How an insight community helped the Vancouver Canucks improve the fan experience and enhance brand partnerships

How the Vancouver Canucks uses Rival Tech

Brad-Pennefather-speaker-headshot
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Before using Rival’s technology, we didn’t have an easy way of engaging a significant number of our fans in a timely manner. Now we have a community that can give us rich feedback quickly and easily.”

Brad Pennefather

Former Vice President, Membership and Business Intelligence
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33%

Response rate in just 6 minutes

85%

Of community members are under the age of 40: 74% are male

5000+

Fans recruited exclusively via social media

About the Canucks

Canucks Sports & Entertainment is a premiere sports and entertainment company in North America. It owns and operates the Vancouver Canucks (a National Hockey League Team) and its home arena, Rogers Arena.

about-canucks

The Challenge

The Vancouver Canucks wanted to better understand the fan experience and the factors that convert people into season ticket holders. The organization was interested in getting real-time, in-stadium feedback during games rather than relying on people’s recollection of their experience a few days after. Getting instant feedback from fans, however, was difficult since the Canucks didn’t have an online panel or insight community they could tap for ongoing engagement.

The Goals

  • Get a deeper understanding of all areas of the fan experience at games, including theme nights, intermission entertainment, and food and beverage options
  • Measure the effectiveness of activations to help brand partners improve their campaigns
  • Hear real-time feedback from fans regardless of whether they are watching in the arena or from home
Fan experience market research and conversational surveys for real-time fan insights and feedback

The Solution

Working with Rival Technologies, the Canucks used conversational chat surveys during the 2017-2018 season to recruit more than 5,000 fans through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram in just a matter of weeks. Insights from this research community help the organization better understand all the different elements of the fan experience and improve game-night entertainment.

Response rates are typically in the 80% range, and the company gets hundreds of responses within minutes.

Results

The insight community helped improve many aspects of the fan experience.

For example, the Canucks used chats to measure the impact of different theme nights. Data from this study revealed people’s awareness of these special events, as well as what people liked and disliked about them. Chats also help uncover the drivers that lead to ticket purchase.

By broadcasting chats during intermissions, the Canucks get real-time feedback on in-stadium campaigns running on that same night. This valuable insight not only helps measure sponsor recall—it also provides both the Canucks and its sponsors actionable feedback on creating campaigns that enhance the fan experience and boost awareness for partners.

Improve the fan experience

Chat with one of our experts to learn how an insight community can help you improve the customer or fan experience.