GrowthLoop

Case Studies Pittsburgh penguins case study

The Pittsburgh Penguins are transforming fan engagement

The Pittsburgh Penguins, a premier NHL team owned by Fenway Sports Group (FSG), are dedicated to building stronger connections with fans through data-driven insights. Known for their innovative approach on and off the ice, the Penguins are working toward enhanced engagement with GrowthLoop on Snowflake to create a scalable, centralized data strategy. The Pittsburgh Penguins are a leading NHL team known for their competitive spirit and dedicated fan base. As part of Fenway Sports Group’s portfolio, they benefit from FSG’s strategic focus on data-driven fan engagement and operational excellence across all its teams.

Situation

Executing a vision for deeper fan connections

As part of FSG’s broader data strategy, the Penguins sought to establish a flexible, standardized approach to managing fan interactions and outreach. This meant moving beyond their managed CRM platform, which handled ticket sales, renewals, and fan engagement but provided limited control over data. By transitioning to GrowthLoop, the Penguins aimed to unify and activate fan data, optimizing their ability to connect with fans meaningfully and efficiently.

Challenge

Moving beyond CRM limitations to a flexible data future

The Penguins’ managed CRM platform limited their control and ability to personalize marketing efforts. This dependency on an external, third-party system created inefficiencies and prevented the team from developing a holistic, real-time view of fan interactions. FSG’s executive team, led by CTO Brian Shield, identified a need for a solution that offered both flexibility and scalability to support more personalized engagement strategies and agile decision-making.

Solution

Empowering flexible, data-driven personalization

GrowthLoop’s composable customer data platform (CDP) gives FSG and the Penguins the power to manage and scale their data models independently, breaking away from the constraints of a fully managed CRM. By centralizing data on Snowflake, GrowthLoop enables the Penguins to create comprehensive fan insights and craft personalized marketing strategies. This model aligns with FSG’s standardization goals and supports more effective fan engagement across teams.

‍Independent data management - GrowthLoop empowers the Penguins to manage and adapt their fan data within Snowflake, establishing a single source of truth that supports immediate insights and more relevant outreach.

‍Scalable and repeatable framework - GrowthLoop’s flexible, standardized framework enables FSG to scale this data model across other teams within its portfolio.

Results

Unlocking fan engagement with GrowthLoop

Immediate benefits

‍GrowthLoop allows the franchise to manage fan data through a flexible architecture within Snowflake, providing a unified view across its entire marketing and engagement ecosystem.

Long-term growth

‍This centralization aligns with the broader organization’s goal to replicate the data model across all sports properties, creating consistency in data handling and long-term adaptability for each team.