Hartford WolfPack

American Hockey League

Hartford WolfPack
American Hockey League

Table of Contents
Executive Summary 4
Introduction

Organizational Vision/Mission/Culture
Organizational Goals
Market Assessment

11
12

Primary and Secondary Market Research

Complete Market Overview

12

12

SWOT Analysis 13
PEST Analysis

14

Methodology 16
Market Selection Decisions 17
Segmentation 17
Target Marketing
Positioning

20

SMART Objective

21

Marketing Mix Decisions

Product

19

23

23

Price 23
Place 23
Promotion

24

Public Relations
Service Decisions

25

27

Technology Enhancements/Database Marketing

28

Sales 30
Legal Issues/Risk Management/ Ethical Issues
Areas for Incremental Revenue

33

35
2

Financial Analysis

37

Evaluation and Control

Appendix

40

Works Cited

46

38

Executive Summary
The Hartford Wolf Pack is a professional ice hockey team located in Hartford,
Connecticut. As a team in the American Hockey League (AHL), the Wolf Pack plays their home
games at the XL Center. Currently the Wolf Pack plays as a top affiliate of the National Hockey
League's New York Rangers. An ongoing problem with the team is a lack of fans in attendance at
home games. The 2012-2013 season drew an average of 4,540 fans per game, compared to the
1998-1999 season where there was an average of 7,221 fans per game. The XL Center has 5,635
seats for Hartford Wolf Pack. This leaves over 1,000 empty seats each game in the arena. Right
now, the arena only opens the 100-level seating leaving just over 5,000 available to fans. If the
organization is able to increase attendance and demand, we will be able to open up different parts
of the 200-level seating. Hartford Wolf Pack tickets range from an affordable $12-$45, while the
average NHL ticket price costs $61.62 per person. As an organization our ultimate goal is to
increase the total number of fans in attendance by 8% by the end of the 2014-2015 season. This
increase of 8% (compared to the 2012-2013 season) would be having an average of 362 more
fans attend Hartford Wolf Pack games. In order to achieve this goal the Wolf Pack must
overcome many challenges, factors, difficult decisions, and plan accordingly. Some
organizational strengths of the team are that they play in the AHL, which is associated with the
NHL, where many players are from all around the world. This helps globalize the teams fans
because of players from different countries. A weakness of being a hockey organization is having
competition from other professional sports such as the NFL, NBA, or MLB. The target market of
the Hartford Wolf Pack is males who are in the age range of 35-50, who live in Connecticut and
make an average of $50,000-$60,000 a year. This is because the average avid hockey fan is 39

years old, more males attend games rather than women and the majority of
Connecticut citizens are considered to live within middle class income. As an organization we
plan on using the three main social media networks in attracting fans to the games. These social
media networks include Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Fans will have unlimited access to all
of the Wolf Packs social media sites, which will always provide important information such as
upcoming games, ticket deals, pictures, special events, and promotions. The database system the
Hartford Wolf Pack organization will use is going to be important in helping with the plan of
action. The database system will include contact information of every person that has attended a
game, bought merchandise online, or even follows our social media pages.

Introduction
The Hartford Wolfpack is currently a well-established franchise in the American Hockey
League. Since their creation in the summer of 1997, the Wolfpack has become one of the most
preeminent teams in the league. As an affiliate of the National Hockey Leagues New York
Rangers, the Wolfpack plays in professional hockeys top player-development league. Presently
the Wolfpack plays at the XL Center, managed by Global Spectrum, which is located in Hartford
Connecticut. The Pack joined the AHL (American Hockey League) for the 1997-98 season,
after Madison Square Garden Corporation (MSG) bought the old Binghamton Rangers franchise
and moved it to Hartford (Team History). For their first ever home game on October 4, 1997,
the Wolfpack drew an astonishing 12,934 fans into attendance at the Civic Center. During the
1997 season the Wolfpacks made it as far as the conference finals, losing four games to one. In
the Hartford Wolfpacks brief history they have won one Calder Cup Championship, which was
accomplished during the 1999-2000 season. Coming off a very successful season, having the hot
hand after going on a stretch of 26 wins and 5 losses, the Wolfpack battled its way through
several dramatic playoff victories to eventually clinch the Calder cup (Team History). The start
of the 2009-2010 season was also the end of the Wolfpack era. The club was re-christened the
Connecticut Whale in November of 2010, after its business operations were taken over by
Whalers Sports & Entertainment, a group led by Howard Baldwin, the man responsible for first
bringing pro hockey to Hartford with the World Hockey Associations Whalers in the early
1970s. At the start of the 2010-2011 season the team remained the Wolfpack until the rebranding ceremony, on November 27th, which drew 13,089 fans in attendance, the second largest
crowd at the XL Center in team history (Team History.) The completion of the 2011-2012 season

pronounced the end of the Whalers Sports & Entertainment era. AEG Management CT once
again took over the teams business operations. These changes in operations led to the Whale
changing their name back to the Wolfpack at the end of the 2012-2013 season. In conjunction
with that, MSG and Global Spectrum revived the Wolfpack identity, changing the team nickname
back to the Wolfpack label that had defined it for the first 13 years of its existence in Hartford
(Team History). The overall success of the Hartford Wolfpack has been remarkable, with the
team never having an overall losing record and only missing the playoffs twice in 16 seasons.

