Catching Up With Bruins Senior VP/Sales & Marketing Amy Latimer

Bruins Senior VP/Sales & Marketing Amy Latimer

Favorite vacation spot: Turks & Caicos
Favorite NHL arena (besides your own): From a building perspective I like the American Airlines Center, and from a fan perspective I would say Montreal (Bell Centre).
Must read Web sites or papers: SBJ/SBD, Boston Globe, Boston Herald, ESPN.com, and I am an e-newsletter junkie.
Favorite TV shows: “24,” “Entourage,” “Mad Men” and “The Office.”
Gadget you couldn’t live without: iTouch.
A brand you admire: Nike.

Q: What are your off-season plans or on your to-do-list?

Latimer: I like to junk shop, like antiques. I have great vision for these pieces so I like to try to turn them into something. I’m a closet MARTHA STEWART. I like those kinds of things that look like somebody’s junk and I think I can turn it into something fabulous. I also have three boys so my offseason will be spent with them and all of their sporting events and spending time at the beach with them.

Q: How would you best describe your management style?

Latimer: For me, it’s about creating a great team, and if I have a deficiency I like to hire somebody that’s really good in that position. It’s kind of like the RONALD REGAN approach. If there's something you’re missing, you find somebody that’s really good. I really just want to give them the tools and directions and let them do their job. 

Watch The Clip

Q: What was the concept behind the campaign?

Latimer: We worked with an agency, Mullen Advertising. The direction was we were re-launching our video player and we wanted something -- we weren’t selling something, we weren’t selling tickets -- we were just trying to drive people to go see this original content we were putting on our Web site. We think Boston Bruins fans are very loyal, they live by these “Bruins Hockey Rules” and you would never see a Bruins fan with their shirt tucked in, their jersey tucked in and I think it took off because Mullen really fit -- when we explained the idea to them, some of them are Bruins fans and they know it and they know what a Bruins fan is like -- I think the reason it resonated so well with our fans is because they were funny but they were true. You’d never date somebody from Montreal. Fans don’t want people talking on their cell phones during the game. I think it was a very good example of the atmosphere of our fans.

Q: What has the resurgence of hockey in Boston been like?

Latimer: It’s been great. I’m convinced this is a hockey town and fans just needed a reason to come back and have something to cheer for. It started last year in the playoffs with the series with Montreal and then this season, we couldn’t have asked for anymore from our players. It was a good building season. We have young guys people want to cheer for and we have veterans. It was a great combination of “This could be it” and it was really fun and a really great year to work in hockey.

Latimer Ranks Bruins Second Among Boston Sports Fans, Behind Red Sox

Latimer: I think we’re second (behind) the Red Sox. I think Celtics fans are very different from the Bruins fans and we cross over with the Red Sox fans, and then with the Patriots there’s this anticipation of TOM BRADY being back. I hate to really rank because there’s all these different factors. The appetite for sports in this market is so insatiable. I think the expectations were greater this year for the Bruins than the Celtics. 

Q: TD Banknorth Garden in July will be renamed TD Garden. Will there be any type of celebration to commemorate the name change?

Latimer: We will be revealing our new logo and we have some fun things planned for that. Then we have stuff for the beginning of the year and throughout the year that we’re going to be doing. Convenience is important for TD Bank and we’re sort of a platform for them to launch some of their convenience initiatives.

Q: Do you think the NHL is as successful as it could be on Versus or should it expand its coverage to other networks?

Latimer: Versus has made great improvements from where it started and I think they’ve done a much better job marketing, but I still think we’d love to have all of our games on NBC. Nobody would deny that would be the ideal.

Q: What’s your best advice for people looking to get into the sports industry?

Latimer: Take any entry level jobs, work hard and show that you have good work ethic and that you’re loyal and passionate and there’ll be a path for you.

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