4 Event Production Tips for Winning Sports Celebrations https://www.bizbash.com/4-event-production-tips-for-winning-sports-celebrations/washington/story/35801/#.W0UIM9j7TWY

1. 7/16/2018 4 Event Production Tips for Winning Sports Celebrations
https://www.bizbash.com/4-event-production-tips-for-winning-sports-celebrations/washington/story/35801/#.W0UIM9j7TWY 1/6
(/)
(h
tt
ps
://
w
w
w.
bi
zb
as
h.
co
m
/s
ea
rc
h)
More than 50,000 resources to find what you need for your
next event.
CLOSE
By Kristine Liao June 21, 2018, 7:01 AM EDT
EVENT INTELLIGENCE
4 Event Production Tips for Winning Sports
Celebrations
The producers of the parade for the Stanley Cup-winning Washington Capitals share
how they put together the massive public event.
VidCon 2018: 26
Colorful Ways
Brands Targeted
Generation Z
Creating Authentic
Events for Women
in the Era of #MeToo
TRENDING
(/vidcon-2018-26-colorful-ways-
brands-targeted-generation-
z/new-york/story/35844)
(/creating-authentic-events-for-
women-in-the-era-of-
ADD TO IDEABOOK 
1
2

2. 7/16/2018 4 Event Production Tips for Winning Sports Celebrations
https://www.bizbash.com/4-event-production-tips-for-winning-sports-celebrations/washington/story/35801/#.W0UIM9j7TWY 2/6
WASHINGTON, D.C. There’s a sports superstition that no one
should speak of a celebration before the team has actually
won. So the event production agency Hargrove
(/hargrove/washington/listing/815590) did not hear from the
Stanley Cup-winning Washington Capitals about organizing a
victory parade for the hockey team until the day of the final
game. Planning did not begin until the players had their hands
on the trophy, leaving a five-day window to pull everything
together for the June 12 event.
Lisa Miller, director of national accounts events at Hargrove,
shared how the company navigated the high-pressure, quick-
turnaround planning process. The entire team, including staff
and players’ families, participated in the three-hour victory
parade and program, and fans in a sea of red gathered to
celebrate with them.
Make the decision.
With four days to plan a parade attended by hundreds of
thousands of people, time is sacred.
“There’s not a lot of time to rethink and rework,” Miller said.
“You just have to go with your gut and make the decision.
Everything is determined by the route, so it’s the number-one
thing. You have to pull the trigger on the route really fast since
everything is predicated on it.”
By midday on Friday, they chose a route that ran along
Constitution Avenue NW and culminated with a rally at the
National Mall. Hargrove then began to obtain the permits
needed from the city and park services.
Multitask and distribute the work.
Given the timeframe for planning, Miller said staff worked on
many projects at the same time throughout the four days. The
production of the stage, logistics for the 47 parade vehicles,
speaker order, and reaching out to parade participants—
Trend Spotted:
Floral Installations
In Cars
July 10, 2018:
Whiskey Festivals
and Tasting Events
Are On the Rise,
Hyatt Hotels to Ban
Plastic Straws, How
a Virtual-Reality
Experience Could
Help Save Egypt’s
"Sistine Chapel"
Q & A: Catching Up
With High Beam
Events’ Shane
Terenzi
See How The
Engage!18 Wedding
Summit Captured
the Canadian Spirit
metoo/new-york/story/35816)
(/trend-spotted-floral-
installations-in-cars/new-
york/story/35881)
(/july-10-2018-whiskey-festivals-
and-tasting-events-are-on-the-
rise-hyatt-hotels-to-ban-plastic-
straws-how-a-virtual-
reality/new-york/story/35880)
(/q-a-catching-up-with-high-
beam-events-shane-terenzi/new-
york/story/35886)
(/see-how-the-engage18-
wedding-summit-captured-the-
canadian-spirit/new-
york/story/35868)
Washington Capitals fans gather on the steps of the National Archives
Museum on June 12 to celebrate with the team during its Stanley Cup
victory parade.
Photo: Courtesy of Hargrove
3
4
5
6
Review and Continue (/connect)Your email inquiry will be sent to 3 venueYour email inquiry will be sent to 3 venueYour email inquiry will be sent to 3 venueYour email inquiry will be sent to 3 venueYour email inquiry will be sent to 3 venueYour email inquiry will be sent to 3 venue