Organizational Vision/Mission/Culture
The Hartford Wolfpack and the surrounding organization provide fans with an enjoyable,
entertaining, and family friendly atmosphere while watching the hockey game. They accomplish
these tasks with several different strategies including, fun mascots, family activities, promotions,
group ticket deals, and team meet and greets. Some notable promotional games include teddy
bear toss night, thanksgiving food drive, military appreciation night, Movember/Men's Health
Awareness Night (First 1,000 fans receive a Sonar mustache shirt), and Sonar's
Birthday/Autograph Day (Bring your items for the team to autograph after the game). A couple
family oriented promotional games include a Post-Game skate and a Kids Run the Show.
Sonar the Wolfpack mascot is fun, wacky, and energetic which gets the crowd into the game and
provides fans with entertainment. The Hartford Wolfpack is also very open and welcoming to
group ticket deals. They provide four Boy Scout nights in the 2013-2014 season along with one
Girl Scout night. With large groups come cheaper ticket deals, a single person ticket for the
middle section costs $30, meanwhile a group of 10-100 people for the same ticket costs $23 per
person.
As an organization there must be a plan to reach our ultimate goal of increasing
attendance 8% by the end of the 2014-2015 season. With the city of Hartford being a populated
area, 124,893 people according to the 2012 census, there are ample opportunities to draw fans
into attendance. One strategy is to focus on college students, as Hartford University is only a
seven minute drive from the XL Center. Currently there are 5,284 undergrad students and 1,610
graduate students attending the University. An interesting note is that Hartford University does
not have a collegiate ice hockey team. That being said the Hartford Wolfpack can provide the
students with entertainment from a professional ice hockey team. With the close proximity from

the XL Center to the University and the affordable tickets, Wolfpack games are an excellent
substitution from expensive NHL games or the lack of a collegiate hockey team. The plan is to
reach out to all students who attend Hartford University via many different strategies. First a
flyer will be made with the Wolfpack logo, upcoming schedule, and any game promotions or
student discounts on it. This flyer will be put in all the students mailboxes at Hartford
University. The flyer will make it clear that the Wolfpack is indeed a professional ice hockey
team and that the players are rising stars who could be playing for the New York Rangers in the
near future. Some notable alumni from the Hartford Wolfpack that currently play in the NHL
includes, Ryan Callahan, Ryan McDonagh, Dan Girardi, Brandon Dubinsky, Marc Savard, and
many more. Another strategy is reaching out to students through their university emails. The
same flyer that will be in their mailbox can now also be viewed online, along with other
information, such as a links to the Hartford Wolfpack webpage and social media websites.
A big advantage that the Hartford Wolfpack has over the National Hockey League is the
affordable ticket prices. Both the Wolfpack and the Rangers being professional hockey teams, the
talent and skill level is some of the best in the world. The Wolfpack plays in the AHL as an
affiliate of the New York Rangers, which means the players are being developed while gaining
crucial experience so they can reach the NHL. In the 2013 season the average NHL ticket price
has climbed 2.3% from the previous season bringing the total price up to $61.62 per ticket
(Elliot, 2013). The cost for a group of four to attend a game and also buy soft drinks, beers, hot
dogs and souvenir caps rose 3.1% to $359.17, according to Team Marketing Report (Elliot,
2013). Hartford Wolfpack tickets range from the cheapest ticket being $12 to most expensive
ticket being $45. The best seat in the XL Center during a Wolfpack game is still $16.62 cheaper
than the average NHL ticket.

In todays society social media is used on a daily basis by millions of people, as a means
of communication, entertainment, and getting the latest gossip and information. By taking
advantage of these free networking sites, the Wolfpack can make a strong push to attract a wide
variety of fans. As of November 29th, 2013 the official Twitter page of the Hartford Wolfpack has
12,199 followers and the Facebook page has 64,950 likes. This area of advertising is not limited
because of the constant gain of followers along with the opportunities to branch out to other
social networking sites such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Vine, etc. Fans will have
unlimited access to all of the Wolfpack's social media sites, which will always provide important
information such as upcoming games, ticket deals, special events, and promotions. These sites
not only provide extensive information but they all can bring entertainment to the fans.
Instagram along with Facebook and Twitter will allow fans to view pictures and videos of the
players, coaches, and gameplay. Pictures and videos can provide a more appealing approach of
advertising to fans because of the exciting goals and big hits. It is a way to attract people who
want to see those thrilling pictures and videos in live action.

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Organizational Goals
As an organization our one objective is to focus on increasing attendance at the XL
Center. In recent years there has been a consistent decrease in the overall attendance at home
games. In the last two seasons there has been a slight improvement, likely because of the name
change to the Connecticut Whale, but it is nowhere near our long-term goal. In the 2009-2010
season attendance hit an all-time low with 4,188 fans showing up to each game. In contrast to the
1997-1998 season when there was a franchise high 7,221 fans attending each home game. Our
goal as an organization is to increase attendance 8% by the end of the 2014-2015 season. Within
the last 10 seasons the attendance has dropped from 5,845 (2002-2003) to 4,540 (2012-2013),
which is 1,305 less fans on average per game (Hartford Wolfpack Yearly Attendance Graph).
Increasing the amount of fans attending each game by 8% from the 2012-2013 total of 4,540 per
game would account for 362 more people showing up to every contest.

