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Thoughts Numerous studies, polls, and blueprints have been drawn up and debated upon. The Wranglers were a very successful franchises while they had ice to call home. In order to return to Vegas, hockey needs to dedicate some time to the people who make up the Las Vegas community. Las Vegans have cited local governments
still talk to parents, you can guess what the subject of conversation often is: 68 percent say they talk at least every other day about games and practices.
Many NHL franchise’s are employing mission statements that focus not only on their own success, but also the success of the communities they live in. Creating an organization that will are failing to foster a sense of community, recognize the importance of members of community, from pee-wee providing an opportunity to create. aged skaters to their parents, from people rooting at home with The hockey team can create outreach programs for youth. their furry friends, to all the local businesses and schools, Vegas In the 2014-2015 season, USA hockey reported that over one hockey will add more light to an already bright city million players registered. Along with players, there are also fiftyfive thousand coaches, and twenty-three thousand officials. Arizona Growing up, if I hadn't had sports, and California have shown the fastest growth in youth hockey. I don't know where I'd be... According a an article by ESPN’s Bruce Kelley and Carl Carchia, sports not only benefit the individual: God only knows what I'd have been doing, but instead Kids all over America play sports, which means a large portion I played hockey and went to school of families focus on youth sports. Ninety percent of parents and stayed out of trouble. with children on a team attend at least one of their kid’s games a week. And with youth players mostly at the age when they’ll
V
A A A
The Plan In his article 4 of 10 residents looking to leave Las Vegas, Joe Schoenmann states that “residents and former Las Vegans cited the fact that local governments [fail] to foster a sense of community at the same pace developers threw up chock-a-block stucco homes.”
This creates a huge opportunity for a team with a community-forward mission to engage and foster that sense of civic pride and togetherness citizens find lacking.
Garnering support from the local citizens, donations can be given to help fun the rest of the building costs. Each member who donates can be placed on a tile in a mosaic that will be a permanent part of the Las Vegas Hockey team’s history and physical location. A video wall/monitor in an immersive but nonobtrusive manner showed a momentary clip of the donor in a hat trick scoring montage, complete with their name being shouted.
It would make the donor be more willing to go to the games, especially if the plays they “starred” in changed. This would have to be a green-screen video/Photoshop deal. Perhaps the video could be uploadable to Facebook/Twitter/Vine. Since 80% of locals are behind on their mortgages and financial hardship is a reality, tickets, especially season tickets may not be high on their priority list monetarily. Combined with the franchise’s track record of leaving or not securing a venue, locals may not feel they are a priority. A special pricing system for locals only may help improve the perception that the team is only temporary or that it caters to tourists only. Special promotions for locals or those who travel just for the team’s games will also help with Las Vegans feel valued.
The franchise must also focus on the positive impact they can have on the community. Jobs will be created, which will help boost the local economy.
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Statistics Population of Nevada:
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Population of Las Vegas:
603,488 Visitors per Year:
44 million
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1.9%
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Resident Education Attendance
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26,800
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16%
Las Vegas 51’s increase from 11%
10% 2014 8% 2012
10%
UNLV Football increase from 8%
19% 2014
19% 2012
14% 2012
11% 2014
19%
UNLV Events increase from 14%
Rodeo, Boxing, Golf
7%
decrease from 19%
I used to collect hockey cards. It was like Vegas at my school.
Population of Las Vegas:
603,488
7.2% Under the age of 18: 25.9% Over the age of 65: 12% Adults aged 19-54: 55.1% Under the age of 5:
2014 Las Vegas experienced Employment Growth of :
NHL Fans in Las Vegas
Season Ticket Holders at
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5th 245,000 Jobs in job growth Nationwide
means
91,000 11,000
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in S
Statistics The Las Vegas Strip is the brightest place on earth when viewed from outer space.
The 460-foot tall Eiffel Tower opened
110 years after the original in 1999,
a half-scale replica of the original.
% are Homeowners 500 Median Value
Persons per Household
Spanish.
20,000 seats available for events
I like the Eiffel Tower in Las Vegas more than the actual one.
Las Vegas is a 24-hour city.
