Photo courtesy of www.bostinno.com
With the holiday season fast approaching there are plenty of professional teams out there looking to help out worthy causes through Facebook promotions. In some cases the worthy cause is their own organization, but everything is relative I guess.
In this piece we will look at 6 different ways teams are trying to raise money through unique sports promotions. There happens to be a lot of creativity in some of these so sit back and enjoy the sleigh ride.
Charitable Sports Promotions
Dallas Cowboys
For the 15th straight year the Cowboys and the Salvation Army have teamed up to get as many fans from America’s Team as possible to donate at least $15. Facebook comes into play when people donate; everyone is put up on the Cowboys’ wall plus medals are given to the first donor, the most recent donor and the highest donor of.
Sports promotions like this one from the Cowboys comes in the form of gift packs, books and signed jerseys. Everyone who donates is put into a drawing and is eligible to receive these great prizes just for donating $15. The Donors who give more to the cause that provided Thanksgiving and Christmas to 4.2 million people in 2010 will also automatically receive gifts from the Cowboys depending on how much more they give. Sports promotions like this classics are for a very good cause and there’s really no reason why every Cowboy fan who can afford to shouldn’t participate.
New Jersey Devils
Right along the same lines as the Cowboys, the Devils are also asking fans to join in and support a good cause in a big way. They are holding a Toys For Tots Night where fans can bring a new unwrapped toy for kids in need. The Devils will then distribute the toys to hospitals and organizations who serve the community. Last year the club donated 1,500 toys and $4,800 thanks to their charitable fans.
Much like the way the Cowboys did it, every fan who donates a toy will be entered into a drawing to win numerous great prizes, courtesy of the New Jersey Devils. While there are no guaranteed gifts in this promotion and it is limited to the fans attending the game, this is still a cause that is incredibly worthy and should get mass participation from fans.
Creative Sports Promotions
Washington Capitals
The Caps have taken more of a fan-driven approach in conducting its holiday sports promotions. They have created a holiday photo contest where all fans can send in their best holiday photo while still supporting their Capitals. All of the fans who have “liked” the team on Facebook can then vote on which photo they think is the best in capturing Capitals cheer. The winner then receives a free holiday gift pack, which includes an autographed puck, two tickets to three Caps games and two skating passes and hats.
While sports promotions like this one are really promoting the Capitals Facebook page and holiday gift pack it is still a fun way to celebrate the holidays while showing support for your favorite hockey team.
Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks’ sports promotion shares the Capitals’ idea of the fan-centered approach and yet takes it in a whole different, uglier direction. Vancouver’s hockey team is encouraging fans to send in pictures of them sporting the ugliest sweaters they own. Fans then vote on the sweater they can barely look and that lucky fan wins tickets to a future Canucks game.
Again, sports promotions like this are geared a bit toward the team’s Facebook fan page but it is an easy way to get a good laugh going during a stressful season. And even if you aren’t a Canucks fan this promotion is worth checking out thanks to the contest’s main photo.
Self-Promotional Sports Promotions
Minnesota Wild
Although sports promotions close to this one don’t promote anything but fans buying Minnesota Wild tickets there is a bit of creativity involved. For their fan’s benefit the Wild are selling “holiday packs”, which consist of two upper level tickets and two limited edition t-shirts for $109.
While fans are getting a deal thanks to the holiday season there are a few too many stipulations – limited tickets, online purchase only, shirt vouchers – that hold this promotion back from being a really good one. Still, it brings a good gift option for the Minnesota Wild fan in your life.
Los Angeles Kings
The Kings are struggling a bit this year with a record right around .500. Coincidentally if I had to give their holiday sports promotions a grade it would be right around an average “C” with as many good qualities as bad ones. The Kings are just promoting the merchandise you can buy the other 11 months out of the year but cutting back prices a tad and putting on the never-been-heard-before tag of “ho ho holiday savings.”
I’m obviously no professional critique of Facebook sports promotions but I think it can be fairly said that the Kings’ marketing department could be doing a bit more to get their fans to buy some merchandise for the holidays.
Are there any sports promotions we may have missed in our search? Let us know in the comments below! And please share this article with your friends on Facebook and Twitter.