3. 7/16/2018 4 Event Production Tips for Winning Sports Celebrations
https://www.bizbash.com/4-event-production-tips-for-winning-sports-celebrations/washington/story/35801/#.W0UIM9j7TWY 3/6
including longtime season ticket holders, elected officials, and
other notable figures—were all pursued simultaneously so
that the event could be put together as fast as possible.
“We were pushing a bunch of nodes at the same time,” Miller
said. “Even the day of the parade is tough work. I had to be
there super early and ended up getting a crazy sunburn—I
hadn’t put on sunscreen since it was still dark outside when I
first got there. But in the end, the hard work falls away and I
just feel honored personally to be a part of it.”
Collaborate with experts.
Although Hargrove had a team of 50 dedicated to the parade,
the event required many more hands on deck. It sought out
partners who have previously worked with Hargrove or the
Capitals, such as the audiovisual company EventsBum by
Empress (/eventsbum-by-empress/washington/listing/943082),
which worked on the stage and screen.
“We had great vendors who we work with all the time, and
with just a phone call they jumped right in,” Miller said. “It was
a really big group effort and the product of the teamwork of
different entities in the city coming together.”
Teams who have won a championship before can use past
celebrations as a model, but in this case, this was the team’s
first Stanley Cup win.
Go simple with the decor.
Instead of stressing out about the production and the decor,
Miller advised to focus on making the event as special as
possible for those who are celebrating and those who are being
celebrated.
“The branding was about the Capitals being champions—it was
focused on the players,” Miller said. “It wasn’t this major build-
out of the stage.”
The Hargrove team kept with the Capitals’ red for the color
scheme, and chose banners that came up and down easily. The
actual Stanley Cup, North America’s oldest professional sports
Your email inquiry will be sent to 3 venue Review and Continue (/connect)Your email inquiry will be sent to 3 venueYour email inquiry will be sent to 3 venueYour email inquiry will be sent to 3 venueYour email inquiry will be sent to 3 venueYour email inquiry will be sent to 3 venue

4. 7/16/2018 4 Event Production Tips for Winning Sports Celebrations
https://www.bizbash.com/4-event-production-tips-for-winning-sports-celebrations/washington/story/35801/#.W0UIM9j7TWY 4/6
MORE NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE STORIES
MORE SPORTS INDUSTRY EVENTS STORIES
trophy, acted as the centerpiece of the event. The National Mall
also became a part of the visuals.
“With the Capitol in the background and the Washington
Monument on the other side—how could you go wrong with
those visuals?” Miller said. “It’s unbeatable.”
National Hockey League (/archives/national-hockey-league/2160)
Sports Industry Events (/archives/sports-industry-events/9549)
Parades (/archives/parades/9634)
How Brands Engaged Fans
During the World Cup of Hockey
(/how-brands-engaged-fans-
during-the-world-cup-of-
hockey/new-york/story/32927)
New Events Leadership for NFL
(/new-events-leadership-for-
nfl/new-york/story/4314)
SITE Awards Held in Mexico
(/site-awards-held-in-
mexico/new-york/story/4188)
EVENT REPORT(/how-brands-
engaged-fans-during-the-
world-cup-of-hockey/new-
york/story/32927)
NEWS(/new-events-leadership-
for-nfl/new-york/story/4314)
NEWS(/site-awards-held-in-
mexico/new-york/story/4188)
EVENT REPORT(/see-how-brands-
caught-2018-world-cup-fever-
from-moscow-to-miami/new-
york/story/35892)
EVENT REPORT(/nba-all-star-
weekend-2018-22-creative-
ways-brands-celebrated-
basketballs-best/new-
york/story/35315)
Your email inquiry will be sent to 3 venueYour email inquiry will be sent to 3 venue Review and Continue (/connect)Your email inquiry will be sent to 3 venueYour email inquiry will be sent to 3 venueYour email inquiry will be sent to 3 venueYour email inquiry will be sent to 3 venue

