GROW THE GAME
A 10-year global initiative to add 1 million new players to our game
GROW THE GAME
Our Mission
As leaders in the sport, we have a responsibility to grow, advance and
protect the game
Launched in October 2012, Grow the Game is a global Bauer initiative to
add 1 million new players to the game in 10 years
GROW THE GAME
Our Approach
At Bauer, developing world-class products starts with the player’s needs and continues with
a multi-year commitment to comprehensive research. We believe that same approach is
required to create meaningful solutions to grow the game.
With such a deep heritage and a historically low participation growth rate, our efforts started
in Canada.
In partnership with Hockey Canada, we explored why active, non-hockey families choose
other sports over hockey.
Through this research – and an understanding of the barriers to play – we can develop
meaningful solutions designed to recruit new players into the sport worldwide.
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The Research
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Methodology
• Online survey of 875 Canadians across 2 provinces, Ontario and Nova Scotia
• Targeted parents of kids 4-16, who:
• have chosen not to play hockey
• play at least one organized sport per year
• Sample consisted of 200 immigrants from Southeast Asia, who had been in Canada longer
than one year
* Research conducted by GFK, an independent research firm based in Toronto. Research Director available upon request.
GROW THE GAME
Summary of Findings
1. Growing the game is an achievable objective
• 73 percent of non-hockey parents would consider enrolling their kids in hockey in the future,
with nearly 40 percent “definitely” considering enrollment
2. Non-hockey parents remain engaged in the sport and view the sport positively
• Almost half of non-hockey parents either watch or attend games, and have played in the past
• Many parents said hockey “helps build character and life-skills for my child,” a quality that
was unique to hockey compared to other sports
3. Barriers to entry are consistent across the different regional and demographic groups
• No meaningful differences between generational Canadians and New Canadians
• Those parents who played hockey view the game more favorably than those who didn’t, but
they are also slightly more sensitive to key barriers than those who didn’t play
GROW THE GAME
Perceived Barriers to Entry
1. Hockey’s not perceived to be fun
• Parents said the sport is too competitive and too intense with ‘crazy hockey parents’
• Nearly every other sport in this research, such as soccer and baseball, was described as ‘fun’ by
respondents
2. Hockey requires too much time commitment
• Many parents cited too much required travel and a commitment of three days per week
• Need to make available alternatives to high-level hockey. Programming should account for various levels
of play and ways to sample the game – similar to the different options available in other sports
3. Hockey’s not perceived to be safe
• Parents do not perceive the sport as safe for their children to play, including a risk of concussion and a
belief that the game promotes violent behavior
• Better education and awareness is necessary. For instance, approximately 80 percent of kids (ages 4-17)
playing hockey in Canada play no-check
4. Hockey’s not perceived to be affordable
• Parents cited the high costs of enrollment fees and equipment
• Entry-level players can get on the ice for approximately $300 - $400, and part of this program’s goal is to
better communicate these options
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The Competition
Team sports that non-hockey children participate in annually
NET Organized
85
Soccer
60 (%)
Basketball
32
Baseball
27
Ball/Floor Hockey
18
Field Hockey
12
Football
• 60 percent play soccer
• Approx. one-third play basketball
• Approx. one-third play baseball
10
Volleyball
7
Lacrosse
3
Ultimate Frisbee
2
Rugby
2
* During the year, what activities is your child involved in?
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How Hockey’s Perceived vs. Other Sports
Ice Hockey
Soccer
Basketball
Lacrosse
Baseball
Ball Hockey
Provides a
welcoming
environment
Has a strong
heritage
Is fun to watch
Is affordable to play
Is fun to play
Is a sport you play
for life
Helps build
character /life-skills
for my child
Is fun to watch
Is easy to enroll in
/sign up for
Offers a variety
ways to participate
Has a strong
heritage
Provides a
welcoming
environment
Has competent
coaching staff
Is easy for a parent
to teach
Is easy to enroll in
/sign up for
Has strong role
models for children
to look up to
Snowboarding/
Skiing
Is fun to play
Is fun to watch
Is fun to watch
Is safe for my child
to play
Is a sport you play for
life
Hockey shows distinct drivers versus other sports. It helps build character, develop life-skills and
has strong role models for children.
Unlike the other sports, however, it’s not considered “fun”.
Some sports, such as basketball and baseball, are “easy to enroll,” which is a learning we need to
apply to entry-level programs in hockey.