It never stops.
on/off ice
Positioning The city of Las Vegas is ready for a professional sports team. Numerous studies, polls, and blueprints have been drawn up and debated upon. The Wranglers were a very successful franchises while they had ice to call home. In order to return to Vegas, hockey needs to dedicate some time to the people who make up the Las Vegas community. Las Vegans have cited local governments are failing to foster a sense of community, providing an opportunity to create. The hockey team can create outreach programs for youth: it costs $195,406 to incarcerate a youth in Nevada per year, a juvenile delinquency program tied in with a teen hockey league may help reduce this cost. In the 2014-2015 season, USA hockey reported that over one million players registered. Along with players, there are also fifty-five thousand coaches, and twenty-three thousand officials. Arizona
and California have shown the fastest growth in youth hockey. For the first time, more than fifty thousand first time players were girls. These statistics are a positive indicator that hockey in Vegas is still a viable market. According a an article by ESPN’s Bruce Kelley and Carl Carchia, sports not only benefit the individual:
I think we need to do as much as we can to give back to these young kids growing up.
Kids all over America play sports, which means a large portion of families focus on youth sports. Ninety percent of parents with children on a team attend at least one of their kid’s games a week. And with youth players mostly at the age when they’ll still talk to parents, you can guess what the subject of conversation often is: 68 percent say they talk at least every other day about games and practices.
Many NHL franchise’s are employing mission statements that focus not only on their own success, but also the success of the communities they live in. For example, the Nashville Predator’s mission statement cites: “To use our distinctive set of assets to support the youth and their families in the community that we call home.” The Predator’s make no mention about profit, fame, or fortune. The new Vegas team will also align their values to benefit the community, not just their stakeholders. Creating an organization that will recognize the importance of members of community, from pee-wee aged skaters to their parents, from people rooting at home with their furry friends, to all the local businesses and schools, Vegas hockey will add more light to an already bright city.
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Ninety percent of hockey is mental and the other half is physical.
Marketing Mix: Our Fans/The Locals Skating and training camps Charity affiliations Therapy skates for vets and handicapped individuals Youth and Pee-Wee hockey
Silent A In Aren Charity High sc with in Childre Fan Pa Social Food B
Pet adoption initiatives 5K or related run
Wives’ association Scholarships
Brandi offices car dea TV stat newsp busine restaur superm dry cle transpo
Auctions na/Live Auctions y suites chool affiliations n Arena highlights en’s Hospital visits articipation via Media Bank collections
ing in dentist s, libraries, gyms, alerships, local tions, local papers, small esses, locally owned rants and shops, markets, pet stores, eaners, public ortation
Road Trip Fans: Hotel/meal deals programs
Marketing Mix: Our Fans/The Locals Billboards Target: Locals and Tourists Visitors that use I-15 Annually
7.5 Million
150,544 29 $49 $29639
Hotels/Motels in Las Vegas Internet visitors spent an average of on Entertainment and on Food and Drink
80%
Proprietary App
Target: Locals and Tourists of the population uses a smartphone to browse the internet
Booking Site Partnerships Target: Tourists and Road Warriors Internet user visitors that lodge a hotel:
95%
Visitors that u internet to book a
Partnerships with Local Schools Target: Locals
35,000 336 300,000 Employees
Schools
K-12 Students in Clark County
Partnerships with Local Charities
use the room:
57%
Target: Locals Boys and Girls Club of Southern Nevada
8
Atheltic Programs
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Hockey Programs
In Vegas, I got into a long argument with the man at the roulette wheel over what I considered to be an odd number.
