The month of October generally marks the end of the hockey season. However two major, exciting International events keep hockey in front of the hockey community and opportunities to attract those outside of the hockey community. In New Zealand it is the Oceania Cup and in Australia it is the highly successful International Super Series 9s. Both events are staged in ideal times to both attract hockey crowds to watch but also to market hockey to the greater sporting community, especially in the case of Super Series 9’s.
For those readers who haven’t heard of the hockey 9’s it is Hockey 9s it is an innovative way of increasing the spectacular side of hockey where elite players can display their playing mastery in the modified format of traditional a 11 aside hockey. The benefits of the 9’s include;
• Nine players per side, instead of 11, makes for a faster, more open match
• Larger goals promise goals galore
• 20 minute halves provide the action in short, sharp, exciting bursts
• Fewer rules make easier for fans to follow
As a sport striving to increase its viewing audience, media position, and its bank balance staging hockey events like the 9’s and international 5’s because of its entertainment and skill display characteristics are ideal to execute key marketing strategies to promote hockey as a sport to sporting audiences and sponsors both in and outside of the hockey community.
The real media marketing not only occurs onsite at the event through television and other media coverage but also off site through live streaming, You Tube follow posting, website promotions, news and blog posting, social media onslaught etc. Collectively in a planned manner these strategies need to be measured in terms of viewing statistics that can later used to attract further sponsor dollars and media support.
Similarly in New Zealand there is a history of strong rivalry between New Zealand and Australia in all sports. This fact provides an excellent marketing strategy to build strong media support and promote hockey to people both in and outside of hockey based communities. More the attraction should provide more the opportunity to secure short term and long term much needed dollars to hockey’ and one step closer to moving hockey along its path towards becoming a more professional sport like its football, cricket, basketball counterparts.
EVENT INFORMATION
NEW ZEALAND
The Black Sticks Men and Women take on Australia, Papua New Guinea and Samoa in Taranaki from 30 October – 3 November at the TET MultiSports Centre in Stratford, Taranaki.
Trans-Tasman rivalry will be strong with the Black Sticks Women looking to retain their 2011 title while the Black Sticks Men will take on World Champions Australia for a chance at Oceania Cup victory.
This is your chance to see all the action of international hockey up close plus enjoy the vibrant Village Green which will have a range of food and beverage, merchandise and retail stalls.
Source : Hockey new Zealand
AUSTRALIA
The line-up for hockey’s 2013 International Super Series Hockey 9s is complete with the women’s teams of Canada and Malaysia added to the bill for what promises to be the most hotly contested edition of the innovative 9-a-side tournament.
Canada and Malaysia will join Australia’s Hockeyroos and world champions Argentina in the women’s competition in Perth, WA. The line-up for the men’s tournament sees Australia’s world champ Kookaburras go up against Argentina, Pakistan and Malaysia.
The fixtures for the October tournament have also been released with tickets available through Ticketmaster.
The Argentinian women, known widely as ‘Las Leonas’, will open the event on the evening of Thursday 17 October against Canada, who are coached by Australian Ian Rutledge. The Hockeyroos’ opening tie sees them take on Malaysia in the evening’s second match.
Newly-crowned Pan American Cup champions Argentina men will be the Kookaburras’ opening night opponents with Pakistan and Malaysia rounding off what is sure to be a thrilling first day’s play.
The Hockeryoos’ much anticipated clash with Las Leonas will take place on the Saturday afternoon, just ahead of the Kookaburras’ final pool phase game against Pakistan.
Confirming the final all-star line-up, Hockey Australia Chief Executive Cam Vale said he expects the 2013 event to be a real crowd-puller: “The support for the International Super Series Hockey 9s from the hockey community is always strong but I expect this year it will be even greater with our strongest ever line-up.
“There are very few occasions in team sport when fans can see both the men’s and women’s world champions in the same place at the same time so having both the Kookaburras and Las Leonas on show in Perth is something of a coup for hockey in Australia.
“We look forward to welcoming back the Malaysian women’s team and to hosting Canada for the first time at the Hockey 9s. Their participation, along with that of Argentina and Pakistan, means that we’ll see teams representing four continents going head-to-head and there will no doubt be a tremendous buzz about the place.”
Explaining another of the reasons the event has proved so popular, Vale added, “The International Super Series has really captured the imagination in recent years and it has been Hockey Australia’s desire to maintain its affordability for fans and families. It is particularly pleasing that we can offer junior and concessions tickets starting at just $10 for an entire day’s entertainment and families for $50.”
A four day festival of hockey, this year’s International Super Series Hockey 9s will provide something for every member of the family, including a Fans’ Fun Zone where younger visitors will be able to pick up a Hookin2Hockey stick and give the sport a go. And there will be plenty of opportunities to meet the stars of the show, Australia’s Olympic hockey heroes, and the chance to pose for a photo with the World Cup trophy ahead of the Kookaburras’ defence of their world title next year.
Eventscorp, a division of Tourism Western Australia, is a proud supporter of the event.
Hockey Australia is also grateful to the Australian Sports Commission for its belief in the tournament’s concept dating back to 2011 and its underpinning financial support, as well as the Australian National Preventative Health Agency (ANPHA) for its partnership activities around the event as part of the Be The Influence campaign.
Fixtures – International Super Series Hockey 9s
17-20 October 2013, Perth Hockey Stadium, Perth, WA
Thursday 17 October
5:30pm AWST / 8:30pm AEDT – Argentina (w) v Canada (w)
6:25pm AWST / 9:25pm AEDT – Hockeyroos (w) v Malaysia (w)
7:20pm AWST / 10:20pm AEDT – Kookaburras (m) v Argentina (m)
8:15pm AWST / 11:15pm AEDT – Pakistan (m) v Malaysia (m)
Friday 18 October
5:30pm AWST / 8:30pm AEDT – Argentina (w) v Malaysia (w)
6:25pm AWST / 9:25pm AEDT – Kookaburras (m) v Malaysia (m)
7:20pm AWST / 10:20pm AEDT – Hockeyroos (w) v Canada (w)
8:15pm AWST / 11:15pm AEDT – Pakistan (m) v Argentina (m)
Saturday 19 October
12:20pm AWST / 3:20pm AEDT – Canada (w) v Malaysia (w)
1:15pm AWST / 4:15pm AEDT – Hockeyroos (w) v Argentina (w)
2:10pm AWST / 5:10pm AEDT – Pakistan (m) v Kookaburras (m)
3:05pm AWST / 6:05pm AEDT – Argentina (m) v Malaysia (m)
Sunday 20 October
10:30am AWST / 1:30pm AEDT – Men’s 3rd v 4th
11:40am AWST / 2:40pm AEDT – Women’s 3rd v 4th
12:50pm AWST / 3:50pm AEDT – Women’s Final
2:00pm AWST / 5:00pm AEDT – Men’s Final
World rankings of competing nations
Men’s tournament: Australia (World ranking #2), Pakistan (#8), Argentina (#10), Malaysia (#13)
Women’s tournament: Argentina (World ranking #2), Australia (#6), Malaysia (#22), Canada (#23)
Source: Hockey Australia News Author: Josh Givoni
