A fan-run internet channel, Habs Fan TV (now HFTV), was created to cover and discuss the National Hockey League professional ice hockey team, the Montreal Canadiens. In sports, fan-driven content has grown in popularity since it provides fans with a forum to voice their thoughts, observations, and emotion. Unlike other Canadiens-focused websites, Habs Fan TV speaks with fans of the Montreal team in both French and English.
Co-creators of this amazing channel, Alexander Rougas and Cédrik Séguin, began as merely two men questioning Montreal Canadiens fans while filming on their phones. In order to really bring their channel to life, Habs Fan TV masterfully use emotional marketing by capitalising on fans’ feelings of allegiance to the Montreal Canadiens franchise. Instead of reporting on the Canadiens’ wins or losses, their channel gives Montreal supporters a genuine platform to convey how much they genuinely care about and adore this amazing hockey club.
Success or failure Habs Fan TV will be outside the Bell Centre, showcasing the genuine affection of these supporters by conducting interviews, leading songs, and even throwing celebrations alongside them following games. Although their initial focus was on interviewing fans, they soon expanded to include interviews with general manager Kent Hughes, director of hockey operations Jeff Gorton, Juraj Slafkovsky, Rem Pitlick, Rafael Harvey-Pinard, Jonathan Kovacevic, and former Habs players Chris Nilan, Gilbert Delorme, Steve Bégin, and Mathieu Dandenault when the season was almost over. For them, that was only the start. They travelled to California to watch the Habs play the San Jose Sharks, Anaheim Ducks, and Los Angeles Kings as part of their yearly road tour across the state of California.
They really put themselves on the map during that road trip because not only were they recognised by a lot of hockey fans who attended the games, but some of the players even mentioned that they occasionally watched their content. This proves that, yes, they may be from Montreal, but they also effectively catered to the fans’ emotional needs by exposing them to the entire world of hockey.