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Market Assessment
Primary and Secondary Market Research
Primary and secondary research is the best way to find out the wants and needs of the
consumers. By using these research sources, we believe to have found the best target market and
have found the best way to reach them.
Primary research tactics will include surveys, personal observations and data on past and
present consumers. Surveys were conducted at previous games and local malls to help find out
more about the socioeconomic segmentation in target marketing. Personal observations will
occur throughout all games at the arena through the employees of the Hartford Wolfpack. Data
on past and present consumers will be conducted by having customers contact information that
includes names, phone numbers and e-mails.
Secondary research tactics we have included are United States Government Census,
academic journals and internal sources. We have used a census to determine the percentage of
men and women in Connecticut to help figure out the gender segmentation in target marketing.
Academic journals were used to see other organizations surveys and data on the percent of male
and female who like hockey. Lastly, the internal sources used are the attendance figures stated in
the marketing plan.
Complete Market Overview
The Hartford Wolfpack has been loyal to the state of Connecticut by staying in
Hartford since 1997. Only seven other AHL teams have stayed in the same city longer than the
Hartford Wolfpack stayed in Connecticut. This allows us to keep a strong connection with state
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of Connecticut. By having this strong connection, we are seen as a community organization and
are able to reach a broader market. As of now, we dont market to a great amount of people, only
fans of the Hartford Wolfpack who go to games, but in order to increase attendance, we must
market to other areas.
SWOT Analysis
Organizational Strengths
The AHL and NHL are looked at widely around the globe because many players arent
from the United States of America. Many are from Canada, Finland, Russia and Sweden as
shown in the Appendix. Also, the Stanley Cup is one of the most coveted titles in sports. This
makes the AHL very appeasable to upcoming players who want to play in the NHL. The NHL
also has one the most loyal fan bases in sports. Hockey fans are very dedicated to their team and
always do whatever they can to support them, especially Ranger fans.
Organizational Weaknesses
A weakness of being a hockey organization is that hockey has is significantly lower on
societys important sport organizations. Organizations like the National Football League, Major
League Baseball and National Basketball Association seem to have a higher fan base then the
National Hockey League which results in a lower fan base in the American Hockey League.
Also, the National Hockey League is still recovering from the strike in 2012-2013. The strike
effected the AHL because many players went down to the AHL leagues and demanded more
money effecting the teams revenue.
External or Environmental Opportunities

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The organization has the opportunity to become a bigger and larger organization if there
is a higher demand for seating at games. Right now, the arena only opens the 100-level seating
leaving just over 5,000 available to fans. If the organization is able to increase attendance and
demand, we will be able to open up different parts of the 200-level seating. This increases profit
in a variety of places for the organization. This includes concessions because more people will
be eating at games, ticket sales by allowing more fans into games, and merchandise will sell
more Hartford Wolfpack gear.
External or Environmental Threats
The Hartford Wolfpack is not the only sports organization in Connecticut and with that
being said, the Wolfpack must promote themselves better than the rest of the teams. The first
sport team we try to promote ourselves better than is the University of Connecticut mens and
womens basketball because they also playing in the XL Center during the same time of year.
Other external threats include the various colleges and their hockey teams and basketball teams.
These colleges include Yale, Central Connecticut State, University of New Haven and
University of Hartford. Professional sport teams in Connecticut include three minor league
baseball teams residing in New Britain, New Haven and Norwich. Lastly, the New England
Seawolves reside in Hartford and are in the Arena Football League.
PEST Analysis
Political
In order for the Hartford Wolfpack to be a good organization, we must have the support
of the community and the ones who run it. Thus being said, we must work with the politicians in
the city and state. Working with the government will result in deciding if taxes need to be raised
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or lowered and building permits for technology changes. Also, the organization will need to
know the labor laws, how long different workers can work, how many days a week they can
work and how young they can hire workers. These labor laws affect what type of employees can
be hired to work for the Hartford Wolfpack in order to give fans the best experience they can get.
Economic
If attendance increases in Hartford Wolfpack games, local businesses are likely to feel the
impact as well. Although the target market is for anyone in Connecticut which is an hour and a
half radius, many fans can turn it into an overnight stay for a game. This will help hotels sell
rooms during the season. Hotels generally sell more rooms and make more money when events
occur around the hotel, this will impact mainly hotels closet to the arena. Restaurants will also
make more money during the season because fans may want to grab dinner at a local diner or
restaurant near the arena. Also, tourist activities will increase during the season because fans will
want to find something to do during their stay. This can greatly help and boost the surrounding
companies around Hartford indirectly.

Social
If attendance increases as much as we hope to, there is a greater possibility of violence at
games. At any sporting event, there is always a chance of a fight occurring. If we are to open
more seating for fans, that will mean more people in the arena, allowing a greater chance of
fighting to occur. This interaction between fans can have a very negative affect on the
organization. Fans will feel unsafe to attend games and not feel welcome, this will force us to

15

hire more security and have them more present at more areas in the arena. This will prevent fans
from arguing and fighting but still allow more fans in the arena.
Technological
The XL center has not been renovated since 1980 when the roof collapsed. This leaves
great improvements in the arena. The arena can improve the scoreboards and jumbotrons, and
change the vendor signs to be on television screens. Also, we hope to create an app that fans can
download and order food and have it delivered to their seats. These improvements in the stadium
can increase make fans feel important and will lead them to talk to about the Hartford Wolfpack.
If the fans receive a positive experience from the stadium due to these technology changes, that
will increase fan attendance in the long run because then friends of fans will attend games.
Methodology
The Hartford Wolfpacks rationale for entering this market is because there will
always be weaknesses and threats when marketing a product or organization. However, we feel
as if the strengths and opportunities outweigh the weaknesses and threats. Because the Hartford
Wolfpack is the only AHL team in Connecticut, we dont have as many hockey competitors as
other teams have. This advantage helps us market to more people.

