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 The Washington Capitals needed to build an infusion of hometown enthusiasm and team spirit into what had become a very tepid hockey town. The Bomstein Agency’s charge was to create the kind of community buzz that would turn things around with a broader fan base (beyond the traditional “hockey fan”), and increase game attendance and ticket sales.
Strategy:
To reposition The Capitals as an exciting experience for everyone: an in-demand, “must see”, family entertainment experience. This involved a re-education of the marketplace. We used qualitative research to develop a portrait of the Capitals fan, and used the findings to plan a targeted media campaign. While the core audience is Male 25-34, we identified an expanded prospect base to include Adults 25-49, with families. We also pin-pointed growth markets such as the Police Department, Firefighters, EMS workers, and the Military.
Tactics:
Beyond watching the players on the ice, hockey offers a very exciting experience for the fan. The Bomstein Agency communicated this high energy, total experience to the marketplace. Creatively, we expanded the message to characterize the entire game experience. We developed a complementary mix of humorous, edgy print ads and high-energy cable TV spots to push the important home games and game clusters, and use radio to support vital games, promotions and events. We also created unique promotions and events via partnerships with local radio stations and merchants to mobilize fans and generate publicity.
Results:
A renewed sense of energy for the team, which translated into 14.5% season ticket growth; 11 sellouts versus 7 the previous year; and a season attendance growth rate of 7.34% over the previous season. This growth resulted in total season sales of 638,000 tickets out of potential 756,000 for 41 home games (83% capacity). The team has experienced continued growth in successive seasons, with the exception of the 04/05 season, when the season was cancelled due to a labor dispute.
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