ECHL uses Technology to reach the masses

May 29, 6:19 PMSports Business ExaminerJosh Lobdell

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The ECHL is using the internet to bring live game broadcasts to its fans

These days Minor League Hockey is big business, not only in the hockey hotbed of Canada but across the United States as well. TheECHL is the premier AA hockey league and is a part of the NHL Collective bargaining agreement. What all of that means is if a NHL club assigns a player to an ECHL team they must report. This League is developing the NHL stars of tomorrow

The ECHL has been around since 1988 and in that time has built a solid core of fans. In 2008 for the fifth straight year more than 4 million fans showed up to ECHL games in person. That season they also averaged 4,000 fans per regular season game for the 4th straight year and for the 16th time in 20 seasons.

This league currently operates 21 teams in states and provinces all over the US and Canada. They are adding two teams in the near future as the Toledo Walleye will start play in the fall of 2009 and the Columbia Inferno will start play as soon as their stadium is completed.

While all of that is a great success story the real story is here this league is using the power of the internet to reach more and more hockey fans that may be priced out of their NHL arenas due to the down economy.

ECHL regular season and post season games can be viewed via broadband internet connection on the B2 Network. Since broadcasting its first ECHL Game in 2004, the B2 Network has broadcasted more than 15,000 live sporting events.

On any given week the B2 Network will broadcast over 200 live events via broad band live to the internet. The BS Network Website also offers a plethora of other ECHL programming for the past season as well.

This is a great story of a hockey league taking advantage of all the new media options available to it. It is great story of ingenuity and a league realizing the power of the internet and embracing it fully. The ECHL has a Vice President of Communication/New Media who is responsible for developing these highly effective ways to promote the league.

While many of the Major Sports leagues fail to connect with the power of the internet, and quite frankly look down upon internet based writers and bloggers, the ECHL and VP of Communications/ New Media Jack Carnefix are using the power of these new media platforms to build a strong audience for their league.