The Thunder Create The Blue Alliance to Drive Fan Engagement

The Oklahoma City Thunder teamed up with Old Hat Creative to create a brilliant online and community fan engagement strategy - The Thunder Blue Alliance - that allows fans from all areas of Oklahoma to become team ambassadors for their communities.

Fans interested in participating in the Blue Alliance initiative simply have to:

• Log on to the official Blue Alliance landing page
• View an interactive map of the state of Oklahoma and click on a flag that designates the area of the state that they live in (or apply to represent their city)
• Submit their testimonial video or photos and an essay telling the Thunder why they would be a great Blue Alliance Captain for their home town  

Once fans are selected as Blue Alliance Captains, they are tasked with representing the team in their hometown via:

• Organizing team watch parties
• Monitoring a Facebook community page (each fan club area of the state is provided a Facebook community page)
• Assist with local team-oriented promotional initiatives
• Communicate with fellow members

Blue Alliance Captains receive a number of perks for representing their hometown, including:

• Welcome letter
• Game ticket voucher
• Personalized Thunder ID card
• Thunder yard flag and pole flag
• License plate frame
• Embroidered Blue Alliance polo
• Opportunity to attend semi-annual Blue Alliance meetings and special events

The Thunder Blue Alliance has been rolled out in a two (2) phase strategy, with the first phase generating a tremendous response from fans looking for new ways to engage with the team, demonstrate their avidity, and take a leadership role in their community. The platform's strategic use of Facebook groups allows it to be easily manageable for team stakeholders, community leaders, and participants.

Looking for more teams to roll out similar platforms to engage fans statewide, nationwide, and across the globe!

   

The Magic Offer Playoff Tickets to Scavenger Hunt Participants

The Orlando Magic are partnering with T-Mobile to host the second annual Magic Text Scavenger Hunt, offering fans a chance to win a pair of tickets to every home game during the team's 2011 NBA Playoffs run.

The promotional initiative allows teams comprised of 2-4 persons an opportunity to compete in a head-to-head scavenger hunt foot race in downtown. From noon-3pm on Saturday, April 2nd, teams will search downtown Orlando by foot while participating in a number of team activities along the way for a chance to win. Each team will be guided to select destinations by Magic Text Subscriber mobile alerts. The team that generates the highest point total and fastest time will win the grand prize - two (2) upper bowl tickets to every Magic home game during the 2011 NBA Playoffs.  

Fans can enter for a chance to compete to win by completing a registration form on the team's official website, sending a text message to 78828 with the keyword HUNT, or printing their name/team name  and contact information on a 3x5 card and mailing it to Magic Text Scavenger Hunt, 8701 Maitland Summit Boulevard, Orlando, FL 32810. Each team must have at least one (1) person in the group who is a Magic Text Subscriber on their mobile phone.

Clippers Fans "Get Their Red On" in 2010

The Los Angeles Clippers celebrated their new brand new red jerseys and the start of the 2010-11 NBA season by featuring a "Get Your Red On" promotion that truly benefited fans. The promotion allowed fans who purchased a red jersey or red shirt on Clippers.com to receive a free lower bowl ticket to the team's game against the Dallas Mavericks.

The Clippers offered the deal on a first-come, first-serve basis, with a limited number of tickets being made available. However, it served as a great way to drive merchandise sales, drive interest and awareness around the team's new jerseys, and build some early season excitement around the club, especially with the return of start PF Blake Griffin.

While some clubs may not have a comparable amount of lower bowl inventory available to run a similar promotion, upper bowl tickets would still present a compelling offer for fans.

The Kings Let Groups of Fans Capitalize on Threes...

Sports organizations looking for new ways to attract and engage mid-sized groups of fans during games should take a close look at a program the Sacramento Kings are offering during the 2010-11 NBA season.

The Kings organization has created a special section, located just feet from the court near the baseline, that rewards fans based on how many three-pointers the team converts during games. The section, entitled the "Courtside Corner 3-Point Party", allows a group of fans seated in a 14-seat section to receive a $20 Kings Team Store Voucher (good with any $50+ purchase) for each three-pointer the team makes during a game. The group also receives a $200 food and beverage credit to be used for in-seat service thoughout the game.

The group receives a special three-point marker that will draw the attention of fans throughout the arena every time the team scores a basket from behind the arc and is guaranteed to be featured on KingsVision each game.

