N.J. Devils' success: Rangers or Caps, this franchise is set

BY JOE FAVORITO

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

ON N.J. SPORTS MARKETING

There was a bunch of silly debate the last few days about the economic impact that the Washington capitals may bring to the area around the Prudential Center should they upset the Rangers in Game Seven Saturday night at Madison Square Garden and then face the upstart Devils in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Make no mistake about it, no matter who the opponent is, the Devils business success is set in stone for 2012, and hopefully going forward in 2012-2013 as well.

It has been a rocky financial year for the team from many fronts. The issues with minority ownership and the recent issues with Mayor Cory Booker have given the team its share of fits. But from a branding and loyalty standpoint, the teams commitment to its growing fan base through social media engagement, its alumni work and the positive outreach by its players has made the season for the brand of the Devils a s good as any since the franchise relocated from Colorado and eventually moved to The Pru.

The next round will bring lots of excitement and a full house regardless of opponent, and that full house will fill the establishments around the building for pregame dinners, parking and other goings-on. It will be a commuter series, with Rangers fans coming via New Jersey Transit or Caps fans on Amtrak, neither of which will be filling hotel rooms in the area or making overnight plans. There are no back to back nights in NHL Playoff action as there are in baseball, so to think that suddenly hotel rooms are filling with Washington fans spending money is foolhardy. They will come if they are in and then go back down the Turnpike or to Penn Station and head back out. If they were staying over, chances are they are heading towards LaGuardia to catch a shuttle the next morning to the Capitol, not staying in Brick City.

More importantly for the Devils brand, a Washington opponent will probably mean better ticket opportunities for local fans, who will not have to contend with Rangers fans travelling en masse across the river for the games at The Pru. Concessions will still be purchased, parking filled, pregame drinks had, regardless of opponent, especially for those coming short distances.

The hardest part for New Jersey from a business perspective will be capturing the excitement regardless of who, and turning that into positive news for ticket sales and brand awareness next season. Still, the groundwork for that next level of engagement has already been laid in the combo of solid marketing and successful on ice performance, which of course will be enhanced even more should the team do well in this coming round.

Bottom line is success is already here Garden State hockey and business fans. The upside for the short term is not that much more regardless of opponent, and the enjoyment stage of this next series should outweigh any vexing about a rise in bottom line depending on who is coming up The Turnpike. A great Devils season continues on from most perspectives.

Joe Favorito has over 24 years of strategic communications/marketing, business development and public relations expertise in sports, entertainment, brand building, media training, television, athletic administration and business. Visit him at JoeFavorito.com.