Also in this report:
– GM finds the right vehicles p.14
– Dare shoots to score with women’s hockey p.17
– Canadian adds Livent song-and-dance to mix p.20
– Radio delivers good value, says Hudon p.24
In an effort to net more young fans, Basketball Canada has teamed up with NBA Canada and Nike Canada to encourage grassroots participation in the sport, through the creation of a new marketing foundation called Future Hoops.
Nike will provide financial and marketing support for the program, (as well as outfitting national team players), while NBA Canada will assist in promoting Future Hoops through signage at Toronto Raptors and Vancouver Grizzlies games, and public service announcements during telecasts.
Future Hoops organizers hope to have six additional corporate sponsors signed on by the end of the year.
‘The arrival of the nba in Canada has significantly increased the profile of the sport here,’ says Rick Traer, executive director of Ottawa-based Basketball Canada, the governing body for the sport in this country. ‘We want to take advantage of this interest while it’s on the upswing, and use it to bring attention to amateur play.’
That dovetails neatly with the interests of the nba and Nike. For them, promoting basketball at the grassroots level is key to building the Canadian market for their respective products.
‘We’re excited about this opportunity,’ says Ken Derrett, managing director of Toronto-based NBA Canada. ‘Part of our mission is to grow the sport in Canada, and the Future Hoops program will help us achieve that in the long term.’
‘It’s a good marriage,’ agrees Ken Allen, national sports marketing manager with Nike Canada in Thornhill, Ont. ‘We will be able to contribute to the development of the game at the grassroots level, and that will keep both the sport and the business healthy.’
The initial focus of the program is to promote the men’s and women’s national teams that will compete at the World Championships in 1998, and the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia.
Future Hoops will also promote the sport through support for youth basketball camps, clinics and community leagues.
‘We will also provide opportunities for underprivileged youths to play the game and attend professional events,’ says Stephen Dick, manager of events and sponsorships with The Gaylord Group, the Toronto-based marketing firm that is coordinating the Future Hoops initiative.
Development of the program is still in the initial stages. The Gaylord Group is currently working on a logo and a variety of promotional materials, including event signage and a quarterly newsletter.
A direct mail campaign targeting schools, community leagues, and amateur-level coaches, is also in the works, Dick says. And Future Hoops will delve into merchandising as well.
Canadian-born nba player Steve Nash, a rookie with the Phoenix Suns, has been brought on board as spokesperson. Dick says he’s someone that average fans and aspiring players alike can look up to – no pun intended.
Participation in Future Hoops will offer sponsors direct access to their target audience, Dick says, along with cross-promotional opportunities and international exposure during world competition.
According to Traer, partnerships with corporate sponsors are increasingly important to the future of amateur sport in Canada.
‘With reduced public sector supportthese kinds of business relationships are essential to the growth of the game.’
At the amateur level, Canada has been among the top 12 countries in the world in both men’s and women’s play for the last 30 years, says Traer.
According to a 1994 Fitness Canada survey, approximately one million Canadians play basketball at the intramural, school or club level.
A 1996 Charlton Marketing study, conducted for the nba, indicates that the nba is now the No. 1 professional sports league in Canada among 12- to 17-year-olds, both in terms of fan interest and licensed product ownership.
