Michael Lang is president of Lang & Associates, a Toronto-based international event marketing agency with offices in Vancouver, Montreal and Atlanta.
Jennifer Scace is an associate with Lang & Associates, and co-ordinator for the Event Marketing column. Contributions, ideas, media releases and feedback should be directed to Jennifer at (416) 229-0060 or fax (416) 229-1210.
Summer ’94: Excitement for marketers and hoopsters
canada’s marketing professionals are ready to ‘slam dunk’ as opportunities around the sport of basketball are created.
With the announcement of the National Basketball Association coming to Toronto, and, more than likely, Vancouver, basketball will be a core sport for Canadians.
With the growing list of basketball-related events comes endless marketing opportunities. Some of the activities are outlined below.
Streetball 3 on 3
Branada Sports Communications of Toronto has announced its plans for the 1994 Streetball 3 on 3 Basketball national tour.
The tour includes nine stops across Canada this summer: London, Winnipeg, Calgary, Vancouver, Edmonton, Halifax, Ottawa, Kitchener, Ont. and Toronto.
National associated sponsors of Streetball include Canadian Tire, Wilson, Huffy Sports, Cinnaburst, Nike and TSN – The Sports Network.
In addition, local newspapers and radio stations lend their support.
For the fourth year, tsn is involved with the event and will air two 30-minute highlight shows and an hour-long tv special.
The one-hour special will cover all nine events and will feature the Elite Division national final from SkyDome in Toronto.
Proceeds from the event are used to support provincial basketball associations across Canada.
For more information, contact Bob Copeland at (416) 696-1320.
World Championship of Basketball (Aug. 4-14)
Toronto will attract the world’s attention this summer as host of the 1994 Men’s World Championship of Basketball (held every four years since 1950.)
The 1994 championship was originally scheduled to be held in Sarajevo, however, due to political unrest, fiba, the international governing body, accepted a bid from a Toronto community group led by John Bitove Jr. to relocate the event to Toronto.
With only 11 months’ notice, Toronto offered to host this international event, and is the first North American host city of the World Championship of Basketball.
Sixteen countries from around the world will be competing in this world-class event.
The fact that nba stars will be permitted to compete for their own countries for the first time will certainly provide a high calibre of competition.
Look out for Canada’s Rick Fox, of the Boston Celtics, and Bill Wennington of the Chicago Bulls, to lead the bright stars on the Canadian team.
This is a great opportunity for Canadians to root for hometeam players, and to preview the nba stars that will play the new Toronto nba team set to launch in the fall of 1995.
The Baton Broadcasting System and the CTV Television Network will broadcast nine games from the 11-day event in August.
Toronto’s cfrb will provide radio coverage.
Additional coverage will be announced in the next couple of months.
For more information, contact David Strickland at (416) 368-8075.
Sears presents the NBA Jam Session
The NBA Jam Session makes its Canadian debut this summer with Sears lined up as the presenting sponsor.
It is one of many ancillary events that will celebrate the excitement being generated around the arrival of nba stars including Shaquille O’Neil and the u.s. Dream Team II at the 1994 World Championship of Basketball.
Jam Session is a free, outdoor, community-based event, which appeals to males and females from age five to 85.
It emphasizes fitness and promotes community excitement.
The participatory activities include ‘basketball skills’ and ‘free shot’ courts, while interactive displays focus on fun, family-oriented exhibits such as a shoelace race and exhibits to size yourself up with the stars of the nba.
Upbeat music and basketball-themed prize giveaways are other elements adding to the excitement.
Other Jam Session sponsors include: Nike Canada, Sega, Pontiac and Geo, Amway, computer firm ast, Bank of Nova Scotia, Kellogg, NutraSweet, Sony, Bell Canada and Bell Mobility Cellular and Warner-Lambert.
The tour runs from May 20 to Aug. 14, and travels to 17 locations in southern Ontario.
It culminates at Toronto’s City Hall, at Nathan Phillips Square, Aug. 4-14, to coincide with the dates of the World Championship of Basketball Tournament.
For more information, contact Heather Sinclair at (416) 368-7982.