5. 7/16/2018 4 Event Production Tips for Winning Sports Celebrations
https://www.bizbash.com/4-event-production-tips-for-winning-sports-celebrations/washington/story/35801/#.W0UIM9j7TWY 5/6
MORE PARADES STORIES
See How Brands Caught 2018
World Cup Fever From Moscow
to Miami (/see-how-brands-
caught-2018-world-cup-fever-
from-moscow-to-miami/new-
york/story/35892)
N.B.A. All-Star Weekend 2018: 22
Creative Ways Brands Celebrated
Basketball's Best (/nba-all-star-
weekend-2018-22-creative-ways-
brands-celebrated-basketballs-
best/new-york/story/35315)
Tips for Trump's Military Parade
From a Top Washington Event
Producer (/tips-for-trumps-
military-parade-from-a-top-
washington-event-
producer/new-york/story/35505)
Q&A: How L.A.'s Pride Parade
Became the City's Largest
Ticketed Music Festival (/qa-
how-las-pride-parade-became-
the-citys-largest-ticketed-music-
festival/new-york/story/32212)
Event Innovators 2015: Robert
Krumbine (/event-innovators-
2015-robert-krumbine/new-
york/story/30652)
ABOUT US
Company Info
(https://www.bizbash.com/ab
out-us)
Contact Us
(https://www.bizbash.com/ab
out-us#contact)
Advertise With Us
(https://www.bizbash.com/sa
les)
COVERAGE
News & Ideas
(https://www.bizbash.com/ne
ws-and-ideas)
Event Coverage
(https://www.bizbash.com/ev
ent-coverage)
Venue Coverage
(https://www.bizbash.com/ne
w-york/venues)
RESOURCES
Find Venues
(https://www.bizbash.com/ve
nue-directory/)
Find Suppliers
(https://www.bizbash.com/su
pplier-directory/)
Our Events
(https://www.bizbash.com/bi
zbash-events/)
PUBLICATIONS
BizBash Daily
(https://www.bizbash.com/bi
zbash-daily/east)
Magazine
(https://www.bizbash.com/m
agazine/)
BizBash Best Venue &
Supplier Guide
(http://www.nxtbook.com/nxt
JOIN US
Subscribe
(https://www.b2bmediaportal
.com/biz/bizsub.aspx)
Facebook
(http://facebook.com/bizbas
h)
Twitter
(https://twitter.com/bizbash)
LinkedIn
(http://www.linkedin.com/co
Q & A(/tips-for-trumps-military-
parade-from-a-top-
washington-event-
producer/new-
york/story/35505)
NEWS(/qa-how-las-pride-parade-
became-the-citys-largest-
ticketed-music-festival/new-
york/story/32212)
EVENT INNOVATORS 2015(/event-
innovators-2015-robert-
krumbine/new-
york/story/30652)
Your email inquiry will be sent to 3 venueYour email inquiry will be sent to 3 venueYour email inquiry will be sent to 3 venue Review and Continue (/connect)Your email inquiry will be sent to 3 venueYour email inquiry will be sent to 3 venueYour email inquiry will be sent to 3 venue

6. 7/16/2018 4 Event Production Tips for Winning Sports Celebrations
https://www.bizbash.com/4-event-production-tips-for-winning-sports-celebrations/washington/story/35801/#.W0UIM9j7TWY 6/6
Press Center
(https://www.bizbash.com/ab
out-us#press)
RSS
(https://www.bizbash.com/rs
s)
Find Jobs
(https://www.bizbash.com/jo
bs)
Masterplanner Event
Calendar
(http://masterplanneronline.c
om)
books/bizbash/bizbashbest2
017/index.php)
GatherGeeks Podcast
(/gathergeeks)
mpany/bizbash)
Google+
(https://plus.google.com/+Bi
zbash/posts)
© 2001-2018 BizBash. All Rights
Reserved
Privacy Policy
(https://www.bizbash.com/privacy) | Terms
of Use (https://www.bizbash.com/terms)
Directory Listings # (/directory-links?l=.) A (/directory-
links?l=A) B (/directory-links?l=B) C (/directory-links?l=C)
D (/directory-links?l=D) E (/directory-links?l=E) F
(/directory-links?l=F) G (/directory-links?l=G) H
(/directory-links?l=H) I (/directory-links?l=I) J
(/directory-links?l=J) K (/directory-links?l=K) L
(/directory-links?l=L) M (/directory-links?l=M) N
(/directory-links?l=N) O (/directory-links?l=O) Q
(/directory-links?l=Q) P (/directory-links?l=P) R
(/directory-links?l=R) S (/directory-links?l=S) T
(/directory-links?l=T) U (/directory-links?l=U) V
(/directory-links?l=V) W (/directory-links?l=W) X
(/directory-links?l=X) Y (/directory-links?l=Y) Z
(/directory-links?l=Z)
Your email inquiry will be sent to 3 venueYour email inquiry will be sent to 3 venueYour email inquiry will be sent to 3 venueYour email inquiry will be sent to 3 venue Review and Continue (/connect)Your email inquiry will be sent to 3 venueYour email inquiry will be sent to 3 venue