Prepping for puck drop

As live audiences continue to grow and evolve, Rogers Sports & Media is finding even more ways to engage with hockey fans.

As Pittsburgh Penguins legend Mario Lemieux once famously said: “Every day is a great day for hockey.” Canadian viewers agree.

No matter what team they cheer for, hockey fans are known to live and die by their sport – they just can’t get enough. That’s probably why the game dominates Canadian TV ratings every winter – and why those audiences continue to grow. In fact, by the end of last season, audiences for the NHL Playoffs on Sportsnet were up 5% year-over-year, and subscribers on streaming platform Sportsnet+ (formerly SN NOW) grew 93%. 

Live sports co-viewing is also on the rise, giving the sport’s audience a new look. Sportsnet has become one of the top specialty networks for women – in the past year, the outlet grew national hockey audiences in the F18-34 demo by 27%. (Meanwhile, a 25-54 viewership for MLB’s Blue Jays on Sportsnet was almost evenly split male/female this year.)

“Live sports are appointment viewing and, increasingly, co-viewing,” says Anthony Attard, VP of sales for Sportsnet. “We’re seeing the audience profile evolving closer to 50/50 – in some instances even higher when it comes to certain tentpole events.” 

And those events are being carried across more platforms than ever. Sportsnet spans streaming, radio, podcasts, social and more, and it’s racking up some impressive stats: 15 million Canadians reached by Sportsnet on TV monthly; 9.1 million on its digital channels; and over 376 million minutes of playoff hockey streamed on Sportsnet+ last year. This is all complemented by Rogers Sports & Media’s extensive ad supported digital network which connects with 30 million Canadians every month through premium content such as SiriusXM Podcasts, Citytv+, Tubi, and Disney+, among others.

“We can build really fulsome campaigns across all platforms,” explains Attard. “And we’ve got both advertising and creative solutions experts who develop fantastic creative integrations and campaigns that drive affiliation with the audiences you’re targeting through live sports.”

The Rogers Sports & Media creative teams are experts in finding or creating opportunities that speak authentically to fans, either adjacent to or immersed in, a game. (The latter can’t be said for sporting events picked up from the US.) They range from off-the-shelf solutions, such as a presenting sponsorship, to customized opportunities like the company’s recent partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS). Using AWS computing power, Sportsnet can inject real-time data into broadcasts to create activations like faceoff predictions or a heat map that shows where goals are scored in the offensive zone. “It’s things people are interested in, and it weaves perfectly into what AWS wants to accomplish as a technology provider,” explains Attard.

Parent company Rogers Communications, meanwhile, has become the key partner for Monday Night Hockey. For it, the Sportsnet team has been developing augmented reality and virtual reality activations to enhance the fan experience. It’s a capability the Sportsnet team now has in-house, thanks to two new state-of-the-art studios that feature 22 set monitors; a 50-foot curved, floor-to-ceiling LED wall; 250 LED broadcast lighting features and 13 studio cameras, plus improved data capabilities that can summon up a world of stats or graphics in an instant.

Rogers Sports & Media has also expanded its targeting capabilities. About 18 months ago, the Sportsnet+ team added dynamic ad insertion (DAI) to its roster, giving marketers the ability to target a particular audience segment or geographical location. That built on NHL-wide offerings launched last year like digital enhanced dashboards (DED), which superimpose digital ads over the static boards, and new virtual signage. 

“We’re getting to that point where [viewers will] be served an ad that’s specifically relevant to [them],” says Attard. So, while audiences are growing, it’s not spray and pray for advertisers. It’s micro-targeting on a macro scale.

Attard says Rogers Sports & Media is also exploring more storytelling opportunities – finding the behind-the-scenes narratives that have lifted sports like Formula One and professional tennis. And there will be plenty of stories to tell this year. Rogers is home to two important tentpole events this NHL calendar: the 2023/24 NHL All-Star Game in Toronto (for which Rogers is the presenting sponsor), and the Heritage Classic featuring the Calgary Flames and the Edmonton Oilers in Edmonton (as sponsor).

So, for Attard and his team, it really comes down to finding natural and additive ways to bring brands into the game so that everyone benefits – fans, advertisers and the game.

“We consider ourselves stewards of the game,” he sums. “For us, it’s about how we make it more appealing for the fan. We’re always trying new things and looking to improve.”

To get in touch with Rogers Sports and Media click here.