Jon Stromberg

NHL Hall of Famer Paul Coffey with THG Clients

For its hospitality offerings during the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, THG Sports sought to create an unforgettable experience for clients and their guests, pairing them with former Games medalists and celebrity athletes to provide unique insights and perspectives across a variety of sports and competitions—from the opening to the closing ceremonies, says THG CEO Jon Stromberg.

“Without a doubt, our partnerships with celebrities like former NHL player and Hall of Famer Paul Coffey and NHL standout Trevor Linden proved a memory-making winner at this year’s Winter Games in Vancouver,” Stromberg says. “They definitely helped make the hockey events—including the historic finals between the Canadian and U.S. teams—clear high points for our clients and their guests.”

NHL standout Trevor Linden with THG Clients

In addition to featuring hockey greats during key hockey match-ups during the Winter Games, THG also partnered with celebrity speakers for its hospitality services around other events:

Luge: THG featured former Canadian luge standout Kathy Salmon- Farstad, who competed in the 1988 and 1992 Winter Games. Salmon-Farstad currently works as a color commentator for luge and other events and she helped THG clients and guests gain a deeper appreciation for the sport. As one client noted, “Kathy was phenomenal! I actually understand Luge now!!” Salmon-Farstad also let THG clients and guests try on her Winter Games gear, including photo-ops with the torch she carried for this year’s games.

Alpine Skiing: THG partnered with 1976 Winter Games gold medal winner and Canadian Ski Hall of Fame inductee Kathy Kreiner-Phillips for an insider’s perspective on the sport. Kreiner-Phillips brought her gold medal to THG’s hospitality event, and allowed THG clients and guests to hold and photograph the medal, an opportunity one client dubbed the “coolest experience ever!”

Opening/Closing Ceremonies: For its hospitality during the opening ceremony, THG featured gold medalist Cassie Campbell, who led the women’s Canadian team to gold medals in the 2002 and 2006 Winter Games. Campbell, who currently works as a hockey analyst in Canada, offered her perspective on upcoming events and the Winter Games experience. For the closing ceremonies, five-time speed-skating medal winner Marc Gagnon also provided a “hands-on” experience, sharing his three gold and two bronze medals with THG clients and events.

“Our clients and guests left this year’s Winter Games with a keen sense that they were a part of several historic events,” Stromberg says. “I’m delighted at how well our team performed in providing a world class hospitality experience on par with the unmatched athleticism and talent of the Winter Games athletes.”

For more information on THG’s sports hospitality offerings, click here.

About THG: THG (http://www.thgsports.com) is a leading provider of corporate hospitality programs during the world’s premier sporting events, including the World Soccer Championships, Masters, Singapore Grand Prix, and the Final Four. As a marcus evans company, all aspects of THG’s services promise a level of client focus and attention second to none.

When the Canadian Team won the hockey gold medal on Sunday afternoon and posed for their picture on the ice, I envisioned every child who plays hockey in Canada having that poster on their wall or that screensaver on their computer for years to come. When our clients who attended the game see that image at any point in the future, they will we able to say “I was there. I was a part of history.”

The Canadian Team won gold on their home soil and stood solidly with nearly 19,000 countrymen to sing Canada’s national anthem. The Vancouver games were filled with moments that will go down in the history of sports. Were you or your clients there to witness a piece of history, a piece they will always attribute to whoever was responsible for making this moment come true?

The thrilling, historic finish to the gold medal hockey game reminded me that our company is not just about hospitality…it is about history. Sports history, national history and our clients’ personal histories. What will they take home from our events? Memories and mementos yes, but also something you cannot buy–history. When they see that replay one month, one year, or even 10 years from now, they will remember and be able to say “I was there”. When they retell their story to a colleague, to a friend, to a grandchild, they will remember “I was there for that moment in sports history” and they will remember the relationship with the business client or partner that enabled them to be there.

As a CEO watching the Olympics with my children, I thought of the historical events I have had the privilege to experience over the years. I will always remember Arnold Palmer in tears as he walked up the 18th fairway during his last round at Oakmont during the ’94 US Open; the crowd’s reaction when Michael Johnson won the 200-meter sprint during the ’96 Olympics, or standing on the 18th green among the silence as Phil Mickelson dropped the final putt to win the ‘04 Masters.

For nearly 20 years in North America, and 27 years globally, THG Sports has given our clients access to historical moments in sports. What will the next one be? Will you and those who matter be there for it?