Promotion Pills: Gameops.com Team Reviews In 2007 Gameops.com will be reviewing five games around sports. In our reviews we will highlight promotions the team does in-game to showcase what teams are doing over the course of their games and for one or two promotions we will look at how by applying a simple “pill” the team can power up and improve the promotion.
Our Promotion Pill feature is designed to help enhance your promotions with our prescription for extra strength promotional power. These Promotion Pills can be applied to your promotions to enhance them and make them more interesting and effective for fans and sponsors.
Erie Otters Hockey Game Review
November 18, 2006
Reviewed by: Jon Cudo and Isaac Wood
Our first visit was to Erie PA for an Erie Otter game against the Peterborough Petes.
The game featured the first bobblehead in Erie Otters history depicting the new mascot Shooter Jr. The new mascot was launched to replace their current mascot (Shooter).
The Erie Otters (of the OHL) game presentation is directed by Promotions and Special Events Manager Kevin Travis. Kevin has been adding entertainment elements and promotions to the Erie game presentation and the game is filled with fun promotions and new elements that fans clearly enjoy and keep them actively engaged.
We have notes from the game presentation, photos from the game action, and will conclude the game review with the introduction of our first Promotional Pill. These pills help to isolate different elements of a promotion to help find ways to improve them. Our goal is to create Pills that any team can use and apply to their own promotions.
Like the 2006 Gameops.com series Six from Six, this is our 2007 content series. In Six from Six we reviewed six teams and found six things they did well, building a list of 36 tools for you to consider when reviewing your own show. In the Promotion Pill Series we are building another list, this time a list of Pills (or tools) that you can apply to your own promotions to see if there are ways to enhance the value for fans or sponsors. Each Promotion Pill is intended to be broadly written so anyone can apply their affect to their own promotions to find ways to make them more powerful.
Game Review:
Erie Otters v. Petersborough Petes
Tullio Arena, Erie PA
Final score 4 – 6
Attendance (4,164)
Game included the debut of their new mascot, including the team's first ever bobblehead giveaway depicting the new mascot.
The List of Promotions
First let’s look at the promotions that the Erie Otters presented at this game. Following the list, we will look at two the promotions and apply our first Promotion Pill to see how the Otters might improve or further enhance the entertainment or sponsor value of the promotion.
McDonald’s Stick Girl and Boy
The Otters made an honorary presentation at their open area in the corner, which was a fan accommodations area. The new mascot was there to hand the sticks to the selected fans. Note: This promotion will be reviewed in part 2 of this report
Fan of the Game
Presented by Career Concepts (a staffing company). This was a contest where the cameras scan the crowd and find a fan wearing Erie Otter team gear. The winner gets a team sweatshirt too. We talk about the value of encouraging your fans to show their spirit in the Six from Six Review in Tampa Bay (Lesson #3).
Lucky Numbers
The team had numbers listed in game program. If your numbers match the ones on the scoreboard you win a prize. Claimed at the Fan Assistance Center. It’s a good way to drive people to buy/read your game program. Note: This promotion will be reviewed in part 2 of this report
Goal Rush
This contest was set up via a PA announcement and a scoreboard graphic. If the Otters score in the next 3 minutes, a selected fan wins a prize. In this contest fans where connected to the game and given added incentive for a goal scored.
50/50 and Chuck a Puck teaser
Like many hockey teams, the Otters use Chuck-a-Puck during an intermission. They used one break to promote more puck sales and sales of a 50/50 raffle. Good placement right before the first intermission when fans are about to have a chance to buy pucks during the first break (pucks are chucked during the second intermission)
Rose Giveaway
The new mascot delivers roses to a fan as part of a floral shop sponsorship. (The Mascot Resource Page)
YMCA
Timeless and classic interactive arena entertainment. Fans simply promoted with music and given the chance to perform on the videoboard.
Music trivia (during Intermission)
Contestant brought to the ice for music trivia. Pick the decade which each song was released in to advance up the ice towards a goal (so you can have a closer shot to win a prize). Host helped with the decades (narrowing to two decades). Each time the contestant advanced she also got more tickets. The host (Kevin Travis) involved the fans along the way, which engaged the crowd and also helped the contestant. The simple question to the crowd “I think she can do it, fans do you think she can do it?” kept the fans into the contest and paying attention to the game. In a nice touch at the end, they ended with a selection of music from the final decade mentioned in the contest.
Best Seats in the House
Highlight on a section with a furniture store. They had the retiring mascot (Shooter) in the seats enjoying his first game reclining in chairs on loan from the furniture store with a winning fan.
Prize Box
Contestant picked between two boxes (red or blue) for prizes.
Parachute Drop
Dropped prize-laden parachutes from the rafters.
Baby Pics
Scoreboard showed a baby photo from one of the players (which are somewhat recent for these young hockey players). It's a great way to build that connection between fans and players. We were in the press box with three players, who loved embarrassing one of their own. Fans were encouraged to pick between three players to identify who was in the photo. (Also see Lesson #2 Six from Six New York Rangers)
Score on time One player scores on an exact time they win $10,000. A fan is selected and they win the cash if a player scores at that exact time. The prize is indemnified.
Dirty Car Awarded a car wash to the dirtiest car in the parking lot.
This Year in Otter’s History
Showed a series of stats and achievements for the team. Narrowed to three choices for the fans to guess.
$10,000 Giveaway
for any player who scores three in a period – Unlikely but the prize amount stands out making it a good change of pace. PNC Bank Sponsor
Sprickland Heating and Cooling Paid Attendance Guess
A fan was selected to guess the total attendance. If they get within 100 they win a suite. The host stood on the balcony with the contestant and had him drop the sponsor name and guess the attendance. They were actually standing up in the suite that the contestant would win if they got within 100, connecting the contest and the prize (and also promoting the rental of this party suite). Note: This promotion will be reviewed in part 2 of this report
Each of these promotions has been added to the Gameops.com Promotion Database. There are now over 600 Promotions in the database for you to search and review.
In Part 2 we introduce two of our new Promotion Pills and see how the Otters might enhance their show. These pills are designed to breakdown any promotion, ask some key questions to find ways to improve any promotion. During 2007 we will be reviewing five games and introducing our more comprehensive list of pills to help you create a full medicine chest of promotion enhancing drugs. [Read More...]
Gameops.com Promotion Pills: Promotion Enhancing Drugs 
The Erie Otters (of the OHL) game presentation is directed by Promotions and Special Events Manager Kevin Travis. Kevin has been adding entertainment elements and promotions to the Erie game presentation and the game is filled with fun promotions and new elements that fans clearly enjoy and keep them actively engaged.
McDonald’s Stick Girl and Boy
50/50 and Chuck a Puck teaser
Best Seats in the House 