Movement, Not a Moment: Building a Multicultural Fan Base

Karim Amadeo How are you making the hockey athlete roster more inclusiveKim Davis Making the hockey athlete roster more inclusive requires focus and collaboration across the entire ecosystem of the sport This begins with an intentional focus on building the youth pipeline of talent For the past 10 years both the NHL ampamp NHLPA have invested over 150 million through the Industry Growth Fund IGF to amp8220widen the funnelamp8221 and build the next generation of hockey talent Through these efforts more than 14 million was invested in cities across the US and Canada and on the ice more than 40000 boys and girls a recordnumber tried hockey for the first time this past season These efforts contributed to the 2024 NHL Draft bringing in the most diverse roster in its historyJennifer Ekeleme Part of this intentional longrange approach includes making sure that our culture is inclusive onoff the ice The main ways weamp8217ve created space for inclusion is through continuous training and operationalizing our values of Embracing Diversity and Upholding Integrity We have a bold commitment to continuous training within the hockey ecosystem to make sure everyone embodies the commitment to inclusionA few initiatives and programs to note1 Respect Hockey platform A fourpoint plan Prevention Reporting Counseling and Accountability to positively shift behaviors and the culture of hockey towards inclusion and diversity2 NHL Player Inclusion Coalition Formed in 2020 the NHL Player Inclusion Coalition is a group of current and former NHL Players who work to advance equality and inclusion in the sport of hockey on and off the ice The Coalition is cochaired by NHL Alums Anson Carter and PK Subban and has over 20 members and countingAmadeo What are key diversity segments for the sportEkeleme Key segments for the League include Hispanic Black Indigenous AAPI the diaspora within this group is expansive Women and Girls the LGBTQ community individuals with disabilities and those from various socioeconomic backgrounds We see these communities and cultures as our future fans from our perspective these audiences are the key to our growth as a sport despite being historically underrepresented off the ice and in the stands Being a part of underindexed audiences means we have an intentional focus on amp8220listening ampamp learningamp8221 understanding that amp8220one size does not fit allamp8221 and ultimately our ability to strengthen our brand grow our revenues and business is dependent on our commitment to access and engagement within these segmentsAmadeo Please can you highlight some of the most effective or recent NHLinclusive marketing initiativesDavis What weamp8217re most proud of is all the work that happens in our communities that aim to not only contribute to making those communities more vibrant but also serve as an access point into the sportamp160Four years ago we created a framework amp82207 Dimensions of Excellence in Inclusiveamp8221 which has guided our approach and ensured consistency across the League and our Clubs The 4th Dimension amp8220Marketingamp8221 has been keenly focused on deepening our storytelling through inclusive marketing initiativesEkelemeNHL Street ampamp Learn to Play NHL STREET brings new style energy and gameplay to the sport of hockey Weamp8217re creating an affordable neighborhoodbased model that gives kids everywhere an opportunity to learn and play Learn to Play is a program that provides a unique opportunity for families to join the hockey community and for participants to develop fundamental skills to help them succeed both on and off the ice Created jointly by the NHLPA and NHL Learn to Playamp8217s goal is to inspire youth and welcome more families into the hockey communityNHL Unites Our marquee social impact platform launching Oct 2024 will encompass all of our initiatives and programs that focus on growth of the game from youth hockey participation to community relations innovation and social impactNHL Cultural Celebrations at the League and Club level Our goal is to create content and programming that improves the cultural availability and awareness of our sport with new audiences The clubs have been doing amazing activations that celebrate various cultures through a mix of community nights Heritage celebrations andor cultural collaborationsInnovation in Broadcast Through our partnership with PXP the NHL launched a pioneering effort to make the game of hockey more accessible to the Deaf and hard of hearing community For the first time in the history of major professional sports the 2024 Stanley Cup Final was broadcast completely in American Sign Language ASL complete with Deaf broadcasters and celebrity guests rules analysis and a live crowd reaction meter This was produced by NHL Studios and simulcast on ESPN and SportsnetSignature Cause Marketing Hockey Fights Cancer oldest Cancer fighting campaign in major sports cocollaboration with ESPN through our partnership with the V Foundation An example of engagement of amp8220purposedrivenamp8221 companies who become sponsors powered by V Foundation presented by AstraZeneca This is our longest running League program with the aim to support those who are living with going through and moving past cancerLegislative efforts on Capitol Hill In an effort to broaden the reach of our sport and build relationships on Capitol Hill the NHL sends representatives to take part in congressional hearings on industryrelated matters including youth participation in sports hold meetings with Congressional Black Hispanic LGBTQ and AAPI caucuses to advocate for our sport and joining the White House Challenge to End Hunger and Build Healthy Communities that was established in February and is part of an initiative announced by President Joe Biden in September of 2022 with the goal of ending hunger and dietrelated diseases by 2030Amadeo What is the NHLamp8217s approach to make their fanbase more inclusive How has it evolvedEkeleme Our approach has been focused and intentional allowing others to have a amp8220voiceamp8221 in the development and creation of our work using data to drive our decision making measuring the impact of our work and tying it to key performance indicators educating and building buyin from League executives putting dollars behind our efforts and building a consistent experience for fans across the entire gameThe next evolution in becoming more inclusive involves us leveraging digital platforms to engage with fans from different backgrounds offering multilingual content expanding our commitment to PRIDE organizations and their work as well as celebrating cultural heritage through narrativefocused content This evolution reflects a deeper commitment to understanding and meeting the needs of a diverse fanbase that feels more accessible and welcoming for everyoneAmadeo Please can you share any key takeaways of the evolution of inclusion in hockeyDavis We talk about our efforts to grow our sport through all of the efforts stated and beyond being a amp8220movement not a momentamp8221 meaning that to remain competitive and economically healthy means we have to have an unrelenting focus on inclusion This mindset must be woven into the DNA of our sportEvolution of inclusion in hockey is not a onetime effort but a continuous journey We have learned that creating an inclusive environment requires sustained commitment at all levels from grassroots initiatives all the way up to executive leadershipListening to and learning from underrepresented voices and finding more ways to represent them on and off the iceInclusion is integral to the longterm growth and success of the sportPosted at MediaVillage through the Thought Leadership selfpublishing platformClick the social buttons to share this story with colleagues and friendsThe opinions expressed here are the author39s views and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillageorgMyersBizNet

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