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Click the image above to learn more about the Phoenix Suns!
Dear Faithful Readers,
Building an identifiable and relatable brand is one of the most important assets for any sports team. Fans are able to garner an emotional connection with the organization through the brand it represents. As fans become more connected with the organization’s brand, they are more willing to interact with the organization itself, resulting in an increase in sales for the team. The difficult part is devising a way to constantly be on the minds of fans in local areas. The Phoenix Suns have created the next “big” thing to stay relevant in their community. Continue reading to discover how the Suns have created a new level of interaction with local fans.
Enjoy the feature,
Chantelle Neep
[email protected]
P.S. - Want even more revenue generating ideas? Follow @NatlSportsForum on Twitter to get more helpful insights on #sportsbiz, #sponsorship and more!
PROGRAM TITLE
Phoenix Suns: Hoops Hub
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OBJECTIVES
Teams are constantly trying to build relationships with partners and fans in their respective communities as a way to expand their brand. In order to make their brand visible, teams must create unique strategies to get fans and partners excited about what they represent as an organization. However, it is not always easy to create something that will leave a lasting effect, and teams are constantly trying to create the next big thing that has the community connecting and engaging with their brand. The Phoenix Suns have found a solution to this problem by adopting a “go big or go home” team mentality. They have created an asset that is highly visible in the public sphere and allows fans and partners to interact with their team in a whole new way.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Phoenix Suns have constructed the Hoops Hub as a way to expand fan endearment and create partnership opportunities in the greater Phoenix area. The Hoops Hub was created by the Suns as a response to the overwhelming success of Operation Orange, a community outreach campaign featuring numerous events for fans with the goal of staying visible in the Phoenix area during the NBA lockout. After the lockout, the Suns didn’t want the fans to stop feeling their presence, so they created the Hoops Hub to stay visible and keep Operation Orange alive in the area. Along with their partner BizBox, the Suns have created the ultimate interactive space for fans to experience their brand in a completely new way.
The Hoops Hub is a thirty-foot, walk-in trailer completely covered in Suns and Operation Orange graphics, used as a way to increase consumer interaction in the communities surrounding Phoenix. The massive trailer is hauled by a truck and set up at different events in the Phoenix area. Fans have the ability to walk through the Hub and interact with the many different features of the Suns brand both inside and out. Hoops Hub is a one-of-a-kind experience that creates the ultimate consumer interaction with the Suns brand. Fans can get active with the Suns, and play on one of the basketball hoops directly attached to the Hub’s body. The hoops are accompanied with a “sport court” for fans to experience the Suns brand of basketball. For fans who enjoy video games and technology, the Hoops Hub offers TV's both on the inside and the outside, featuring Phoenix Suns highlight videos and Xbox Kinect gaming. Furthermore, on the inside of the trailer, fans can see a replica of the team’s locker room as well as authentic autographed memorabilia. In addition, fans can enjoy Suns branded entertainment in the form of the Suns dancers or their team mascot which travel with them to Hoops Hub locations.
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Along with the interactive experience, the Phoenix Suns allow fans to buy tickets and enter giveaways through the Hoops Hub. The Suns have members of their sales staff travel with the Hoops Hub in order to educate fans on the ticket packages available to them. This means they are able to buy tickets for a single game or even purchase tickets for the entire season. Additionally, the Hoops Hub offers giveaways including a “fan wheel” where fans can spin for a chance to win Suns prizes.
In addition to being a great way to build fan morale, the Hoops hub serves as an asset when the Suns work to build relationships with partners in the community. Scott Horowitz, Vice President of Marketing Partnerships Activation for the Phoenix Suns speaks on the ability of the Hoops Hub to drive traffic for partners in a whole new way. “If we're bringing our promotions and entertainment team out to partner locations, we can transport the Hoops Hub and bring the Suns experience more authentically versus just popping up a tent.” For the Phoenix Suns, the Hoops Hub truly is a one-of-a-kind vehicle for driving fan engagement and partnership opportunity never before seen in the sports industry.
The Hoops Hub can be seen at 50-75% of the Suns home games. In the community, the Hoops Hub can be seen about four times a month at numerous events and partner locations.
Suns fans enjoying the "sport court" during a Hoops Hub event!
MEDIA
The Phoenix Suns use in-arena advertising to promote upcoming Hoops Hub events. Online, the Suns use their social media outlets and website to promote events as well. In addition, promoters of events where the Hoops Hub will be present promote when and where the Hoops Hub will be.
PARTNER
The Phoenix Suns teamed up with BizBox, the latest, greatest and greenest evolution in mobilized structures, to create the Hoops Hub. BizBox designed the Hoops Hub to the exact specifications given by the Suns. Also, BizBox assists the Suns in transporting the trailer when needed.
RESULTS
The Hoops Hub has seen overwhelming success. Nina Daily, Senior Director of Marketing for the Suns, states, “More fans are definitely engaging with the brand whether that be through social media or actually calling to request the Hoops Hub at an event. Ultimately, the Hoops Hub has continued to strengthen an endearment for the brand amongst the community.” The Hoops Hub has been extremely successful marketing the new era of basketball in the Phoenix market to fans and partners.
LOOKING AHEAD
In the future, the Suns will look to integrate selling merchandise as another feature of the Hoops Hub. Daily adds, “We will continue to learn and listen to fans in order to discover what they want from the Hoops Hub. We're currently looking and working with BizBox to discover new ways to make the Hoops Hub even more interactive and engaging for fans at events.” Long term, the Suns wish to use the Hoops Hub as a year-round tool to drive fan engagement even during the off-season.
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