Canada Basketball is aiming to deepen fan engagement in the sport with the launch of Unify+, a new membership-tier options platform.
Michael Bartlett, president and CEO of Canada Basketball, tells strategy that the launch of the platform comes at a time when Canadian basketball has experienced unparalleled growth. Stars including NBA champion and league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and WNBA star Aaliyah Edwards competed at last year’s Paris Olympics as Canada sent its men’s and women’s national teams and its women’s 3×3 squad to the Games.
However, while the sport’s popularity and fan base are expanding, the national governing body for the sport still sees potential to further develop its Canadian fan base. “We’re hoping Unify+ will change that,” Bartlett says. “Supporting the national teams through their path to the Olympics is just one way to experience all that Canada Basketball has to offer, so we hope to open a world of possibilities for fans to engage with our athletes and teams.”
Unify+ provides members with perks such as early access to merchandise, ticket purchases and interactive activities. Members will also be able to post basketball material from platform to social media, conduct discussions and support their local clubs without having to buy tokens or be subject digital duties, the organization said.
Canada Basketball is promoting Unify+ through a paid ad campaign that includes CRM and social media, while also leaning on their provincial sports partners to target their respective members, coaches, officials and athletes. All creative was done in-house in conjunction with KDA3. Society, etc. is handling media buying and Oak View Group Canada is in charge of partnership sales.
The blockchain-powered platform developed by KDA3, went live on Aug. 4 during the the under-15 national championship, allowing users to watch games, check scores and track the progress of their regional teams.
Early registrants received limited-edition jerseys and a chance to win tickets to Homecoming Night, which kicks off Canada Basketball’s Global Jam event running from Aug. 13 to 17. Homecoming Night will feature appearances from NBA stars, such as Gilgeous-Alexander, Lu Dort and Andrew Nembhard, as well as Olympians, including Shay Colley, Yvonne Ejim and Syla Swords.
While Unify+ is not currently a platform where brands to purchase formal ad space, it does host content from Canada Basketball that allows sponsors to reach the non-profit’s audience. The organization’s existing partners, including Sun Life Financial, The Keg and Cetaphil, are featured in the “community” and “view” tabs, and at events such as Sun Life Canada Hoops and Global Jam.
“Our Sun Life Canada Hoops 3×3 Tournament just wrapped in Toronto, and fans can enjoy content from the event within Unify+ while also creating a new impact opportunity for our sponsor,” Bartlett says. “We’re really looking forward to collaborating with these iconic brands within Unify+, as rewards providers and title sponsors of experiences.”
Moving forward, Unify+ will be updated with new technical developments. Canada Basketball’s coaches and training staff will soon contribute to the platform to provide training advice and development programs for officials and coaches will also be offered on the platform.
