Presentation given at the 2011 North American Society for Sport Management conference at the University of Western Ontario in London, ON on Saturday, June 4, 2011. Case study data collected following the 2009-2010 NHL season.

1. Crafting a social networking plan
your audience will adore:
A focus on the Montreal Canadiens'
largely untapped fan base
By Naila Jinnah
MA Candidate, Queen’s University
NASSM Conference, London, ON, 2011

2. Outline
• The NHL and social media (focus on Twitter)
• Fan identification in the Twitter age
• Case Study: Montreal Canadiens
from 2009 to 2011
• NHL Team successes on Twitter
• Takeaways and Best Practices
• Questions?
PeterRobertCasey.com
NASSM Conference, London, ON, 2011

3. The NHL and Social media
• Most educated, tech savvy, youngest fans
(Simmons Market Research)
• Teams, league employees and players are
encouraged to have a Twitter presence
• Fans use Twitter to:
– Communicate, BIRG, CORF, discuss the game
– Discuss media reports (news)
– Ask reporters (etc) for team info
– Reply to players, ask for retweets, ask questions
NASSM Conference, London, ON, 2011

4. Digital fandom 2.0
• Static shrine websites with message boards 
immediate interactive multimedia platforms
• Web 2.0 + globalisation = fan power
• Cross-platform game-watching experience
• Audience  Producer
• Sport as “simultaneously
embodied and mediated
experience.”
(Hutchins & Mikosza, 2010)
NASSM Conference, London, ON, 2011

5. Sport fan identification
Fan identification ladder
Fan identification: (Rein et al., 2006)
“the personal Ensnared fans
commitment and
emotional involvement Insiders
customers have with a Attachers
sport organization.”
(Sutton et al., 1997) Collectors
• Can change over time Wallets
• Impacted by various Eyeballs
characteristics.
Indifferent fans
NASSM Conference, London, ON, 2011

6. Twitter marketing
• Traditional entryways enhanced by Twitter
• Focus on engaging people, not marketing product
• Team followers are engaged year round and
follow content everywhere (AFL Survey, Coyle Media, 2010)
fan engagement = fan identification levels
In other words…
fan $ spent, which means…
revenue & brand growth = revenue potential
NASSM Conference, London, ON, 2011

7. Habs 1.0: 2009-2010
Issues Presence
• Unique dual language : • No official Facebook page or
Need for French and group presence.
English updates. • FB app only “official”
• Closed organization (tight- because linked from website.
knit, close-minded). • @CanadiensMTL: straight
• Highly demanding fans: forward factual updates.
hyper-interested, hyper- • No interaction on any
knowledgeable and hyper- platforms: all one-way.
aware. (SportsFanGraph.com) • Un-moderated standardised
• Historic team reputation. website message board.
NASSM Conference, London, ON, 2011

8. Things other teams do well
• @NHLBlackhawks: Live-tweeting games and creating fan hype
• @PhoenixCoyotes: Players engaging and converting fans
• @VanCanucks: Giveaways and tweet-up contests
• @NHL_Sens: Minimal effort to meet the needs & wants of fans
• New Jersey Devils Facebook Page: Volunteer “Devils Army
Generals” interact with other fans through social media
Proof that it works?
Fans told @DP_57 (St Louis Blues) they started
watching hockey after following him on Twitter
NASSM Conference, London, ON, 2011

9. Towards Habs 2.0: Suggestions
• Create more branded, official interactive content that fans
can engage in and with.
• Add community-related and –created content.
• Offer social media training for players so they can
contribute to the conversation in a “safe” way.
• Integrate existing communities FIRST, THEN build it (with
your branding strategies) and they will come (migrate for
the benefits you provide).
• Blend communications, public relations and marketing
approaches and strategies.
NASSM Conference, London, ON, 2011

10. Habs 1.5: 2010-2011
• Still failing to engage
• Started @FanJamCHC
• “Habs” copyright claims
• Custom URL shortner
(goha.bs)
• Using fan hashtag
#gohabsgo instead of
standard #Habs
NASSM Conference, London, ON, 2011

11. Habs takeaways
• Need for standardized
the NHL social media
experience through
league-wide guidelines
• Need for Emerging
Media Coordinator
• General belief among
some executives that
social media can’t do
anything more than
traditional marketing.
NASSM Conference, London, ON, 2011

12. Best Practices
• “Get” it and be authentic or it won’t work.
• Social media is just another element in the
PR/marketing/communications toolbox.
• Social media is a long-term plan, not a short-term goal.
NASSM Conference, London, ON, 2011

13. Questions?
Email me:
njinnah@gmail.com Thank you for your
attention throughout
my presentation! 
Tweet me:
@nailaj
See this presentation again:
www.slideshare.net/nailaj
NASSM Conference, London, ON, 2011