CONCORD, NC – Some hockey fans may think that teams spend the off- season focusing on hockey operations, player signings and preparing the on-ice product. They do but just as importantly, they also focus on the business side of running the member teams.
Over the past few days, the Southern Professional Hockey League completed its second annual Summer Conference. The conference focused on increasing the family entertainment value of the SPHL experience, building the fan and sponsorship base and in general working on how to increase customer interest and satisfaction.
The eight member teams of the SPHL were represented at the three-day session by a cross section of owners, general managers, front office management and their marketing and sales staffs. Participants went through the intense and informative session in the Charlotte, NC area home of the SPHL league office.
Also in attendance were SPHL President Jim Combs, Vice President of Hockey Administration Doug Price and a representative of the league’s Director of Officiating.
“The idea of the session is to build on the individual member team success and share concepts throughout the league,” Combs said about the conference.
Participants heard from experts representing a variety of disciplines and organizations as they went through a series of exercises which facilitated the exchange of ideas, best practices and experiences and to stimulate new ideas.
“The SPHL, while competitive on the ice, has a culture of working closely as a team off the ice as all of our members are committed to the success of all of the member teams,” Combs said. “The Board of Governors approved the league and team investment in this seminar to help us focus on our fans.”
The list of outside speakers, and the presentations by the participants offered roadmaps in a wide variety of areas. Among the topics discussed were organizational branding, the use of technology, social media, special events planning, marketing and community involvement along with working with sponsors to improve the experience of current fans while attracting new ones. Hockeyologist Kevin Huhn from Toronto brought his considerable expertise to the group in the area of how hockey organizations brand themselves in their community. His broad background in hockey as a player, coach and in business operations as well as his role as host of a weekly program on the NHL’s Sirius-XM satellite radio channel made him a perfect person to play the part of facilitator throughout the seminar. The group also got the benefit of discussion from industry experts such as Tom Knox of IMG, one of the world’s largest companies involved in sports events management, as well as representation across the spectrum of sports and entertainment. Knox, whose organization represents some of the world’s superstars such as Alex Ovechkin and Tiger Woods, works with NASCAR, another of the SPHL’s corporate partners. He shared IMG’s approach in the management of events around the world. Other highlighted speakers included Charlotte Checker’s consultant Jeff Longo and a variety of representatives from various league partners who introduced products, ideas and technology supportive of the conference goals.
The meeting was also fun as the staffs traded barbs and shared laughter about last season’s experiences while focusing on strengthening the family entertainment value of the combined SPHL product.
Combs closed the conference with a challenge to participants, asking them to expand the cooperation and relationships developed between the participants over the three days into a year-round effort to build and constantly improve the league’s on and off-ice products.
Contact the author at Phil.Brand@prohockeynews.com
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