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Market Selection Decisions

Selecting a target market for the Hartford Wolfpack was taken under careful
consideration. Factors such as demographics, socioeconomics and geographic regions and the
size of the market were all taken into effect. The Hartford Wolfpack marketing team considered
the various personalities and life styles of citizens to find the best target market. This process was
done through segmentation, which allowed the Hartford Wolfpack Organization to select a
primary target market.
Segmentation
Age
Age will be the primary segmentation focused on because the marketing tactics will
target specific ages. The organization has divided the consumers age into three different target
markets; 18-34, 35-49, and 50 and older. Hockey has an even distribution of their fan base
throughout these three target markets, roughly 33% for each section. To be more accurate, 33.4
for the 18-34 year old range, 32.1 for the 35-49 year old range and 34.4 for the 50 and older age
range. Different ages will represent different lifestyles and different ways of living affecting the
organizations marketing strategies. Target Marketing Magazine included an article that stated,
NHL data shows that avid fansare the biggest spenders of all hockey fans. Predominantly
male, the mean age of avid fans is 39. About half have families with children (Syracuse, 2008.)
This gives insight to the average NHL hockey fan which is the same type of fan the organization
would like to bring into the Hartford Wolfpack games. Another possible target market for the
organization to consider is the 5-18 age range. Recently, participation in hockey has increased
by over 2% which equates to over 10,000 players. The two greatest increases in participation in
hockey are the 7-8 and the 11-14 age range. By focusing on children and teens in this age group
17

and trying to get them to go to Hartford Wolfpack games, attendance would mostly likely double
per child. Children will need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian who will likely then
lead to increase in concessions and merchandise revenue as well.
Gender
Gender will be the next segmenting factor. Different genders respond to different
marketing tactics different ways. By knowing how each gender responds, is critical to the
marketing plan. We would like to correctly reach our target market by using these different
methods. The Hartford Wolfpack has taken into consideration that 51.2% of the Connecticut
population is female but has chosen to focus on the male population (US Census Bureau, 2013.)
After using personal experience and observance of the first 10 home games the Hartford
Wolfpack has had, it was found that 56% of the fans were males and 44% were females. This
has proven that more fans are male rather than female.
Geography
The XL Center is located in the center of the state, Cromwell, Connecticut and is only 15
minutes south of Hartford. The farthest city the Hartford Wolfpack would have to reach is
Salisbury, Connecticut which is only an hour and a half away. The top three cities in population
are Bridgeport, Stamford and Hartford, all within an hour and 15 minutes from the arena. It will
not be hard to reach the various places in Connecticut due to the size of the state.

Socioeconomic
The average income in Connecticut is $69,243. This is significantly higher than
Connecticuts surrounding states, excluding New Jersey and Massachusetts. Also, 88.6% of
citizens were a high school graduate or higher and only 35.7% of citizens were able to say they

18

received a bachelors degree (US Census Bureau, 2013.) These socioeconomic factors help the
organization figure out what type of lifestyle we are conveying to. This allows us to able to find
out what the citizens of Connecticut are willing and able to spend on sporting events, specifically
the Hartford Wolfpack. A survey was conducted at Westfarms Mall in Farmingdale, Connecticut
just outside Hartford. The purpose of the survey was to get an updated understanding on the
education statistics of the citizens in Connecticut. A sample of the survey can be seen in the
Appendix. The researchers who conducted the survey stood outside the food court in the mall
and asked anyone who looked over the age of 16 whether it was a female or a male. This survey
was conducted on a Friday night from 5:00 PM-8:00 PM which can be considered rush hour
for eating dinner at the mall. The survey was taken by over 1,000 citizens and concluded that a
majority of the citizens were from Connecticut and had or were pursuing a bachelors degree at a
university or college.
Target Market and Consumer Behavior
The Hartford Wolfpack will try to reach the 35-50 age range with their marketing tactics.
According to Forbes, this past season, the New York Rangers were ranked the second most loyal
fan base and as an affiliate of the New York Rangers, we would like continue that all the way
down to our team. This also provides support of the statement saying most avid fans are 39.
Which leads us into using the knowledge that hockey is primarily a male based sport, based on
Sport Business Journal and Forbes article, we would like to increase males game day
attendance. Males have shown high interest and loyalty in hockey and the goal is to increase
their interest and attendance even more.
The Hartford Wolfpacks arena, being located in Cromwell, Connecticut, leaves a very
wide geographic range to cover. At this time, the organization would like to focus on the entire
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state of Connecticut and develop a community atmosphere. The thought that fans will be willing
to drive an hour and a half away to see their favorite team play is not irrational. Based on the
socioeconomics, we aim to reach the middle class. Middle class includes but is not limited to
households that earn a yearly income of $50,000-60,000. We are not limiting our marketing
strategies to only reach the middle class society of Connecticut but it is our hope to reach that
target market.
Positioning
The Hartford Wolfpack is known for being a friendly environment and welcoming to all.
The Wolfpack would like to maintain this relationship with fans. The Hartford Wolfpack will still
position themselves as fan friendly but would like to also seem as a fierce competitor. Hockey is
violent sport that involves pushing, shoving and fights on the ice. While we dont want to bring
those fights to the spectator area, we would like the fans to feel as if they are just as involved.
Recap
The target market of the Hartford Wolfpack is males who are in the age range of 35-50,
who live in Connecticut and make an average of $50,000-$60,000 a year. This is because the
avid hockey fan is 39 years old, more males attend games rather than women and the majority of
Connecticut citizens are considered to live within middle class income.

