For the second year in a row, Labatt USA will host a pond hockey tournament in Buffalo. The demand to participate in the tournament increased to the point where they quadrupled the number of teams from 16 last year to 64 this year.
Labatt USA worked in conjunction with the City of Buffalo and Erie County to expand this event, making it a regional draw. Scheduled to be held on eight rinks, the tournament will span nearly 136,000 square feet on the frozen lake. Competitive, entertaining and nostalgic, the event will also carry the benefit of turning eyes on Buffalo in terms of outdoor winter entertainment.
“We want to create an authentic hockey experience that takes people back to hockey’s roots,” said Peter Bodenham, director of marketing, for Labatt USA. “Our tournament is played on Lake Erie and the choppy, dull surface delivers hockey in its purest form. Players maintain the ice with shovel and buckets of water, much like you would during a pick-up game on a neighborhood pond.”
This tournament has the effect of not only bringing multiple tribes (teams) together, but also solidifying the connections between members of the same tribe (team).
The lesson for other brands: Build an event that helps bring together people to share their common interest.
