A lot has happened in the sports and social engagement business since the Yankees launched HOPE Week in 2009; one thing that hasn’t is the need for teams, leagues and brands to find an authentic connection to community and grow their cause based initiatives. It is especially important to connect with a younger audience of consumers that thinks cause first when selecting where to dedicate time and effort and dollars, so the value of community engagement has never been higher, than that’s why HOPE (Helping Others Preserve and Excel) Week remains such a vital part of the Yankees DNA.
For those new to the narrative:
Each day from Monday, June 17 – Friday, June 21, the Yankees will reach out to a different individual, family or organization worthy of recognition and support. Though each day’s celebration will culminate at Yankee Stadium, outreach will often take place away from the Stadium, allowing the Yankees to personally connect with individuals in the settings of their greatest successes or at locations that honor the spirit of their endeavors.
For the Yankees, this event is unique because every player, along with Manager Aaron Boone, his coaching staff and General Manager Brian Cashman, will participate. For the eighth consecutive year, each of the Yankees’ U.S.-based affiliates will hold its own HOPE Week, truly making the initiative one that the entire organization stands behind in words and in action.
And as part of HOPE Week, the White House’s Corporation for National and Community Service will award honorees “President’s Volunteer Service Awards,” bestowed by representatives of the President to salute volunteers who strengthen the nation’s culture of service.
While all teams have a responsibility to give back to their fans year-round and the Yankees themselves have expansive foundations run by many players others, what sets HOPE Week apart for the organization is the expansive connections each and every member of the organization makes with so many different organizations during the busiest part of the season. The plan takes every part of the organization and exposes the brand to a wide variety of stories that will have a cumulative ripple effect way beyond the initial meetings. It is Community Relations and outreach to the max, and as a result garnered exposure not just locally but nationally in the social space as well.
Does this mean the Yankees cram all their good will into one week? No. What HOPE Week does is serve as a great example of what the value of sport and celebrity can do for so many charities and causes, and draws attention to all in one concerted effort. There is lots of follow-up, and lots of special events, the team and the players do prior and will continue to do after. However by focusing so many efforts in one week, it serves as a great reminder to all what the team can stand for in the community. Each year the event has grown, and year ten is serving as a great look back as well as a look into new ways to engage and build serving as a “Must Do” not just for baseball teams but for every elite team that wins a world title. It should also not end with the pro teams. The most elite of college programs should do the same, and the USOC could handle as well.
No the Yanks are not alone in bringing hope. What they have done first is really use the wide-ranging week, in midseason, to expand the brand and once again convey their leadership, this time off the field. Well done.
