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The OHL Move

Research Proposal

Jonathon Kur, Rachel McHugh, Alex Rudnicki and Cody Schindel

Advertising and Marketing Communications


ADMC 153 Market Research
Anna Santilli-Finn
Winter 2014

1. Background
The OHL consists of twenty teams; seventeen of those are stationed in Ontario, with three exceptions with teams located in
Michigan and Pennsylvania, USA. XYZ, one of the teams located in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) have entertained the
idea of moving to another location, preferably smaller than the previous in hopes of raising ticket sales and establishing a
more sufficient fan base in order to keep ownership pleased profits steady. There are several viable candidates around the
GTA that have the ability to house a OHL hockey team, but certain measures need to be met in order to proceed with
finalizations:
- If junior hockey is sufficiently interesting to the local market
- Whether there is a sufficient market to support the team
- How to brand the team in the new community
- Whether the potential fan base would be interested in purchasing merchandising material because that proves to be a
revenue stream for any team

2. Problem Definition
Team XYZ wants to relocate its OHL hockey franchise to a profitable market. The current community has lost interest in
supporting the team over the past 10 years, the attendance per game is such a big problem the team is no longer profitable
and has no other option than to look into other potential markets.
Team XYZ needs to be confident in its choice of market when relocating. They have hired League Leading Research
Company (LLRC) to research potential communities that could support an Ontario Hockey League team. XYZ wants to
relocate to a community that has over 100, 000 people, and wants to increase its attendance to roughly 5,000 people per
game.
LLRC has quite the task on its hands, As a team they need to target a highly interested hockey community and research
exactly what kind of people live there to ensure they can even afford ticket prices. LLRC needs to re-brand the current teams
appearance according to the persona of the city. In order to do that it is essential to do many different types of personality
tests with persons from different communities; then finding the perfect fit for a community that is similar to XYZs persona;
hard hitting and gritty hockey and operations.

3. Market Research Objectives

To determine which community can support a new OHL team

To analyze personalities of people within communities, ensuring that they like hard hitting hockey teams

To measure the average wage of people living within prospect communities, to ensure and determine ticket sales

To consider potential competitors such as other leagues and sports (AHL, NHL, NBA, Lacrosse). The OHL realizes these
could be major obstacles and competing with a market such as any of the previously mentioned could be risky

To gauge public opinion

To monitor the success of other recently moved franchises and to follow their examples (Northbay)

To explore all possibilities

4. Methodology
LLRC will utilize the many ways of gaining research results. In person, telephone and email/online surveys will be used for the
fan base research. LLRC will begin by asking specific questions using forms such as multiple choice and/or true and false. From
here we will move on to more open-ended questions allowing the audience to give us their own answers in which we can rate
and scale based on appeal. These surveys ill take no more than 15 minutes to complete.

5. Sampling
i. Who is to be sampled?
a) Find/create a list of communities with population over 100,000
b) Ensure hockey interest from community families; families that enjoy blue collar, backyard hockey. Whichever
community samples are most defined like this will be further considered into the franchise move for team XYZ.
c) Approach Sports Store Retail Departments and ask to view annual sales of stores in Ontario communities, this
should help us redefine our scope of the marketplace and helps us see the interest of hockey in the everyday lives of the
communities we plan on sampling.
d) Ensure stable jobs in community and ensure stable communal economics in considered communities.

ii. How large of a sample?


a) We will sample at least 50 families from different tax brackets in five communities with over 100,000 people in the
region of Southern Ontario. We will provide them with a survey and the option to compete in a contest and write why they
think their community deserves OHLs newest hockey team. This will also give us a sample viewing at how excited different
communities are for the opportunity to host the team. The incentive for responding to the written could be a custom
personalized jersey of team XYZ to the author of the best submission.
b) We will place individual questionnaires with submission boxes to fill out at local hockey arenas of minor league
teams. Although we wont receive much feedback, it could give us a more insightful look into how involved hockey parents of
these local communities are and will cost very little.

6. Timing
Meetings:
Mondays

11:45 am - 12:45 pm

Wednesdays

11:45 am - 12:45 pm

Fridays

12:40 pm - 1:25 pm

Milestones:
Proposal

The Week of January 27th 2014

Secondary Research

The Week of February 10th 2014

Questionnaire

The Week of March 17th 2014

Presentation

The Week of April 14th/21st 2014

7. Output
Key numeric figures will be produced to display the advantages of moving the OHL Team to a significantly smaller location,
which would obtain more of a thirst for a local hockey team. A change of Identity will be essential; therefore the team name
will be changed in order to adhere to the new community. A number of prospects for re-location will also be provided, along
with a confident display of appropriate options that will thrive under new circumstances, and eventually push the franchise
towards financial and historical success. The final report will be displayed via a Prezi or Powerpoint presentation.
In the report you will see:

A list of viable candidates (cities that fit the criteria)


Population Data Reports
Target Market Analysis Reports
Surveys and Internet polls on the name change
Accessibility towards venue to help gain attendance

8. Budget
There is a zero dollar budget for this Project.

9. Authorization
The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) has given authorization to Jonathan Kur, Rachel McHugh, Alex Rudnicki, and Cody
Schindel to do research for the company in order to form the market research plan.
_______________________ ________________________
Date: Wednesday, September 25, 2013

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