The Crowchild Classic
Problem
Lack of public/student interest and engagement in university sports.
Responsibilities
- Cross-town rivalry – original concept development
- Event naming
- Trophy ideation
- Creative direction
- Digital marketing
- Website development
- Public relations strategy
- Social media strategy
Results
Launched in 2013, this sports rivalry between the University of Calgary and Mount Royal University has become a tradition unlike any other in Canadian Interuniversity Sports (CIS)/U Sports.
The Crowchild Classic is an annual competition between the University of Calgary Dinos and the Mount Royal University Cougars in Canada West regular season games across the sports of basketball, hockey, soccer, and volleyball. The marquee event, a hockey doubleheader, takes place each year at the Scotiabank Saddledome thanks to the generous support of the Calgary Flames Foundation. The school that wins the most games in the series is awarded ‘The Medal’ – a 68-kilogram cast iron City of Calgary manhole cover, an enduring trophy. The 2016 Saddledome doubleheader holds the attendance record for a game between two U SPORTS opponents, with 12,859 fans in attendance.
The name of the series and the idea for a manhole cover as a trophy came to me as I thought about the connector of the two universities, Crowchild Trail. The City of Calgary kindly donated the real manhole cover and trolly. We painted it gold and bingo presto a timeless symbol of athletic excellence and the heaviest trophy in sports, period.