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SMART Objective
In order for the Hartford Wolfpack to be successful, the organization will use a SMART
Objective. This will allow us to have a specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time
bound objective to accurately reach our goal. Each of these objectives has meshed into a single
goal set by the organization, and that is to increase attendance by 8% the end of the 2014-2015
Season.
Attendance has steadily decreased in the past 10 seasons, going from the average
attendance of 5,514 to 4,540 (Connecticut Whale Yearly Attendance Graph, 2013.) This
difference of almost 1,000 fans in attendance per game between seasons has led us to want to
increase and slowly gain fans back to visiting our games. This increase of 8% (compared to the
2012-2013 season) would be having an average of 362 more fans attend Hartford Wolfpack
games. This would result in gaining back almost a third of the fans that lost in attendance in the
past 10 seasons. If fan attendance increased by the minimum 8% throughout the 38 home games
at the XL Center, this would increase by having at least 13,756 more fans in attendance. The
only time that attendance increased was in the name change from the Hartford Wolfpack to the
Connecticut Whales. However that is still not up to par with the goal of the company. A line
graph of this can be seen in the appendix.
By increasing attendance by 8%, the organization would receive more profit in ticket
sales and concessions. Tickets range from $12-$45 depending on the location of the seats. Even
with the minimum ticket price of $12, there is the ability to bring in over $4,000 more in ticket
sales. This can also increase concessions and merchandise revenue. The concessions department
will greatly increase revenue with more people at the games, allowing them to sell more water,

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hot dogs, hamburgers and more. Merchandise will need to cut back on prices but with adding
362 people each game, will cause more revenue in the long run. This will be elaborated more in
the Areas for Incremental Revenue on page 35.
The XL Center has 5,635 seats for Hartford Wolfpack. This leaves over 1,000 empty
seats each game in the arena. This affects the organization more than just ticket sales. Fans are
able to stream games live on their PC, tablet and mobile devices. While this allows them to see
their team playing, the organization feels as if it doesnt look good to have 1/5 of our stands
empty. This generates negative publicity as if the team cant bring fans into the game. Fans will
not want to attend games if no one else is because they believe it will not be a fun and
entertaining environment.
The 2014-2015 Season will begin in October of 2014, allowing just less than 10 months
implementing the plan of increasing attendance by 8%. This is a very reasonable time period to
achieve this goal. This season will be used solely as an observation period and learning
experience. The marketing team will test out different marketing strategies and find out what the
best solution will be. There are still 55 games left in the season for these marketing strategies to
be tested out. Having the time slot of the goal be reached at the end of the season allows plenty
of time to implement new marketing strategies. Also, it is not unrealistic to think of increasing
attendance by only 360 people a game. This SMART objective is very achievable and as an
organization, we know we can make it possible.

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Marketing Mix Decisions

Product
The Hartford Wolfpack is a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey
League. The team is an affiliate of the New York Rangers. Previously, the team was known as
the Connecticut Whales after trying to broaden their fan base by being seen as Connecticuts
team. However, this past season the owners, Madison Square Garden and Global Spectrum, the
operators of the XL Center announced that the Connecticut Whales would be returning back to
the Hartford Wolfpack.
Price
The price of tickets for a Hartford Wolfpack game is very affordable. As stated
previously, price of tickets range from $12-$45. Ticket prices for youth are $12 and for adults
range from $15 seats in sections 119-124 and $45 tickets that are front row. This is very
affordable compared to other activities that take place in and around Hartford. We do not plan to
change the price of tickets because we would then lose money in ticket sales. These ticket prices
are the same as the 2012-2013 season and proved to be a good price since we have decided to
keep it for the 2013-2014 season. At this time, unless an unforeseen event occurs the ticket
prices will stay the same.
Place
The Hartford Wolfpack plays in the XL Center in Cromwell, Connecticut, just outside of
Hartford. The arena is located in the center of Connecticut. In 2007, XL Insurance was given
naming rights which changed the name from the Hartford Civic Center to the XL Center. The XL

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Center is home to the University of Connecticut Mens and Womens basketball team as well as
the Wolfpack. It also hosts a variety of concerts, ice-skating spectaculars, consumer events, trade
shows and family shows.
The XL Center has given memories to hundreds of thousands of fans with performances
from artists such as Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Drake and more.
While hosting the University of Connecticuts Men and Womens basketball team, the arena has
over 16,000 seats. During the ice hockey season, the XL Center holds 5,635 seats.
Promotion
This will be done by various sources of social media. We plan on using the three main
social media networks in attracting fans to the games. These social media networks include
Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. We plan to continue and improve the use of the Twitter hashtag
#ThePackIsBack. This hashtag allows all Hartford Wolfpack fans to view other fans tweets
and thoughts on the Hartford Wolfpack. Also, it promotes that the Connecticut Whales have
changed back to the Hartford Wolfpack. Using social media at this time will be have no cost to
the organization unless we decide to sponsor tweets forcing the tweet to show up on all
timelines. At this time, we dont plan to do that because it is out of our target market.
Facebook will allow fans to like our page and receive news updates on the team. Fans can
easily interact with the team and other fans on this Facebook page. Promotions such as
giveaways, special nights for games and appearances will be posted on this page. The more
people who like the page, the more people who will receive the information posted. This can
increase fan attendance because when fans see the exciting events happening at games, they will
want to go to the games.
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Instagram will be beneficial in increasing attendance at games because it will be used to