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Size of Perceived Barriers
Cost
Safety
Adults Involved
15%
14%
13%
Time Commitment
12%
Skills
12%
Program Knowledge
12%
*Other factors included in the list of approximately 50 choices totaled 22 percent. The above barriers were the largest factors.
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Future Consideration
73 percent would consider enrolling their child in hockey & nearly 40%
would definitely consider enrollment
Definitely
38
Maybe
35
Not Sure
15
Probably Not
Definitely Not
8
4
* Would you consider enrolling your child in organized ice hockey program in the future?
GROW THE GAME
Engagement & Consideration, New Canadians
• 40 percent of New Canadian adults watch and/or attend hockey games
36
38
Urban Immigrant
Suburban Immigrant
24
40
Adult
Child
• Nearly two-thirds of non-hockey New Canadian families would consider enrolling their child in
the sport and 20 percent say they would “definitely” consider
• Barriers are consistent across groups
*Would you consider enrolling your child in organized ice hockey program in the future? (Select one)
GROW THE GAME
Key Perceived Barriers
Of the 50 barriers, these were the key areas identified by respondents.
Safety
Fun
•
Other parents are too competitive,
intimidating, Other sports more fun
•
Too focused on elite play
•
My child didn’t start early enough,
couldn’t keep up
•
•
Even if it’s house league,
physical violence is still an
issue
Hockey has more
concussions than other
sports
Affordability
Commitment
•
Too many games a week
•
Enrollment is too expensive
•
Too many practices a week
•
Equipment is too expensive
•
Too much travel
•
Runs into holidays
•
Enrollment is too difficult
•
Does not let me play other
sports
•
There are a lot of negative stories
about hockey in the media
•
Game times are inconvenient
GROW THE GAME
Open Ended Quotes from Parents
He is afraid that he will not be able to handle the
pressure from coaches if he can not keep up.
Too much internal politics at the club level. If you are
not part of the "clique", you do not get evaluated
properly.
We were never provided with a lot of information
regarding hockey activities when my children were
younger.
Too expensive overall, and in general too big a timecommitment, extremely competitive.
Hockey is too life consuming. Practice and games
leave no time for anything else!
Really aggressive parents at the rinks are a huge
turn off. They set a bad example for the kids and
make it intolerable for other parents.
No...hockey is taken far too seriously at far too young an
age. Hockey doesn't let kids experiment with other sports
simultaneously. The expectation is that kids will only pursue
hockey at a very young age.
GROW THE GAME
The Solution
GROW THE GAME
Hockey Initiation Program
• The Objective: Inspire participation by addressing the primary barriers to entry –
fun, safety, commitment and affordability.
• The Idea: Fun hockey initiation programs for new-to-hockey kids ages 4 – 8 that
are easy to sign up for, affordable and less time commitment
• The Approach: Offer hockey in a different way. Focus on 4 pilot markets, 2
sessions per market (spring and fall). Measure success. Adjust program as
appropriate and expand in 2014 – 15
• Market the programs locally – not in rinks but with schools and in local media
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The Offering
• Facilitate positive on & off-ice experience
for players and to make parents feel
comfortable
(Fun & Safety)
• 2 Sessions, 6 weeks/session, 1x/week
• Host fun enrollment days to facilitate
sense of ‘community’
• Educational materials re: safe play and
to educate parents
(Accessibility)
• Minimal time investment
• Feels more approachable
• Allows for other family commitments
& activities
(Affordability)
• Bundle offer
• ‘Low risk’ / Enables you to try before
you buy
• ‘Gifting’ sticks & skates encourages
retention
• Enrollment + Equipment = 1 price ($100)
• Keep the sticks/skates if you intend to sign
up again next year; rest of the equipment
stays with the association.
GROW THE GAME
The Markets
• Hamilton
– Rapid decrease in registration in downtown area reflective of worsening economic
conditions
• Income gap between rich and poor in Ontario is at an all-time high
– Abundance of ice time available to service new programming
• Scarborough
– Hit hardest in GTHL region as it relates to participation decline
– More than half of city’s residents are born outside Canada; the majority arriving in
the last four decades
• South Asian & Chinese account for most prominent minority groups
– Yet only 10% of current hockey participants are immigrants
GROW THE GAME
The Markets, cont’d
• Halifax
– Small but consistent decline in registration over the past couple of years as younger
families move out and the population base is changing
– Real desire to ensure hockey remains the No. 1 winter sport in largest urban centre
• East Hants
– One of the fastest growing rural municipalities in Nova Scotia
– With young families moving in, there’s a desire to ensure programs are in place to
attract them to the sport
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