COLLABORATION with NATIONAL Sport TEAMS

Background: 

Southeast Pennsylvania Regional Coalition (SEPA) and the Pennsylvania Immunization Coalition (PAIC) have collaborated to promote immunizations at national sporting events, Philadelphia Phillies and Flyers. These events provide the opportunity to promote the importance of immunizations across the lifespan.  This project has been duplicated by several Pennsylvania coalitions with their local teams.

Setting: Sport venues, but it could be adapted for use in other settings.

Population:  Captive audience - all ages. 

Project Description:  County coalitions came together to form a regional coalition and developed a project in the Philadelphia area to increase immunization awareness through the use of sports-themed immunization videos.  Each event has a catchy theme, such as “Cover Your Bases, Get Immunized” and “Avoid the Penalty, Take the Shot” which are used in the videos, on t-shirts, rally towels, and trading-pins.   Coalitions learned the key to capturing the attention of attendees is to customize how immunization messages are delivered at these events. This collaboration resulted in the development of three sport-specific immunizations videos, themes for each event, and a sport toolkit that makes it easy to replicate this project in any sport venue.  These events have been duplicated by many coalitions across Pennsylvania.  This level of promotion in a fun, family-centered setting can have a profound effect on the publics’ awareness of immunizations. also have the opportunity to honor community members and organizations at the games.  

Results/Lessons Learned:  Coalitions learned the key to capturing the attention of attendees - customize how immunization messages are delivered at these events. Collaboration results - development of three sport-specific immunizations videos, themes for each event, sport toolkit that makes it easy to replicate this project in any sport venue.  Sports-themed videos are customized with relevance to the audience.  Events were duplicated by many coalitions across Pennsylvania.  This level of promotion in a fun, family-centered setting can have a profound effect on the publics’ awareness of immunizations.