show fans how much fun others are having at games. Certain days will show different fans at
games and what they are doing on promotional nights (e.g. Fan Friday and post a group of fans at
Movember Awareness.) Also, we can take advantage of Winning Wednesday. On Winning
Wednesday, if the Wolfpack wins, fans receive a free ticket to the next home game. This can
improve game attendance at not only the game on Wednesday, but the following home game.
Public Relations
Building positive public relations is a very import asset to the Hartford Wolfpack. Having
a positive image through the media is a main priority. If the media sees the organization as fan
friendly, more broadcasts will be made on news station throughout the state. The teams media
relations professional will greet all sports broadcasters that attend the game. Upon the greeting,
the media relations professional will give out an information brochure, with information on the
team, a team roster, a schedule for upcoming games and a Hartford Wolfpack t-shirt. This will
ensure that the sport broadcaster has all the information he or she may need and that they are able
to leave the game with a free t-shirt. Having a person cater to the media at all times is very
necessary because this is a cost-free promotion, if the media enjoys the game and is
complimented, they will say good things about the organization. However, if the media does not
like the game and has a bad experience, the organization will be spoken poorly about and that
will hurt game day attendance.
Players will also need to help this for example during press conferences. As an
organization, this can be made possibly by teaching players how to do proper interview and how
to answer the press questions. Players will also be mandated to do community appearances and

25

volunteer work. This will spread the Hartford Wolfpack name and show that we care about the
community. Communities are a great way to increase group ticket sales and get fans at games.

26

Service Decisions: Quality Assurance

Quality assurance is extremely important to us. We want to make sure that spectators of
the Hartford Wolfpack are more than satisfied with us. We want to make sure that we exceed
their expectations of entertainment. In order to make sure that our customers are satisfied, we
must take responsibility for the weaknesses and do our best to eliminate them. In order to raise
attendance numbers for our games it is crucial for us to give the customers what they want. One
way that we will try to raise awareness and attendance to our games is by the use of social media.
In order for the Hartford Wolfpack to gain attendance numbers at each game we must stick with
our plan. One step in the process is raising season ticket holder numbers. If we are able to raise
season ticket numbers, then numbers are expected to increase for each game. Another way to
raise numbers will be the use of social media. The Hartford Wolfpack wants to raise awareness
of each game by putting news and events on social medias where most of the population can see
it. Our plan is to use these techniques in getting more spectators in the arena for each game and
we will monitor this by checking how many people come to each game. Monitoring how many
people attend the games helps the organization see whether our techniques are effective or not. If
the Hartford Wolfpack organization does not see positive results then action will be taken in
figuring our a new way to get more people at games.

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Technology Enhancements/Database Marketing

Technology enhancements will be extremely effective in our plan to raise attendance
numbers for the Hartford Wolfpack games. The database system the Hartford Wolfpack
organization will use is going to be important in helping with the plan of action. The database
system will include contact information of every person that has attended a game, bought
merchandise online, or even follows our social media pages. Having this information allows the
Hartford Wolfpack organization to reach out and ask questions and become familiar with the
fans. In the long run this helps with our plan because it allows for answers from the fans and
learning what they like and dislike at our game events.
Once the database is stored with contacts of the fans then action will take place. The
information that will be stored will be name, address, e-mail and phone numbers if necessary.
Our strategies will include email marketing and direct marketing. Having this contact
information allows for the Hartford Wolfpack organization to directly find out whether the fans
are satisfied with their time at each game. Having the fans contact information also allows for the
organization to reach out to the fans and letting them know when games and events are,
merchandise discounts and tickets for games. Having direct contact with the fans will allow for
the organization to know exactly what is liked and what is disliked. The information will also
allow for the organization to know when fans are more likely to purchase merchandise and
tickets for games.
The technology use in our marketing plan is to use social media to raise awareness of the
Hartford Wolfpack organization. The Harford Wolfpack organization already uses Twitter for
fans to follow them. Twitter allows for the organization to share news about the team. We will
use Facebook and Instagram to allow fans to follow that as well. These social media markets

28

allow for fans to receive news and updates about the team, merchandise and tickets for the
games. We will believe that social media is extremely important and effective technology
because our target market are younger adults which is known to have a high participation rate on
the social media.

29

Sales
Sales Management
Sales will be one of the most important factors the Hartford Wolfpack organization has in
getting an increase in fans at games. Hiring salespersons to sell tickets for each game will be
important, but the key is to hiring the right persons. The Hartford Wolfpack organization needs to
hire employees who are motivated, determined to reach the goal and be a great communicator.
Having employees with these traits will help increase ticket sales because they will be able to
reach out to fans and educate them on how they will be satisfied when they attend the Wolfpack
games. Each salesperson will have a quota or goal to reach for each week, month and year of
tickets sold. Having this goal that our employees are trying to reach will help motivate them to
sell more. Bonuses will be awarded for each employee who exceeds the goal number.

Sales Method
The hiring process for our sales employees is going to take time, energy and effort. There
are certain traits and characteristics that we want for our employees to have. Picking the right
employees helps build the Hartford Wolfpack organization grow as a unit. The decision process
is not simple and has multiple steps. First, we have all applicants fill out an application form,
which includes their contact and background information. After choosing employees that fit
criteria, the Harford Wolfpack organization will conduct a series of over the phone interviews.
This will help the Hartford Wolfpack organization narrow the candidates down to only to a few.
The next step in the hiring process will be the face-to-face interviews. This helps the
organization find the perfect person for the job. The final step in the hiring process is deciding
the person for the job.