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with d e s o n ag r, e t s i s s i h k adores od days, o g s a h e h ays d i l o h t n he’s spe tle ub s h t i w d zona i r A e h t ecently, t UMC. aa d a v e a N m eral v of m e E S . y ter a s i d s h t s r i i h b ing za, e z enth i e p S . n i ack. s J t t f i h o g t g u d g o e n r azi em h m t a e : they b s t a o se y u w o a f l C c e e d s b r n cake, a really enjoy he es, but better lled with ro d ra smile an em as superhe o be come enth be in t th d e w t ed to r a t s a n t a s e H w e H e ore dh eal. e m r d i e e c r r e a e d w s rent d he they a n p a s i e h H . d and e n u a a g m y a e e m l k E hoc ed ckey p l o e h h e y e e -W as th , g n i the Pee t a ly. d e o v i m t i s m o o c p than ac their family so d impacte
A A A Geographic Location: Cedar City, Utah Age: 26 Gender: Female Education Level: Associates Degree Marketing Income: $26,000 Occupation: Secretary/Social Media Specialist Target Attributes Family (Single? Married? Children? Pets?): Single, 1 dog named Calder (after the Calder Cup) Social Life (Hobbies? Dining Out? Outdoor Activities? etc.): Music: plays saxophone and is active in church choir Physical Fitness: Avid gym member (Planet Fitness); P90X home workout; avid skater; YETI member and volunteer; hikes regularly Foodie: Although very active, she indulges in junk food; cooks at home for twin sister Nikki and her mom and dad Hockey Extraordinaire: Loves the sport and all that goes with it; willing to travel 4+ hours by packed vehicle to see minor league teams; has spent $250+ for tickets, room, board, and food to see games; volunteers with YETI; referees local hockey games; Spent 21st birthday at the 2010 NHL Draft at the Staples Center in LA Social Media (Facebook user? Twitter? Other?): Facebook, SnapChat, Pinterest, Instagram Cultural (Book reader? Music lover? Art lover? etc.): likes “old� 80s music: Journey is her go-to; modern pop: 1D, SWAAY, the 1975, Imagine Dragons, Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, Walk the Moon. Political: undecided Ethnicity: Caucasian Personal Values (core beliefs worth fighting for): equality for women, beauty in all sizes, promotion of winter sports Clubs/Tribes (Starbucks loyalist? Fitness enthusiast? Smartphone user? Social media guru: uses every new type of social media and has been Tweeting since Tweeting was Tweetable; a YETI through-and-through: believes that the community can be brought together through outdoor activities and that ice skating in particular can teach coordination, cardio fitness, and balance.
Willing to Travel over Four Hours to support her team.
The Road Warriors Sammy and Nikki are twin sisters who have grown up in Cedar City. They have been members of YETI, Youth & Enthusiasts for Ice, since they were children. Both are extremely active individuals, and they spend as much time outdoors skating, hiking, or volunteering with YETI. They both love anything hockey – college hockey, pee-wee hockey, professional hockey. They follow several teams, but love Vegas hockey. The lights and atmosphere is so different from their sleepy town of Cedar City. The glitz and glam is magical, and driving the four hours to be able to watch a hockey
game is more than worth it for them. They usually score a cheap hotel room on Orbitz, as the hotel is inconsequential to them. Every trip to see some hockey lands them at Ruby’s diner for some oldfashioned diner grub before the game. They can’t afford season tickets, so they plan ahead early in the year to snag tickets to key games. Alaska Aces games are a priority, but they can also be expensive. The girls tend to travel with several other friends, and they can reduce their cost by carpooling and over-crowding their hotel room. It’s all worth it, as they love the team, the game, and the experience.
A A A Geographic Location: Las Vegas, Nevada Age: 41 Gender: Male Education Level: PhD - Political Science Income: $55,000/year Occupation: Statistician for State of Nevada, Roller Derby Statistician for the Hoover Damned Family (Single? Married? Children? Pets?): Divorced, two cats Social Life (Hobbies? Dining Out? Outdoor Activities? etc.): Drinking, trivia at bars, roller derby, hockey, lacrosse, baseball. Hockey: Grew up watching hockey, both pro and amateur. Bitter about the loss of the Wranglers, adamant that Seattle should NOT get a professional team. Began playing pickup hockey after learning to skate as an adult. Social Media (Facebook user? Twitter? Other?): Facebook and Twitter Cultural (Book reader? Music lover? Art lover? etc.): Avid video game player, multi-system; popular culture dictionary; heavy metal fan: Has a memorial at home AND at work to Lemmy (this is not a joke) Political: Republican Ethnicity: Caucasian Personal Values (core beliefs worth fighting for): Pro-gun; antideclawing Clubs/Tribes (Starbucks loyalist? Fitness enthusiast? Smartphone user? etc): Derby, hockey, cats. Faith/Religious Beliefs: Byzantine Catholic
Not a die-hard fan;
he is a die-never fan.
James is a diehard fan. You know the typewhen watching away games on tv, he is screaming at the tv as if the team can hear and it would help. When the team is on a winning streak, he will wear the same clothes, eat the same food, travel the same route, as if his daily habits impact Vegas hockey. As a season ticket holder and a fanatic, price was of little consequence to him. Each year he budgeted for his tickets and he had no plans to give them up. He was very bitter about the delay of the inaugural season in 1999, and the recent suspension of play. He feels it’s another typical “Vegas move”: who cares about what the residents want or think, as long as there are facilities for the tourists! This will be the third time Vegas residents are expected to give up their hard earned money to support an organization that did not have enough forethought to secure a long term home.
