000 and $74,999, 20 percent between $75,000 and $99,999, 16 percent between $100,000 and $149,000 and 8 percent at $150,000 or more.

Do those numbers fit your school's crowd?

Interesting numbers. If I had to guess most season ticket holders house hold income is over 50K and bet a high percent of those are over the 75K mark. about 25% of the arena is student seats so I guess all of those people make far less than 25K. If I had to guess most people who buy single game tickets in town and bring their families are at least at the 50K mark since the average house hold income in the area is around that 50K mark. Plus most single game ticket buyers bring their kids and those kids tend to play hockey and as we all know hockey is not a cheap sport.

 

[pgb-ohio]

Re: Marketing College Hockey

...If I had to guess most people who buy single game tickets in town and bring their families are at least at the 50K mark since the average house hold income in the area is around that 50K mark. Plus most single game ticket buyers bring their kids and those kids tend to play hockey and as we all know hockey is not a cheap sport.

That's true here too.

But also note that the hockey kid families are likely avoiding the much higher NHL ticket prices downtown. So the 50K mark is may be something of a ceiling as well -- these are young families, not yet in their peak earning years.

 

[St. Clown]

Re: Marketing College Hockey

That's true here too.

But also note that the hockey kid families are likely avoiding the much higher NHL ticket prices downtown. So the 50K mark is may be something of a ceiling as well -- these are young families, not yet in their peak earning years.

Go to Mariucci and say that. There are a lot of big buck families attending games at the U. When I've been to Denver, it looked like a very highbrow clientele in Magness (that wasn't too appreciative of we lowbrow SCSU fans and our course ways).

 

[Erix_The_Red]

Re: Marketing College Hockey

You are 100% right. We have beer in Lowell and when I ask my friends to go to an away game the first thing they ask is "do they have beer?".

No, $h!t? Looks like I will be making it to that away series. Lets see if we can outnumber you guys again.

 

[CHFAN222]

Re: Marketing College Hockey

This can be good if it expands it overall. However I feel it will only help out the schools that have good advertising deals. In MA for example BU and BC are definitely making a decent amount in ad revenue. I wouldn't be surprised if the combined ad revenue of all the other schools was not equal to either of the big two. Of course this is all speculation and for all we know NU, UMASS, and UML are doing fine as well.

 

[kdilks]

Re: Marketing College Hockey

My guess is that the 13% number is non-university fans, at a lot of schools students are free, so they are not counted as a marketing statistic. Also adding tv exposure not a lot of 18-24 year olds have digital cable packages to get Fox College Sports or ESPNU in their dorms or off campus apartments. The 13% is probably other 18-24 year olds that are not students in the communities that still attend games, buy merch., etc.. In one example I've seen a lot of students at college hockey games bring friends who come stay the weekend just to go to the hockey games.

I don't know how it is at other schools, but the cable package in the dorms at Michigan includes ESPN/ESPN2/ESPNU/ESPN News/ESPN Classic/Fox Sports Detroit/CBC College Sports/NFL Network/NHL Network/Big Ten Network. I'd think that in general college dorms have enough people so that the school can cut a deal with the cable company and include some of those premium channels. And at the very least, anybody on a college campus can get streaming video on ESPN3.

Personally, I'd like to see more hockey content available on ESPN3. As it stands, all they have is the occasional KHL game.

 

[ajt6954]

Re: Marketing College Hockey

Very interesting thread...really hits home for me...so whoever started it, thanks! The secret to marketing college hockey, especially schools in their college hockey infancy (teams with less than 15 years at D1), is to build a relationship with the local community. Flagdude alluded to this earlier in the thread and is right on. Get the local restaurants involved, local charities, local cub/boy scout troops...key is LOCAL. Allow the community to interact with the team and start building a relationship....thus building credibility.

On the flip side, the college/university needs to invest the time and energy into these programs. Many of the schools leading the attendance race have either a major collegiate athletic conference backing the schools individual efforts or a national championship (in some cases, several) in their back pockets. These, along with proper staffing, are the resources many of the schools towards the bottom of the attendance ranks lack. Unfortunately, until the support from the respective college/university is devoted specifically to the hockey programs (men and women), certain teams will continue to suffer in mediocrity and notoriety.

 

[LTsatch]

Re: Marketing College Hockey

(that wasn't too appreciative of we lowbrow SCSU fans and our course ways).

You are so coarse that you can't spell coarse correctly!

I like this definition though


Coarse--Lacking delicacy, taste, or refinement; unpolished: "He had coarse manners but an absolutely first-rate mind".

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: Marketing College Hockey

Very interesting thread...really hits home for me...so whoever started it, thanks! The secret to marketing college hockey, especially schools in their college hockey infancy (teams with less than 15 years at D1), is to build a relationship with the local community. Flagdude alluded to this earlier in the thread and is right on. Get the local restaurants involved, local charities, local cub/boy scout troops...key is LOCAL. Allow the community to interact with the team and start building a relationship....thus building credibility.

On the flip side, the college/university needs to invest the time and energy into these programs. Many of the schools leading the attendance race have either a major collegiate athletic conference backing the schools individual efforts or a national championship (in some cases, several) in their back pockets. These, along with proper staffing, are the resources many of the schools towards the bottom of the attendance ranks lack. Unfortunately, until the support from the respective college/university is devoted specifically to the hockey programs (men and women), certain teams will continue to suffer in mediocrity and notoriety.

Another thing we can attribute to the need for more being done is a recent change in the NCAA rules. A few years ago, it was a rule that nothing could be placed on the boards beyond the blue lines (or was it just behind the net?). This meant less of a chance to get that word out during the game. I look at a rink like Yale's, and they have absolutely no advertising along the rink whatsoever, with the exception of self-promotion. I can't think if there are any other rinks like this; any further knowledge? However, at least when I looked at the newer rules for this year, you're allowed advertising all the way around, so companies, make the most of it! I'm not saying you have to go to the levels of European hockey where the faceoff circles are advertisements and there's about 3 or 4 companies on the jerseys, but fill those boards up. No need for whitespace.

 

[LTsatch]

Re: Marketing College Hockey

FD08, I do not recall seeing advertising in any of Yale's athletic facilities, most likely a local or Ivy League preference. They do thank sponsors/supporters on the scoreboard though. I recall Dartmouth a couple of weeks ago with a similar setup. Each rink also had deals with local youth and student groups for the concessions, which are used as fundraisers for those groups. I think the demographic info in the article may be flawed when it comes to "old guard" northeastern schools, we tend to retain our older fan base, if it wasn't for students the average age of attendance at a Yale game would be at least 40.