Women's ( ? ) Recruitment in Finland

Women’s ( ? ) recruitment in Finland TIMO BÄCKMAN

• FINNISH ICE HOCKEY ASSOCIATION / SPORTDIRECTOR 1989 -> • IIHF MARKETING COMITTEE 2003 – 2008 • IIHF WOMEN’S COMITTEE 2008 – 2012 • TEAM FINLAND U20 GENERAL MANAGER 1990 – 2006 • 425 games • IIHF WORLDCHAMPIONSHIPS – 63 times

3000

2500

2000

1500 Femaleplayers in Finland 1000 1991-2006

500

1991 1992 1995 1996 1999 2000 2003 2004 2005 1993 1994 1997 1998 2001 2002 2006

• BACKGROUND TO THE CAMPAIGN • Ice Hockey is the most popular sport in Finland (almost 200 000 Finns) • 2006 female statistics: Finland lost Olympic Bronze medal in Torino, 2627 players • Conclusions = Our numbers are not good enough to challenge the top nations

• HOW TO DO IT? IS IT EVEN POSSIBLE? HOCKEY IS A MAN SPORT..

• Girls’ Hockey Day-events launched spring 2006 in Porvoo with 49 new girls: ”Skate with the olympic players”

• Resources: One person hired to FIHA to work for the grassroots- project November 2007

- Increase the number of female hockey licences from 2600 to 4500 till 2010

• KEY FACTOR - Girls hockey day – Girls hockey schools – Own teams

• BENEFITS FOR THE CLUBS 1. New potential players, licences -> money, team officials, fans 2. Future team sport – growth of women´s sport, also a family sport

• STEREOTYPES OF FEMALE HOCKEY

• Is it even a sport • Can women play hockey • Etc.

• IMAGECAMPAIGN THROUGH GIRLS’ HOCKEY DAY • Fresh faces • Talk about girls’ hockey - VISIBILITY • Colours etc., make it special for the girls

• TARGET IN GRASSROOTS • Girls under 10 years old is the main target • Let’s keep it open for every girl to join the events

• BUILD NEW GIRLS TEAMS & LEAGUES • Only the bravest girls play with boys • Social aspect is important for girls!

• PARENTS • Inform the parents about girls hockey and the possibilities

• Website, newspapers, tv • Posters and cards, other materials • Games, tournaments, events

• Attract the girls with

• National team players • Other players that love to be with kids • Mascots • Etc.

• Material costs • Logo 500€

• Picture-session with girls 600€

• Posters 1000€

• Flyers / Brochures 1000€

• National Team players

• 2006: Finland lost Olympic Bronze medal in Torino, 2627 players • 2007: The strategy started, Finland finished 4th in WW 2007, 4184 female players • 2008: Campaign started, Finland took 3rd place in WW 2008, 4608 female players • 2009: Campaign is a success, WW in Finland, 3rd place and over 30 000 spectators in Hämeenlinna, 4437 female players • 2010: Olympic bronze medal from Vancouver, 4694 female players

30000

25000

20000

15000 Women Girls (U19-18) All 10000

5000

0 Soccer Volleyball Floorball Baseball Basketball Ice Hockey

OLYMPIC BRONZE MEDALIST 2010

• Interest in sport leagues in Finland (2010)

Ice Hockey League Rally Championship Ice Hockey First Division Football League Women’s Ice Hockey League Baseball League Football First Division Volleyball League Rally Cross Shampionship Floorball League Basketball League Women’s Football League Women’s Volleyball League American Football League Women’s Basketball League Women’s Floorball League

Sponsor Insight research 2010

• Interest in spectator sport in Finland (2011)

Sponsor Insight research 2010

• Interest in national teams in Finland (2011)

Finnish Olympic Team Ice Hockey National Team

Alpine Skiing Team

Women’s Ice Hockey Team Football National Team

Women’s Football Team Floorball National Team Volleyball National Team Women’s Volleyball Team Basketball National Team Women’s Floorball Team Handball National Team

Sponsor Insight research 2011

• 90 % OF THE PARENTS THINK POSITIVE IF THE CHILD WANTS TO START SOME SPORT

• IN ICEHOCKEY 41 % SAY YES – 24 % SAY MAYBE AND 35 % SAY NO

• NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ANSWERS OF MOTHERS OR FATHERS

• YOUNG PARENTS HAVE MORE POSITIVE ATTITUDE TO ICEHOCKEY

• HIGHLY EDUCATED HAVE MORE NEGATIVE ATTITUDE TO ICEHOCKEY

• 83% THINK THAT ICEHOCKEY IS A GOOD SPORT FOR GIRLS • 90 % OF MOTHERS, WHO’S CHILDREN PLAY HOCKEY, THINK THAT IT IS A GOOD SPORT FOR GIRLS • 86 % OF MOTHERS UNDER 35 YEARS THINK THAT ICEHOCKEY IS A GOOD SPORT FOR GIRLS • ONLY 3 % OF MOTHERS FULLY DISAGREE THAT ICEHOCKEY IS A GOOD SPORT FOR GIRLS