THE DIE-HARD The first time he understood, inaugural seasons hit bumps, but the second time? It was a bit ridiculous in his opinion. He wants to know how things will be different this time. How can the organization prove they care about their fans? He wonders if they know they need the locals, not the tourists? The locals are the ones supporting the team: they are the ticket-takers, the janitors, the ushers, and the people in the seats. If the franchise wants success, in James’ opinion they better do something to prove they value their fans.
Competitive
The direct competition in another hockey team, as wou The competition in Vegas is V city is teaming with things to Shark reef (in the middle o Red Rock Canyon Coun Britney Spears Blu Penn & Teller 2,37 Magicians Shooting ranges Botan Zip lining down Fremont S Fountains shows where vo
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… the list goes on and on and on. It will be difficult to target tourists with all the glitz and glam. Difficult, but not impossible. 65% of visitors attended shows during their stay in Vegas (which is down from 72% in 2013). Of this group of people: 77% went to a lounge act 17% saw a big-name headliner 10% saw comedy shows 19% went to “other” shows
In 2014, the average nights stayed was 3.2, which may not leave enough time for a hockey game along with all the other nightly shows available in Vegas. Approximately 9% of visitors who are there for a Trade Show or conference and these individuals may pose an interesting market. When the meetings for the day conclude, a group hockey game could be a fun activity.
When targeting to the local population, Sporting events would fall into “other” the history of the Vegas franchise is a large but are not significant enough to create their threat, as is the current economic situation own share of the breakdown. of Las Vegas. While tourism provides a
Vegas is everything that’s right with America. You can do whatever you want, 24 hours a day.
rather stable job market, over 80% of Las Vegas residents are behind on their mortgages, leaving little extra for season tickets. The franchise will also have to overcome its history and reputation in the heart and minds of the locals. Finally, the logical competitors are area ECHL hockey teams. The Alaska Aces are the favorite rivals in Vegas, as both the Wranglers and the Aces were the winningest teams in the ECHL. Other notable competitors are: Bakersfield Condors, Idaho Steelheads, Ontario Reign, Stockton Thunder
The Las Vegas Wranglers were Vegas’s professional hockey team until 2014. Initially, they were slated to begin in 1999 after the Las Vegas Thunder became defunct. The Wranglers name and logo were announced prior to the 2000 season, however the franchise failed to secure a home venue. The Wranglers officially hit the ice in 2003 at the Orleans Hotel and Casino. They also became the affiliate team of the Calgary Flames and the Lowell Lock Monsters.
the Wrangler’s lease. The franchise was set to move to a facility at the Plaza Hotel & Casino in downtown Vegas, however the venue proved to be too costly to retrofit. A voluntary suspension of operations was grated by the ECHL, a permanent cessation was announced on January 30, 2015 via Facebook due to no suitable venue.
This has left a giant gap Las Vegan’s sports fan nation. Eighty percent of local Las Vegans behind on their mortgages, the franchise will In 2013, The Orleans Hotel and have to contend with the economic Casino made the decision to terminate competition, as well as dealing with
We cannot simply replace the Wranglers. The team has to offer Las Vegas more than another sports team or tourist trap. The team will be active in the community, fostering relationships with youth, veterans, and even animal shelters.
their history of instability. Loca feel as if they are priority, in a already feel that they are not Las Vegans feel they are there tourists and literally clean up enjoying themselves. Bringing hockey back to Las Vegas can population feel they are an as clean up the community they in. By actively working with ci Vegas, positive initiatives can will focus on veterans, childre students, handicapped individ charities. It will be imperative support of the local communi
als may not a city here they a priority. Many e to serve after others g professional n help the local sset, and help live and work itizens from Las n be enacted that en, teens, college duals, and local to garner the ity.
A A A Filling the gap left by the Wranglers – with more
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I've always loved it in Las Vegas, and it is the o different talented people from so many places.
only city in the world that brings so many .
Join your favorite House players as they trade in their sweaters for tuxedos in the name of charity. This wonderful event take the boys off the ice and they serve those most loyal to them: their fans. All proceeds of this event benefit life saving cancer research. Tickets go on sale November 1, 2016. Please call the box office and ask about the multiple ticket levels available.
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Every day is a great day for hockey.
A A A Sara Elizabeth Tinnick www.tinnick.com April 2016