Let's Go Blues

Could it work here? Could the Blues get enough fans? It could be fun. The Blues need more revenue streams so I wonder why Army hasn't thought of this? The article below is from Sports Business Daily.


When John McDonough left the Chicago Cubs for the Blackhawks, he brought one of his best marketing concepts with him — an annual team convention — and now other teams around the NHL are adopting the concept in their own markets.

In addition to the Blackhawks, the Los Angeles Kings, Washington Capitals and Vancouver Canucks all have plans to hold future team conventions. The Kings, which held their first last weekend, the Caps, which will hold their first Sept. 26, and the Canucks, which hope to hold one in 2010, believe an annual fan convention can help make their brands more relevant during the offseason.

Though the costs of the events, which can run into the mid-six figures, are an obstacle, holding a convention can create new sponsorship inventory for teams to sell and help clubs raise their profile at a time when hockey is far from consumers’ minds.

“It’s quickly becoming a best practice around the league,” said Susan Cohig, the NHL’s senior vice president, integrated marketing. “From a pure-business perspective, it’s a tremendous ticket sales and sponsorship opportunity. It’s a new way for fans to engage with the team and a new way for sponsors to be involved in a tent pole event.”

JesusNEVERexisted wrote:Could it work here? Could the Blues get enough fans? It could be fun. The Blues need more revenue streams so I wonder why Army hasn't thought of this? The article below is from Sports Business Daily.


When John McDonough left the Chicago Cubs for the Blackhawks, he brought one of his best marketing concepts with him — an annual team convention — and now other teams around the NHL are adopting the concept in their own markets.

In addition to the Blackhawks, the Los Angeles Kings, Washington Capitals and Vancouver Canucks all have plans to hold future team conventions. The Kings, which held their first last weekend, the Caps, which will hold their first Sept. 26, and the Canucks, which hope to hold one in 2010, believe an annual fan convention can help make their brands more relevant during the offseason.

Though the costs of the events, which can run into the mid-six figures, are an obstacle, holding a convention can create new sponsorship inventory for teams to sell and help clubs raise their profile at a time when hockey is far from consumers’ minds.

“It’s quickly becoming a best practice around the league,” said Susan Cohig, the NHL’s senior vice president, integrated marketing. “From a pure-business perspective, it’s a tremendous ticket sales and sponsorship opportunity. It’s a new way for fans to engage with the team and a new way for sponsors to be involved in a tent pole event.”

Doubt it. St. Louis as a city doesn't have the same kind of money that Chicago, LA or Washington have. Plus, the vast majority of sports fans in St. Louis are so deep in Cardinals fever this time of year that they don't have the time for much else.

You a regular at the Hawks fan conventions, JNE?

glen a richter wrote:You a regular at the Hawks fan conventions, JNE?

No, I'm in St.Louis and want to see the Blues do one. There are a lot of colorful characters from the Blues past I could envision at the convention. They could have raffles, giveaways, and auctions to raise money for the team plus get new sponsors!

Gaijin, you know they've said for decades that hockey fans are the most passionate so I bet you would get 1000 to 5000 fans to show up with the average ticket at $25 to $30. Since St Louis is a smaller market the cost to put on such an event would be cheaper heree too. Plus just look how expensive the average Blues ticket is these days.

I just got back from Chitcago, I was trolling along with my Blues shirts. I meet some terribly bandwagon fans up there.
When the Blues win the cup 2 out of 4 years then the glamorous shit happens like this.

You should have asked Hitch. #AskHitch

Magic Arch says...Ask again later.

STLADOGG wrote:I just got back from Chitcago, I was trolling along with my Blues shirts. I met some terribly bandwagon fans up there.
When the Blues win the cup 2 out of 4 years then the glamorous shit happens like this.

It can still be a great team event and cool way to meet players, past and present, regardless of how many Cups you've won.

The Blues have their Fan Day or whatever. Just the one day event before a preseason game (typically) where they've got different activities, Q&A sessions, etc. The Cardinals have their convention, but that's because they can draw people in from around 10 states to go to that thing.

