Winnipeg Jets: Fuelled by Passion and a NEW Multi Team App / Jets 360 Loyalty Program

ABOUT THIS ENTRY

Coming off the pandemic and heading into the 2022-23 season, the NHL's Winnipeg Jets were seeking deeper engagement and connection with their fans outside of the arena and beyond game day experiences. To achieve this, they developed a custom built, multi-team and property app in conjunction with Jets 360: an immersive, hands-on rewards program that connects the fans with the team and community.

Not only can Winnipeg hockey fans stay in touch with their favourite team, whether at the arena or at home, but they can also follow the Manitoba Moose, an AHL professional hockey team. One click is all that's required for the application to switch between the two teams while music and entertainment aficionados can also use the app to purchase tickets for any Canada Life Centre or Burton Cummings Theatre event as well as access the full schedule, beyond hockey games.

How does this represent “Excellence in Engagement”?

The Winnipeg Jets multi-brand app is a best-in-class example in listening to their fans and creating something reflective of their fanbases needs vs an off-the-shelf product. Through research the app was designed to be personalized and modernized through the UX, transitions, navigation and faster load time. In addition, the app was built with a fully native strategy that includes deep systems integrations including ticketing, POS software and registration platform that enables a seamless fan experience across properties.

The Jets 360 rewards program is setting a new benchmark for how teams can use gamification to support new fan acquisition as well as providing an exciting way to add value to their Season Ticket Members. It is ground-breaking for how it encourages fans to participate in community-based challenges using geo-location and leverages new ways to activate with partnerships. Through all the means above the program has created a rich data ecosystem that is collecting first party data allowing the team to better segment and track fan purchases and behaviours outside the traditional venue.

Overall, investing in something targeted to their market, the Jets are providing an example of understanding what sets a teams fans apart and creating something with them in mind.

Objective

Since the Jets returned in 2011, ans have been fuelled by passion and the pride of being a Jets fan is deeply intertwined with the pride of being from Winnipeg. A symbiotic relationship exists between the team and the city. One constantly fuels the other. Being the smallest market in the NHL comes with challenges but, Winnipeggers are deeply proud and often make tough financial choices to support the team which have become more difficult to justify. That led the Jets to seek a new way to deepen engagement and the connection our fans have with our teams prioritizing the capture of meaningful data.

Launched in October 2022, the team introduced a NEW Official App of the Winnipeg Jets, Manitoba Moose, Canada Life Centre, and Burton Cummings Theatre. Using new, innovative digital technology, the Jets 360 program was also lauched at this time and available for all fans.

Some of the objectives that led the creation include:

• Design a multi-team and property app..
• Engage and reward the team’s most loyal fans.
• Grow the game and engage new fans in market.
• Build out a rich, first-party, data ecosystem and be able to quickly act on it.

Strategy & Execution

Aiming at rewarding fans for their dedication, the Jets' app was designed and built for and by the fans. The Jets interviewed fans to understand what they thought would be the ideal application whch included over 2500 fan survey responses and mutliple fan focus groups.

Two teams, one app, multiple venues. Not only can hockey fans stay in touch with their team at the arena or at home, they can follow the Manitoba Moose of the AHL in one click. Music and entertainment aficionados can also use the app to purchase tickets for any Canada Life Centre or Burton Cummings Theatre event and access the full venue event schedules.

Whether the user is the team’s most loyal fan or a proud Winnipegger not watching Jets games, the Jets 360 loyalty program has gamification features designed to create engagement loops that fuel loyalty and move fans further in their journey. Low friction reward actions that increase engagement with the community, the sport of hockey and the team, like city landmark check ins, help fuel fan acquisition. Exclusive benefits available to season ticket members help reshape the value proposition and show the Jets’ appreciation to their most loyal fans to improve retention.

Organizations

• True North Sports + Entertainment
• Mirego

Credits

Andrew Wilkinson
Director, Digital Strategy & Products
True North Sports + Entertainment

Dorian Morphy
VP, Marketing
True North Sports + Entertainment

Christina Litz
Chief Brand & Commercial Officer
True North Sports + Entertainment

Tyler Kurz
VP, Business Intelligence
True North Sports + Entertainment

Sébastien Morin
Partner - Co-President & Chief Strategy Officer
Mirego

Simon de Carufel
Product Owner
Mirego

Hugo Lefrancois
Director, Engineering
Mirego

Steve Ladanyi
Sr. Product Designer
Mirego

Olivier Aubin
Design Lead
Mirego