Partnering with Pro Sports Teams: A Winning Strategy in Youth Tobacco Prevention Brittany McFadden, Tobacco-Free Youth Recreation Christina Thill, Minnesota Department of Health Bryan Donaldson, Minnesota Twins Djorn Buchholz, Minnesota Thunder & Minnesota Lightning Anissa Lightner, University of Minnesota Athletic Department National Conference on Tobacco or Health October 25, 2007

Tobacco-Free Sports Partnerships in Minnesota Minnesota Twins baseball (MLB) Minnesota Wild hockey (NHL) Minnesota Timberwolves basketball (NBA) Minnesota Lynx basketball (WNBA) Minnesota Thunder and Lightning soccer (minor league) Minnesota Vikings (NFL) University of Minnesota Athletic Department St. Paul Saints baseball (minor league) Schwan’s USA Soccer Cup Minnesota Youth Soccer Association Minnesota Hockey

Kirby Puckett Poster

Towards Tobacco-Free Youth Minnesota has eliminated tobacco advertising in sports venues (1988) Our pro sports stadiums are smoke free We are working towards tobacco-free park systems in local communities 106 communities have policies Research demonstrates that youth are more likely to remain tobacco free if they are surrounded by: Tobacco-free role models Tobacco-free environments Tobacco-free community norms

Utilizing Coaches & Athletes to Promote Your Message Coaches and athletes can be spokespersons for news conferences and media events Athletes or mascot appearances at community events or schools Games or athletic events Public address announcements and player testimonials On-field presentations, half-time activities, and contests Banners Giveaways at promotional tables Ads in team programs Print materials featuring athletes or teams Posters; autograph or trading cards

Suggestions for Success in Team Partnerships Determine your target audience, goals, and budget Start planning six months in advance of your event Approach team with ideas in mind Capitalize on specific “health” days (i.e. WNTD) Partner with other health organizations to maximize resources Be sure the athletes selected are positive role models Consider utilizing 2-3 athletes to foster diversity Utilize pre-tested slogans (CDC has examples) Conduct focus group testing on print materials

Working with Collegiate Athletes and Teams Approach the athletic department’s community relations staff to get started Work with athletes from a variety of sports to reach a broader audience Find local athletes that have hometowns near those of your target audience Many college teams receive requests for public appearances; train a group of athletes to fill these requests by speaking about tobacco-free sports

Working with Minor League Athletes and Teams Minor league teams are usually very accessible –Contact the general manager or marketing director Host “Tobacco-Free Nights” with these teams –If stadium is not tobacco free, declare it for the night –Distribute tickets to local youth to attend –Incorporate public address announcements –Pose quiz questions via video boards or announcers –Utilize mascots in tobacco-free skits or contests –Ask players to speak before and after the game about tobacco-free sports –Hang tobacco-free banners throughout the stadium or field Produce tobacco-free print materials to distribute at team appearances

Working with Major League Athletes and Teams Determine your target audience and goals Approach team’s Community Relations staff with ideas in mind State your interest in promoting a message, not sponsoring the team Consider utilizing 2-3 athletes to foster diversity Ask the team’s graphic artists to create the print materials pro bono, so that your only cost is for printing

Minnesota Twins Major League baseball Bryan Donaldson Community Relations Manager

Minnesota Twins “Strike Out Spit Tobacco” Partners: National Spit Tobacco Education Program (NSTEP) and Tobacco-Free Youth Recreation (TFYR), and Minnesota Twins Sponsored Minnesota Twins mascot T.C. Bear for the 2005 season –“Strike Out Spit Tobacco” patch on his jersey –T.C.’s trading cards contained spit tobacco facts –PA announcement asking youth to join T.C. in “Striking Out Spit Tobacco” –T.C. attended many community events and school functions, where he distributed thousands of cards

T.C. Bear’s Trading Card

T.C.’s Jersey Patch

Twins Scoreboard Message

Minnesota Twins “Be Tobacco Free: Choose Not to Chew” Partners: National Spit Tobacco Education Program (NSTEP) and Tobacco-Free Youth Recreation (TFYR), Minnesota Department of Health, Centers for Disease Control, and Minnesota Twins Created and distributed poster of Twins centerfielder Torii Hunter –Distributed at school field trip Twins game in May 2003 –Distributed at MN State Fair in 2005 & 2007 –Distributed to MN youth through schools, camps, etc. –This is our most popular tobacco-free sports poster (reprinted three times)

Twins Posters Minnesota versionCDC version

Minnesota Thunder & Minnesota Lightning Minor League soccer Djorn Buchholz General Manager

Tobacco-Free Game Events Minnesota Thunder games in , WNTD Press Conference 2002 Governor’s WNTD Proclamation Minnesota Thunder tobacco-free team pledge Youth signed pledges for chance at half-time penalty kick (100+ participants) Thunder players spoke about tobacco-free sports at half-time PA announcements Poster & autograph card giveaways –2,500 distributed at each WNTD game –10,000-15,000 additional distributed during the season

WNTD Press Conference MN Timberwolves forward Sam Mitchell speaks to elementary school youth

Thunder Tobacco-Free Pledge Players with 2003 Pledge 2005 Team with Pledge First professional A-League soccer team in the United States to sign a team tobacco-free pledge

Youth Signing Tobacco-Free Pledges

Banner at Entrance

Youth answering quiz questions

Youth taking kick at the goal during halftime

Thunder Players Half-Time Testimony about the Harms of Tobacco Use

Autographing Posters Thunder playerLightning player

2001 Thunder Poster

2002 Thunder Poster

2002 Thunder Autograph Cards

2005 Thunder Poster

2006 Thunder & Lightning Poster

2007 Thunder & Lightning Poster

School Appearances Minnesota Thunder –Provided talking points about tobacco use to players –Players made school appearances for minutes Discussed tobacco use and healthy lifestyles Demonstrated soccer skills and signed autographs

University of Minnesota Athletic Department Anissa Lightner Assistant Life Skills Coordinator

School and Community Events –TFYR trained three sets of 18 U of MN athletes in 2003, 2005, & 2007 –Athletes made dozens of public appearances and spoke about tobacco use and healthy lifestyles for minutes Elementary and middle school classrooms School assemblies Community center events

Athletes Speaking about Tobacco-Free Sports Middle school classroom

Athletes Speaking about Tobacco-Free Sports Elementary school assembly

2003 Gophers Poster

2005 Gophers Poster

2007 Gophers Poster

Trading Cards

Tobacco-Free Sports Sponsorship Banner inside Williams Arena

Opportunities for Partnerships with Sports Teams Major League teams National Basketball Association National Hockey League National Football League Major League Baseball Minor League teams A-League soccer Minor league baseball Collegiate teams Youth sports associations

Benefits of Teaming Up with High-profile Athletes Athletes are respected and recognized in the community High numbers of youth are involved in sports; youth recognize athletes and look to them as role models Athletes are involved in community and school events Athletes can help you gain media coverage for the tobacco-free message

Challenges of Teaming Up with High-profile Athletes Find athletes that are comfortable with public speaking. Athletes can be traded with little notice. Investigate these possibilities before selecting an athlete, especially for print materials Reduce print materials production costs by utilizing stock photos kept by the team Be sure the athletes do not use ANY tobacco products Be sure that the athletes have good reputations, and are good citizens and role models

Contact Information Brittany McFadden Tobacco-Free Youth Recreation (651) Christina Thill Minnesota Department of Health (651)