STLADOGG wrote:I just got back from Chitcago, I was trolling along with my Blues shirts. I meet some terribly bandwagon fans up there.
When the Blues win the cup 2 out of 4 years then the glamorous shit happens like this.

Our fan conventions started 2 years before we won the cup - the first was in July 2008. Our 7th convention was just held this past weekend. I have never gone to any of them and have no plans to do so. Here's why:

1) I'm not an autograph guy and don't care to stand in line waiting for someone to sign his name for me. The majority of the convention involves autograph lines. The most popular players of course have the longest lines. And the team hearthrob (Patrick Sharp) has all women in his line from what hawks fans have said and the line is one of the longest.
2) There are breakout sessions where you go to different rooms to listen to a group of players talk about hockey and share stories (i.e Toews discussing leadership and what it's like to be a captain). There is no inside information revealed though and everyone is drinking the kool-aid.
3) I've seen the YouTube versions of these that people taped and even the Q&A afterwards and I didn't think anything was that revealing. No one asks a tough question and most of the 'questions' are really just fans telling the players how much they love them and the team. Yawn. You can also see how everyone in the audience clings to every word these players say like it's gospel - it's amazing how much power fame really has. Fans love hearing about practical jokes the players do to each other on the road and what kind of music they like, their favorite food, etc. I could care less. Just put the puck in the opposing net and keep the puck out of our own net and I'm happy. I could care less about the players' personal lives.

Hence these conventions are not for me.

Because we're not bandwagon Dbags and it's baseball season.

STLADOGG wrote:I just got back from Chitcago.

That town already has a nickname: Chiraq...

But WHY DID WE TRADE TEH DUG WAITZ?!?!

WaukeeBlues wrote:But WHY DID WE TRADE TEH DUG WAITZ?!?!

Couldn't skate backwards fast enough.

WaukeeBlues wrote:But WHY DID WE TRADE TEH DUG WAITZ?!?!

His agent (his beard) wouldn't budge on contract negotiations.

What else is there to root for in Chicago this time of year?
The Cubs?
The White Sox?
I assume Bears talk is going on...but even then, training camp hasn't even started yet.

Sports fans in St. Louis have Cardinal fever right now...they always do this time of year...so it's not like we're starving for cool sporting events to go to.

With that said...
I think something like this would draw well for the Blues. They could schedule it when the Cardinals are out of town on a long road trip to draw the Cardinal die hards...and the Blues die hards will show up in droves regardless.

That's exactly what I said Cprice!

I bet you would 1000 to 5000 diehard Blues fans to show up. And there are Blues fans all over the bi-state area. I lived in Columbia and there was a diehard group who watched all the games. I just can't recall the place they used to meet at.

P.S. You forgot to mention Chicago's soccer team! I thought soccer was big now!

Would rather have money go towards marketing for a winter classic at Busch vs. Chicago. Two teams at the top of the league, geographically close, great venue and area around the stadium, baseball would be done, football (likely) done for both cities by that point, basketball midseason in Chicago...

cprice12 wrote:What else is there to root for in Chicago this time of year?
The Cubs?
The White Sox?
I assume Bears talk is going on...but even then, training camp hasn't even started yet.

Sports fans in St. Louis have Cardinal fever right now...they always do this time of year...so it's not like we're starving for cool sporting events to go to.

With that said...
I think something like this would draw well for the Blues. They could schedule it when the Cardinals are out of town on a long road trip to draw the Cardinal die hards...and the Blues die hards will show up in droves regardless.

As a White Sox fan that hurts. It's true though...

TSUCookieMonster wrote:Would rather have money go towards marketing for a winter classic at Busch vs. Chicago. Two teams at the top of the league, geographically close, great venue and area around the stadium, baseball would be done, football (likely) done for both cities by that point, basketball midseason in Chicago...

But this would mean Chicago would be in yet ANOTHER outdoor game.