Habs eager to spread brand worldwide
Canadiens keen on following in the footsteps of teams like Yankees, Cowboys, Man U
MONTREAL— When Peter Budaj was growing up in Slovakia in the pre-web days of the 1980s, there were only two NHL teams European kids new about.
“The Montréal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs,” said Budaj, the backup goalie for the Habs. “That is obvious. Most kids knew about those two teams. Like the Yankees for baseball.
“Even if you don’t know the game, you knew the logos.”
Times have changed. The Internet and the proliferation of sports channels worldwide have made it easier for leagues and teams to win over young fans beyond their own market.
The Canadiens, like the Maple Leafs, have always had a broad fol- lowing across Canada. And they might be getting more thanks to these playoffs.
They are now Canada’s team, say some, as the only one left standing in the NHL playoffs.
“I think everyone in Canada gets excited when there’s a team in the playoffs, especially if there’s only one (Canadian) team left,” said Canadiens defenceman Josh Gorges. “Even if their home team isn’t playing, they rally behind a Canadian group. We feel that support from all over the country.”
The Habs and Bruins are tied at a game apiece in their best-of-seven Atlantic Division series, with Game 3 set for Tuesday at the Bell Centre.
“(National fan support) is a big boost of motivation for our players because we’re the Montreal Canadiens, the only Canadian team in it,” said coach Michel Therrien. “We certainly want to do good for our fans across the country.”
The Habs, meanwhile, are doing their utmost to move their brand be- yond North America. Going to untapped or under-developed hockey markets is what matters from a business development point of view. “We are more than a brand that resonates with people in Montreal or even in Quebec or even in Canada,” says Kevin Gilmore, the chief operating officer of the Canadiens. “We are a legacy sports team. The Yankees are synonymous with baseball, the Dallas Cowboys with the NFL. In European football, it’s Manchester United. “Legacy teams have a global presence.” The Habs are not the only NHL “legacy” team to reach Europe. All Original Six teams have a leg up on the others and all — including the Leafs — are finding new ways of engaging the fan-base beyond their borders. “Technology allows us to do a lot more than we could do two years ago let alone five years ago,” says Gilmore. “What we currently do is we talk to them. we talk to them on our website. “This off-season we are looking at ways we can enhance that experience.” The Leafs have always been the more successful franchise in terms of making money. The Leafs are more valuable — $1.15 billion to Montreal’s $775 million — according to Forbes. And the Canadiens are borrowing some of what the Leafs have done — namely attaching their name to real estate development around the Bell Centre, a la Maple Leaf Square — to generate more income. Tour Des Canadiens, this will be called. But when it comes to international growth, Gilmore believes the Habs have the advantage over the Maple Leafs. Why? Winning.
Now Gilmore, it should be pointed out, is a disciple of Tim Leiweke, the chief executive of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment.
But he’s not trying to get the ire of his former boss — the two worked together in Los Angeles. Gilmore is a born-and-bred Habs fan, and they can annoy anyone associated with the Leafs at the drop of a hat. It comes naturally to them.
But Gilmore also understands a fan base grows organically through shared experiences.
“Winning will only create more experiences that further reinforce that emotional tie between your fans and yourself,” says Gilmore.