NBA Jam Session Tours the Country Introduction

Title: NBA takes its show on the road – NBA Jam Session tours the country Entrants: Carolyn Abbass, Sinead Brown (Paradigm Public Relations), Jonathan Chang, Sharolyn Kenworthy (NBA Canada) Category: A: Corporate/Agency ‐ Best Use of Media Relations, Budget under $50,000 Time Period: June ‐ October 2011

Introduction: How do you get basketball fans across Canada excited about the NBA during a players’ work stoppage? 2011 was a particularly challenging year for the league and NBA Canada wanted to maintain and strengthen relationships with its fan base even though there was no on‐court action to follow. To generate media coverage for the league during the summer months when there are no NBA basketball games, NBA Canada decided to use one of its existing properties, NBA Jam Session. NBA Jam Session is an interactive basketball festival that brings the NBA experience to cities across Canada with free basketball activities and entertainment for fans of all ages and skill levels. The NBA’s agency, Paradigm Public Relations was asked to boost awareness for the NBA Jam Session Tour within very limited budget parameters. Objectives • Spread the excitement of the NBA with fans across the country and continue to build a Canadian fan base throughout the off‐ season months. The NBA would measure the increase in its fan base by an increase in Facebook page “Likes”, • Generate significant media impressions for the tour, including garnering coverage in top‐tier media outlets in each market.

Research and Analysis A scan of the previous summer’s events in each target city revealed that the summer months are typically full of outdoor activities and festivals, which meant Paradigm would need to target media and community calendars early enough to be included in the limited space allotted for event listings. Additionally, it would need to determine how to stand out so media coverage would focus on Jam Session rather than other competing events.

To develop a media relations strategy, Paradigm explored the media landscape in each Jam Session city. With major print and broadcast outlets in each city, Paradigm felt the Jam Session attractions (such as Harlem Globetrotters, NBA personalities, dance teams and mascots, local participants) provided strong visuals for TV and print assignment desks. Further, because each city had a Breakfast Television or similar format morning show, Paradigm was confident there was an opportunity to generate media coverage leading up to the events by providing a compelling visual and interview for a morning segment.

Target Audiences • Families with children • Youth basketball players • Media as influencers: local and community newspapers & community calendars, television morning shows,TV and photo assignment desks

Communication

Strategy In each Jam Session city, Paradigm would execute a media relations campaign in four phases:

• Secure event listings and inclusion in community calendars • Book pre‐event interviews in the days leading up to Jam Session • Invite media to attend and cover Jam Session • Promote and announce the winners of the 3on3 tournament at each Jam Session

Plans & Tactics To be included in community calendars in each Jam Session city, Paradigm developed an event listing as soon as talent was confirmed and distributed it to community calendars and listings editors. These event listings highlighted the attractions at the event, especially activities in which fans could participate and interact with NBA personalities. To generate coverage and build excitement in the days leading up to the Jam Session event in each city, Paradigm pitched morning shows on segments with a Harlem Globetrotter (who was travelling with the tour). The Globetrotter would arrive a day early for interviews building hype for the event before the venue was set up or other talent had arrived. The Globetrotter was also available for radio interviews on this day before the event. Paradigm booked these segments at least two to three weeks before the Jam Session events in each city so travel arrangements could be made.

To showcase the excitement of the NBA Jam Session events, Paradigm secured media coverage on event day by developing a media alert, which included a schedule of Jam Session activities, visuals and interview opportunities. The alert went over the local newswire on the Thursday before the weekend event and Paradigm followed up with sports and assignment desks at TV and print outlets.

Wherever possible, the team aimed for coverage to drive back to the NBA Facebook page, by including web links in all media materials including event listings, on‐screen information for broadcast coverage, media alerts and key messaging for interviews.

Each NBA Jam Session hosted a 3on3 tournament and the winners won a trip to Halifax to play in the national final. Paradigm conducted media relations to secure media coverage for the national champions.

Challenges The NBA Jam Session Tour took place during a busy time of year, when other summer festivals compete for media coverage. The following events were taking place at the same time as the NBA Jam Session in each city: Calgary International Blues Festival, CityTV Kids Day in Winnipeg, The PNE in Vancouver, The CNE and BuskerFest in Toronto, Family Day in Montreal and the Cole Harbour Harvest Festival in Halifax. It was also a challenge to focus media on NBA Jam Session and not have interviews turn to the topic of the players’ work stoppage. To face this challenge, during media relations and in interviews, messaging focused on the excitement of the Jam Session events in the city and not the league’s lack of on‐court action, which was reflected in the coverage.

Budget The budget for outreach (including costs for wire distribution of the media advisories) in all six cities was $13,275. The budget was sufficient for Paradigm to execute media relations activities from Toronto. Sharolyn Kenworthy at NBA Canada managed on‐site media relations at all the events and accompanied the Globetrotters to their media interviews.

Evaluation

Objective #1: Spread the excitement of the NBA with fans across the country and continue to build a Canadian fan base throughout the off‐season months, measured by an increase in Facebook page “Likes”,. The NBA’s Canadian fan base increased over the summer months with fan “Likes” on the NBA Jam Session Facebook page increasing from approximately 3,500 fans to nearly 11,000 following the tour. By engaging fans on Facebook, the league strengthens its relationships and continues to use this page as a way to engage fans and keep them up to date on happenings around the league.

Objective #2: Generate significant media impressions for the tour, including garnering coverage in top‐tier media outlets in each market. The tour was extremely successful in generating media coverage, including a front page, above‐the‐fold colour photo in the Montreal Gazette. In total there were 315 stories about the tour generating 35,029,210 total impressions (calculated using the CPRS MRP system) with a cost per contact of $0.0004. This represents an increase of more than 10 million impressions compared to the previous years’ Jam Session tour (impressions for 2010: 24,787,562). 100 per cent of the media coverage focused on the events and activities of Jam Session and not on the league’s negotiations during the players’ work stoppage.

Coverage highlights included two national broadcast features on the tour (Canada AM and CBC Sports Day in Canada). Additionally, there was significant coverage in all six Jam Session cities, including stories in top‐tier print and broadcast media, for example: • Calgary: Breakfast Television, CTV Calgary, Calgary Herald, Calgary Sun. A photo and story on the national 3on3 tournament winners ran in Metro Calgary • Winnipeg: Breakfast Television, Winnipeg Free Press, Metro Winnipeg • Vancouver: Breakfast Television Live Eye (four segments throughout the morning), OMNI BC, Globe & Mail (Vancouver edition), Vancouver Sun • Toronto: CP24 Breakfast, TVO Kids, Globe and Mail (Metro Edition), Inside Toronto papers, • Montreal: CTV Montreal, above‐the‐fold front page photo in Montreal Gazette, 24 Heures, fr.canoes.ca • Halifax: Atlantic Canada Morning, Halifax Chronicle Herald, thecoast.ca

Rationale

2011 was a challenging year for the NBA with the players’ work stoppage. In order to engage its fan base, NBA Canada decided to use one of its existing properties, NBA Jam Session. NBA Jam Session is an interactive basketball festival that brings the NBA experience to cities across Canada with free entertainment for fans of all ages and skill levels. The public relations campaign earned public understanding for the NBA during the summer months when there was no on‐court basketball action to follow.