30

In order to be successful in selling tickets to increase attendance at games, the Hartford

Wolfpack organization must work as one unit using the same selling method. We must gain
attention of the Hartford community, and even the Connecticut population. Once we bring
awareness, we will be able to make them interested. Gaining interest in potential fans means
bringing a positive image to his or her eye. We will advertise the Hartford Wolfpack through email and social media. The choice of advertising we chose is important because it works with our
database system. While the Harford Wolfpack organization stores information of fans and
potential fans, we are able to send them direct mail, information over the telephone as well as email. The information we receive while using these forms of advertising helps us focuses on our
target market. Each use of our advertising market reveals who uses what and responds to what
type of advertisement. The Hartford Wolfpack will be able to make letters personal with the use
of direct mail. This will help make fans feel more appreciated and hopefully helps the
organization by receiving their support. If the direct mail approach does not meet our
expectations of increasing the fan base at Hartford Wolfpack games then the organization will
use another strategy to reach out to potential fans.
Customer Relationship Plan
In order to keep a loyal fan base, the Hartford Wolfpack organization must build a strong
and long-term relationship with the fans. As an organization the Hartford Wolfpack needs to
make sure that the first impression of our fans is positive. We want our fans to continue to keep
attending games. As long as the fans needs and wants are met, then the Hartford Wolfpack has
done its job. The second part of that job requires the fans to return to more games and hopefully
receive new season ticket holders. Having a good relationship with our fans will potentially help
with future purchases of not just tickets but also merchandise. Satisfied fans will more than likely

31

spread the word of the Hartford Wolfpack, which will interest more potential fans. For fans that
have attended a game the Hartford Wolfpack organization will encourage each spectator to fill
out a survey which website will be located on the back of the ticket. This survey will reveal if
each fan was satisfied and if not, then give ideas on what can be done better. The Hartford
Wolfpack organization is going to put a lot of time and effort into the use of social medias.
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are the three social medias that will help us attract fans. While
using these social medias it will help spread the word about student discounts to the Hartford
University students along with promotions. It will help us promote upcoming games and have
contests between fans for tickets and apparel.

32

Legal Issues, Ethical Issues and Risk Management

The Hartford Wolfpack is a professional ice hockey team based in Hartford, Connecticut.
Being a professional team, they have trademarked their name and logo. Trademarking allows for
them to license products that they sell as theirs, and no one else is able to use their logo or name
without the Hartford Wolfpack organization receiving any compensation. A legal trademark
allows for credibility to the organization. Ethical and legal issues over ticket scalping are a
concern with ticket sales. Ticket scalping is defined as the practice of something (especially a
ticket) at a price above face value once if becomes scarce. Currently, there is no federal law that
regulates ticket scalping. Ticket scalping and its laws are different in each state. Ticket scalping
has been legal in the state of Connecticut since October 1, 2007. Under the new bill, there are no
restrictions on how much someone can resell a ticket, but the law strengthens the punishment for
the sale of counterfeit tickets. Also, the bill gives venues a buffer zone of 1,500 feet, which
means that scalpers must stay at least that distance away from a venue when reselling tickets.
Risk management is an important focus point for the Hartford Wolfpack organization in
case an incident or accident occurs at a game or event. Lawsuits and liabilities are an area that
the organization wants to stay away from. They allow for financial harm and also will bring a
bad image to the organizations name. For example, if someone happens at a Hartford Wolfpack
game and a fan gets hurt, it will show up on the television or newspaper as headline news. This
allows for our target audience to see this and gives off a bad impression. This also allows fans
and spectators to assume potential risk or harm if they attend one of the games. In order for none
of that to happen, risk management instructions will be in place. It will include a press
conference on the event that occurred. This conference will be open to the media and the public
to listen and ask questions. A formal and sincere apology will be announced during the

33

conference. Allowing a question and answer segment at the end of the press conference shows
that the Hartford Wolfpack is not hiding away from our spectators and fans and taking full
responsibility of the event that had occurred. However, in order to combat possible problems,
potential harm and risk factors will be included in ordering tickets to games.

34

Areas for Incremental Revenue

Ticket Sales
Since it is our mission and plan to execute a successful outcome for attendance for our
home games for the Wolfpack, there is a ton of room for incremental revenue. We can attain most
of this incremental revenue from ticket sales. Tickets for our home games are generally $12 for
the cheapest seats. If we are able to fill the empty seats in our arena, this would amount to at least
an additional $4,000 in sales, just for selling more tickets.
Food and Drink
Food and drink sales are just as much a moneymaker for our organization as anything
else. The cost for a hotdog and medium drink for one person is generally $8. (This cost is based
on past experience with being at another AHL game, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers) If we achieve
our goal of bringing in an additional 362 fans into attendance, then at $8 a person, we can bring
in another $2896. This is a huge number for our organization and one that is very attainable.
Note that this sales figure only accounts for hotdogs and drinks (sodas). Beer sales could be huge
for us. The cost of a beer at Wolfpack home games is $8. We could see huge sales once we bring
college students into the arena (21 years or older)
Merchandise/Jersey sales
The average cost for a Wolfpack Jersey is $100. If we give out $20 off coupons to fans in
attendance for a given game (one that we sell a lot of tickets for) people tend to feel more
inclined to buy when they feel as if they are getting a great deal. For $80 a jersey, times the
amount of people we hope to INCREASE attendance by (362), we can attain an additional

35

$28,960 of revenue. There is something bigger than this amount of money though. By getting
362 extra people to wear around a Hartford jersey, we also increase advertising our games. The
more people we can get to market our team by wearing our apparel, the more likely it is for our
team to be recognized, which leads to brand awareness.
By getting these people into the arena, we open up vast amounts of opportunity for
incremental revenue. We are confident in our abilities to increase our attendance, which in turn,
increases sales from these secondary sources of revenue.

