Tampa Bay Lightning based in Tampa Bay, Florida, have won three Stanley Cup titles, most recently back-to-back titles in 2020 and 2021. The team has more than 2.13 million social media followers (as of Dec 13, 2021) and a strong fan base across Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater. With new sponsorship assets like the helmet, the Lightning are creating new ways to increase engagement across social media while also driving value for brand partners.
Blinkfire Analytics has been the Lightning’s social media and sponsorship data valuation provider since 2016. For the past 18 months, the Lightning had to rethink their sponsorship, social media, and content strategies, as COVID-19 created challenges. From the 2020 Bubble Playoffs, where the team played no home games to a shortened 2021 season with limited fans and a new helmet sponsor, the Tampa Bay Lightning knew their social and digital channels would prove invaluable. The organization looked to use data, real-time reports, and quality content to make up for a decrease in games and fewer fans in stadium.
The Lightning took advantage of Blinkfire’s automated reports to provide sponsors real-time analytics and valuation.
Strength Meter™ With the new helmet asset for the 2021 Season, the Lightning reported weekly on exposure for DEX Imaging and Tampa General Hospital (TGH). Blinkfire’s Strength Meter™ shows brand visibility by device (smartphone, tablet, laptop, and desktop). The Lightning realized TGH’s logo was not visible on most smartphones. By changing the logo entirely from “Tampa General Hospital” to “TGH”, the team grew the brand’s engagement and valuation.
Scene Value Reporting The Lightning made sure specific scenes, such as score graphics and training posts, showcased helmet sponsors TGH and DEX Imaging.
COVID-19 & Video Like many other teams during the time of COVID, the Lightning looked to video and new content to grow engagement and fandom.
We love Blinkfire Analytics – the platform and the team behind it! While we use the platform and reports almost daily, one of the greatest assets is the Blinkfire Customer Success team; they were integral in our helmet sponsorship last season. I can go with any question and know that what they provide will be above and beyond, including valuable industry and league insights that help our team build content, value digital activations, and create new strategies. Blinkfire’s proactive, hands-on approach gave us new social & digital inventory opportunities plus data we wouldn’t have thought to capture. Those proactive moments offered clutch value back to our partners, especially during renewal talks. Blinkfire’s CS coupled with their technology gives the Lightning real-time sponsorship data and automatic insights – something we wouldn’t get from another vendor.
Allie MacLeod
Senior Manager of Market Intelligence, Tampa Bay Lightning