The best part about the section is the fact that if the Kings convert 14 or more three-point shots, everyone in the group gets their money back! One (1) group of (14) fans can sign up to sit in the Courtside Corner 3-Point Party each game  by calling 1-888-91-KINGS or visit Kings.com/courtsidecorner. No information was disclosed pertaining to the actual cost of group ticket prices to "own" the section.

In case you were wondering...

• The Kings averaged 5.8 3-pointers made per game in 2009
• The record for most 3-point field goals during a game is 23 (set by Orlando in 2009)
• (8) NBA teams have made (12) 3-point field goals in (1) half
• The Boston Celtics averaged 26.28 3-point field goal attempts in 2002-03 while the Atlanta Hawks only averaged 0.91 3-point field goal attempts in 1979-1980

  

Leverage Electronics Partners In-Game...

Are you looking for new ways to leverage electronics partners? Are you looking for new ways to entertain fans during periods of play?

The Orlando Magic featured a humorous "Name that TV Tune" video board segment that served as a fan-favorite during games in the '08-09 season. The Magic created a few simple vignettes featuring players and dance team members trying to sing the words to a recognizable tune on their iPod (with iPod imagery in the background).

The vignettes serve as a great way for sports organizations to integrate electronics retailers/manufacturers and music companies in a seamless, memorable in-game setting. Depending on the partner, properties can easily replace the iPod (featured in the videos below) with a state-of-the-art cell phone, computer, television (karaoke-style), or other device.

Teams can even drive excitement in-arena by assigning participating players/dance team members to designated sections in-venue and rewarding the section of fans assigned to the player who sings the most correct lyrics with a free cd/song download (which can be distributed w/ voucher, picked up a Will Call, etc.)

Check out the Orlando Magic's "Name that TV Tune" vignettes below:

PLAYERS

DANCE TEAM

PLAYER KARAOKE

In 2009, the Magic organization introduced a humorous "Player Karaoke" vignette... Check it out below:

The Mavericks' Great Baby Race of 2009

Are you looking for new ways to leverage cpg companies and non-traditional partners? Are you looking to create game entertainment that caters to all fans in attendance?

The Dallas Mavericks recently teamed up with retail partner Academy Sports + Outdoors to feature an All-Star baby race during the 3rd quarter of a recent home game that turned out to be a huge hit with fans. The contest pinned four (4) babies sporting Dallas Mavericks gear racing (slowly) across a mat in front of thousands of the team's supporters.

The Mavericks did a tremendous job executing the promotion by leveraging the PA announcer to drive fan excitement and featured some great camera angles of the action on the video board.

The All-Star baby race served as a great way for Academy Sports + Outdoors to distinguish the fact that it is the Official Headquarters for the Dallas Mavericks for all fans (men, women, kids, babies, etc.). The collaborating parties could bring the promotion to life slightly more by assigning sections to each of the four babies (with the winning baby's section receiving $5 gift cards while all other participating sections receiving a discount at purchase). Nonetheless, Mavericks fans in attendance won't forget the baby race (and Academy Spots + Outdoors) the next time they are shopping for their kids!

Check out the Mavericks' classic All-Star baby race below: 

Chick-fil-A - Activation of the Day

Right Guard Leverages Chris Paul to the Max...

Are you looking to benchmark ways to leverage an athlete endorser? Are you looking to create a new, captivating viral campaign?

Brands searching for ways to leverage athlete endorsers should look no further than Dial's Right Guard brand and its relationship with Hornets G Chris Paul. As the Official Deodorant of the NBA, Right Guard has done a tremendous job leveraging Paul as an athlete endorser to promote the company's association with the NBA.

Dial prominently features Chris Paul on Right Guard's product homepage among a variety of basketball-specific landing pages, including:

• Chris Paul Page - Features video profiles of Paul's activities off the court as well as factoids of his performance on the court
• NBA All-Star Game Promotions - Offers fans the chance to win a chance to play ball with Chris Paul and two of their friends (not to mention, win a trip to the NBA Finals) through the CP+3 Sweepstakes
• Video Vault - Features an assortment of viral features
• NBA Playground Page - Features interactive games soon to be unveiled

Right Guard recently launched a humorous, cost-effective viral campaign that should soon drive some buzz in the basketball world. The campaign, entitled "A Message from a Picture of Chris Paul", mirrors a popular skit once featured on the Conan O'Brien show. Check out some of the viral features below: