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.

An Inside Look at the Amway Center, Home of the Magic

The Orlando Magic recently opened the doors of their new home, the Amway Center, and the venue is already being considered one of the finest arenas in the entire world. The team broke ground on the Amway Center, a $480MM facility, in 2008 and recently celebrated its grand opening on October 1st, just in time for the 2010 NBA season.

The Amway Center features a number of world-class elements, including state-of-the-art displays, unique venue buildouts, kids play areas, unique sponsorship tactics, and more. The arena, designed and developed by Populous, is already scheduled to host the 2012 NBA All-Star Game, Monday Night Raw, the Eagles, Lady Gaga and more. Click here to see a complete gallery of all the arena's amenities, displays, and destinations, including:

• The Budweiser Baseline Bar
• The Gentleman Jack Terrace
• Disney Atrium
• The OZone Section
• Stuff's Magic Castle Kids Area
• Orlando Magic Team Shop
• State-of-the-Art Scoreboard
• AirTran Deck, Kia Automobile Displays
• Amway Center Fanbulance
• Murals, Concessions Areas, Concourse Displays, and More!

*Orlando Magic corporate partners include Amway, Anheuser-Busch, Geico, Harris Corp., Gentlemen Jack, Kia, AirTran, PepsiCo, Disney, Grand Bohemian Hotel, Barnie's Coffee & Tea Company, T-Mobile, MillerCoors, and more!

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 Magic Turn to Skeletons to Promote Tobacco Free Florida Week...

Are you looking for a creative way to draw attention to a cause? Are you looking for new ways to drive awareness of partnerships in-venue?

The Orlando Magic recently teamed up with Tobacco Free Florida to create an exclusive night designed to stress the importance of living a healthy lifestyle and encourage fans to be tobacco free. The Magic used a Friday night home game against the Detroit Pistons to feature a mix of arena game night and television presentations to promote Tobacco Free Florida Week (February 27th - March 7th).

Tobacco Free Florida's game night activation was highlighted by the team featuring skeleton fans in prominent seat locations around the arena with an impactful messaging campaign ("we lose too many Magic fans each year to tobacco use"). The skeletons drew the attention of fans throughout the arena who were curious what statement was being made by the team and its supporting partners.

The Magic also featured a number of other tobacco-free initiatives, including:

• The team's star athletes and personnel featuring taped Tobacco Free Florida Week messages on the FOX Sports Florida's telecast as well as on the arena jumbotron
• Free autographed photos of either Jameer Nelson or Hedo Turkoglu to the first 3,000 fans who stopped by the Tobacco Free Florida table display on the concourse to make their pledge
• The Tobacco Free Florida Street Team and Smokifier vans were featured on-site outside the arena to engage fans and drive awareness
• The Magic are also supporting the initiative by hosting two (2) Tobacco Free Florida school rallies at local preparatory schools.

Check out the Magic's skeleton activation in action:

A special thanks to JT McWalters and Melanie Curtsinger of the Orlando Magic organization for their insights and contributions to this column.