36

Financial Analysis
The financial figures will not necessarily be ground breaking for the 2014-2015 season in
which we are aiming to achieve a 362-person increase in attendance. We project the estimated
increase of revenue to be $35,856 but that is only for the first year. This takes into account our
sources of incremental revenue, which includes ticket sales, food and drink sales and
merchandise sales. Consumers will become aware of our team after the 14-15 season due to the
amount we will be spreading brand awareness. This brand awareness comes in the form of
techniques such as using social media to spread the word about our home games. Social media
could be huge in impacting our financial figures. By listening to the wants, hopes and needs of
our fans we can make judgments and decisions to give them what they want to see. If the
consumer is happy, they will spend money and support our team, which positively increases
sales.

37

Evaluation and Control

Keeping the Marketing Mix In Mind
It is vital to our organizations success that we keep the marketing mix in mind. If we
stray too far away from what our organizations intent and goals are, then we are in big trouble.
To maintain and monitor our marketing mix, we will need to let it be known throughout all of
our employees, from the executives to the hourly waged employees what our goal is. By having
a layout of our goals available to our employees, we will guarantee employee knowledge for our
organizational goal of increasing attendance for the 2014-2015 season. By defining a clear
mission statement, we will keep all of those employees in our organization up to date and
motivated to achieve this goal as a team. We could even set performance standards for our
employees, and give them a goal that they each have to strive to achieve in their own
departments. For example, for the food and drink department of our organization, we can set a
goal of increasing food sales by 362 figures a game (The same as our attendance goal). If our
employees can successfully increase food sales by this number they will be praised. The best
form of increasing employee moral and drive is to praise them when they achieve goals. If these
employees do not reach their goal, they will not be scolded, they will simply continue to be
taught how to achieve this goal and be coached along the way in order to achieve it.
Plans for adjustments within organization
All marketing plans need to have a contingency plan to fall back on in case something
arises that impedes the possibility of attaining our organizational goal. In our instance, increasing
attendance is the goal. If in any way we see that we are just not receiving the increase in
attendance that we hoped and planned for, we need to reevaluate the goal. This means changing
38

or taking a look at market segmentation, product positioning, marketing mix, and sponsorships.
If all else fails, we need to set a new goal for accomplishment.

39

Appendix
Birthplace of NHL Players
Unknown
Alberta
British Columbia
Manitoba
New Brunswick
Newfoundland and
Labrador
Northwest Territories
Nova Scotia
Ontario
Prince Edward Island
Quebec
Saskatchewan
Yukon
Austria
Belarus
Belgium
Brazil
Brunei Darussalam
Czechosolvakia
Denmark
East Germany
Finland
France
Germany
Haiti
Indonesia
Ireland
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Latvia
Lebanon
Netherlands
Nigeria
Norway
Paraguay

2
539
351
375
51
28
5
67
2144
28
76
490
2
6
2
1
2
1
275
9
3
168
8
23
1
1
5
3
1
2
1
1
1
2
7

Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
California
Connecticut
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesotta
Missouri
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washingtion
Winsconsin

2
11
2
29
28
1
i
3
2
49
7
1
5
3
172
136
233
11
2
1
9
11
100
3
13
22
4
5
28
18
5
4
2
4
10
26

40

Poland
Republic of Korea
Russian Federation
South Africa
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Russia
United Kingdom
United Republic of
Tanzania
Venezuela
Yugoslavia

1
7
2
6
1
250
20
1
229
45
1
2

41

5600
5400
5200
5000
4800
4600
4400

Attendance

4200
4000

42

Percent of Hockey Fans by Gender

No known attendance for 2010-2011*

Males

44%

Females

56%

43

Survey conducted at Westfarm Mall:

Are you 17 or older?_________
Are you from Connecticut?
If so, Where? _____________
Are you a high school graduate? ______________
If yes, did you attend or are you still in college? _________
What degree are you pursuing and expect to graduate with? ___________

44

Above is the allotted seating for Wolfpack games at the XL Center. Seating for hockey
games only include the 100 level seats.

Wolfpack attendance has been decreasing steadily since the 2001-2002 season. We hope
to turn around this negative consistency.

45

Current Logo vs Whale Logo

46

Works Cited
Connecticut QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau. (2013, June 27).Connecticut QuickFacts
from the US Census Bureau. Retrieved November 14, 2013
Connecticut Whale Yearly Attendance Graph. (n.d.). Connecticut Whale yearly attendance at
hockeydb.com. Retrieved November 30, 2013
Elliot, H. (2013, November 7). Average NHL ticket price up 2.3% this season. Retrieved
November 21, 2013
Fan Demographics Among Major North American Sports Leagues. (2010, June
9). SportsBusiness Daily. Retrieved November 14, 2013
Syracuse, A. (n.d.). Cover Story : The National Hockey League's Power Play. Target Marketing.
Retrieved November 17, 2013
Team History(n.d.). Retrieved November 20, 2013

47