ECHL Meetings Emphasize \'Teams Helping Teams\'
Published on June 12, 2006 under ECHL (ECHL) News Release
ATLANTA - The 11th Annual ECHL Marketing & Communications Meetings were
held June 6-9 at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta.
Commissioner Brian McKenna opened the meetings, addressing the more than
130 attendees. McKenna reviewed the highlights from last season including
the ECHL increasing its attendance by 9.1 percent to an average of 4,372
per game, the third consecutive season of increased attendance, and
outlined the goals and objectives for the league and teams in 2006-07.
Sal Galatioto of Galatioto Sports Partners, LLC spoke to the general
session about increasing shareholder wealth and CEO of National Sports
Services Bill Davidson made an information management program
presentation. The session concluded with Dean Bonham, who is CEO of The
Bonham Group, discussing how to improve and increase sponsorships. The
marketing breakout session featured Len Rhodes, who is Global Vice
President Marketing for Rbk Hockey, discussing brand recognition and
brand value while former ECHL and current Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
play-by-play broadcaster Tom Grace addressed the communications group. The
first day concluded with a vendor showcase where licensed vendors displayed
products for teams. The grand prize of the showcase was a drawing for a
complete set of dasherboard graphic, donated by AMI Grafix and won
by the Long Beach Ice Dogs.
The general session on June 8 featured Cosmo Sports President Cary
Kaplan explaining fan database building as well as season ticket sales
incentives, and Human Architecture President Gwen Burch, a former
executive trainer for Walt Disney, speaking about customer service and work
excellence. Burch joined Virtua Health Vice President Jim Dwyer and
TeamWork Online President Buffy Filippell on a panel that discussed
effective management strategies and sales cultural while Kaplan worked with
ticket account executives on selling techniques. Scott Bernarde of The
Atlanta Journal Constitution Gwinnett News and Chip Zeller of
WAGA-TV each spoke to the communications group on how to improve
print and television coverage.
Following a presentation of annual league awards on June 9, HRH/Global
Sports Services Vice President Alex Fairly explained league and team
insurance and liability and then each team presented a revenue-generating
idea that it found to be successful this past season.
ECHL Stories from June 12, 2006
- Condors community update â week of June 12th - Bakersfield Condors
- Hockey vs. hunger food drive for Poverello House - Fresno Falcons
- RoadRunners' Weiss Named 2005-06 ECHL Broadcaster of the Year - Phoenix RoadRunners
- Phoenix's Weiss Receives ECHL Broadcaster Award - ECHL
- Zager Receives ECHL Media Relations Award - San Diego Gulls
- San Diego's Zager Receives ECHL Media Relations Award - ECHL
- ECHL Meetings Emphasize \'Teams Helping Teams\' - ECHL
- Chiefs Owner, ECHL All-Star Game Analyst Smith Named Islanders' General Manager - ECHL
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