The NHL is aggressive when it comes to all aspects of traditional media, as well as the new platforms. They have launched an impressive new website at NHL.com that produces content that is user friendly and rich with plenty of original video and articles.
John Collins, the NHL’s chief operating officer, is one of the most respected sports executives in the business. He was the mastermind behind the Winter Classic and the league’s deal with HBO that set up a “Hard Knocks”-type series set to debut in December. “24/7 Penguins/Capitals: Road to the Winter Classic” will focus on the two rivals as they get ready to faceoff at Heinz Field on January 1.
I spoke to Collins recently from his New York office about how the NHL might just be the hottest that it has ever been.
You where one of the creators’s of the NHL Winter Classic. Did you ever think it would become this successful in such a short time? » It has become in only three years a true classic and we are happy this New Year’s Day to have the Pens hosting the Caps at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh. I think that the success is that having the game outdoors, it is visually outstanding and offers something for both the hardcore and casual fans. I mean think about it, there will be tailgating for hockey. That’s great. Also, before you ask, yes we hope to have a Winter Classic in Washington sometime soon.
The new version of NHL.com has lots of new video and editorial content from the league and international information. What was your philosophy in the new site? » We know that we have a truly worldwide audience so we offer more highlights, interviews and video in general than any other major league site. We also know that fans want to follow their favorite team and we offer plenty of video and editorial on every team. But fans of the Caps, for instance, are also interested in other teams and we provide all the information a fan might want. We also have developed a great online store for merchandise. In short, we offer our fans plenty of content, plus live games and a store full of NHL product. So we have a wonder platform to make things easy for our customers to access.
How’s the health of the NHL? » We are entering this season in a stronger position than had in decades, with an expanded portfolio of corporate sponsors like Bridgestone, Cisco and Geico, strong digital traffic and strong ratings growth on all levels, locally, on Versus and NBC, the NHL is a growth property.
Examiner columnist Jim Williams is a seven-time Emmy Award-winning TV producer, director and writer. Check out his blog, Watch this!
