BaAM SLaAM Hits the Bricks

May 14, 2013   

On behalf of the BaAM SLaAM Hit the Bricks team, we want to extend our sincerest thank you to everyone whose generous donations helped support our team. With your help, we managed to go above and beyond our fundraising goal. Our total of $3,850 was raised to support Portage Ontario and Outward Bound to help them continue to fund their initiatives for youth who are overcoming addiction and mental health issues. 

We had a blast during the day competing as a team in outdoor obstacle courses and strategic challenges, and we looked great thanks to Grant Custom Products who provided us with our BaAM Hit the Bricks team shirts!

Keep an eye on our Facebook and Twitter pages for other photos and video from the day. 

Once again, thank you to all those who provided words of encouragement and generous donations, we are so happy to have been able to be a part of such a fun day while supporting two amazing organizations. 

100th Grey Cup Festival named 2012 Canadian Sport Event of the Year

On April 10, the 100th Grey Cup Festival was named Canadian Sport Event of the Year for 2012 by the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance (CSTA). The nine-day, ten-night Festival took place in November, leading up to the CFL’s 100th championship game.   More than 300,000 people attended festival events across the city of Toronto –  from interactive zones and games, concerts, pep rallies, player appearances and more. 

Toronto Argonauts and 100th Grey Cup Festival Executive Chairman & CEO, Chris Rudge remarked, 

“On behalf of the 100th Grey Cup Festival committee, I would like to thank the CSTA for recognizing the Festival as an important celebration of sport and culture in Canada. There are many people who deserve thanks for the tremendous success of the Festival, but the true champions were the citizens of Toronto who welcomed the rest of Canada with open arms. We promised an Invitation to Our Nation and delivered an event that Canadians and Torontonians embraced and further enhanced the Grey Cup as an iconic symbol of our country’s heritage.” 

BaAM, along with Accucom and the 100th Grey Cup Festival Committee, was at work more than a year in advance to plan and prep for this once-in-a-lifetime event. We designed and project managed a number of event sites including Nissan Family Zone at Yonge-Dundas Square, mbna Adrenaline Zone at Nathan Phillips Square, and the Re-creation of the 1950 Mud Bowl at SATEC @ WA Porter Collegiate Institute.  BaAM also developed the festival pageantry program, which created the overall look for the festival, giving it high impact and easily recognizable branding across Festival sites. 

Congratulations to all those who contributed to such a successful and unforgettable event!

Click here to read the official announcement issued by the Toronto Argonauts.

The Christine Kerr Interview

The Season Pass Podcast, Issue #227

March 26, 2013

"We all know that the industry as it was defined back when the TEA started in 1991 has changed so much because our members are all working in so many different industries...they're applying the thinking that comes from the theme park world to these other types of events…"

BaAM VP Christine Kerr was recently featured on Issue #227 of The Season Pass Podcast, the international authority on everything theme and amusement park related. Each week TSPP offers an informative immersive experience into the world of rides, attractions and parks and their latest podcast considers how Themed Entertainment plays a role in a variety of industries today.

Christine is the recently-elected President of the Themed Entertainment Association, an International association representing the world’s leading creators, developers, designers and producers of compelling places and experiences. Her interview was conducted by TSPP Owner and Producer Doug Barnes along with Principal / Director Brent Young.  Their discussion covers everything from how Christine got her start at Canada’s Wonderland, upcoming developments for the TEA, Next Gen initiatives taking place across the industry and the influences that Themed Entertainment has in a variety of events and experiences produced today. 

As declared on their site, Christine’s interview offers “tons of great insight and instructional info.”  Click here to listen now.

BaAM Nominated for 2013 Sports Business Award

On Monday, March 18, the SportsBusiness Journal recognized outstanding achievement in the business of sports by announcing their nominees for the 2013 Sports Business Awards.  BaAM received a nomination in the Best in Sports Event and Experiential Marketing Category for our spectrum of work completed March 1, 2012 - February 28, 2013.  

This past year was a busy one for BaAM, marked by large-scale cornerstone marketing events and once-in-a-lifetime sports heritage celebrations.  During the eligibility period, BaAM designed, developed, managed and operated events across North America, including MLB All-Star FanFest in Kansas City, multiple site activations and festival pageantry for the 100th Grey Cup Festival in Toronto, Miami Marlins FanFest at the new Marlins Park, Kansas City Royals FanFest, Rose Bowl Tailgate and Pep Rally events, and more!

We're honored to be nominated in the category for Best Sports Event and Experiential Marketing. At BaAM, we take pride in the fact that our experiences and live events uniquely go beyond viewers, impressions, likes and follows to create shared personal experiences and lasting memories. We understand that technology, social media and sampling are all great pre-visit, in-event and post-experience connectors, but direct human connections change lives! 

We know that, simply put, it's all about the fans. That's why our events and experiences are designed to connect die-hard fans and would-be fans in authentic, in-person, hands-on ways. Creating events that allow fans to play on the field or rink, meet players, participate in clinics with game ops staff and talk to coaches - these are strategies that focus on emotional, authentic connections. We're in the business of creating unforgettable events because we know shared, human experiences are lasting and meaningful methods of fan engagement. To truly connect with fans, we immerse them in human-scale activities that play to their passion for the sport.

Watch for the May 20 issue of SportsBusiness Journal, which will feature Sports Business Awards nominees. Winners will be announced live at the Sports Business Awards Ceremony, to be held on Wednesday, May 22 at New York Marriott Marquis at Times Square in New York City.

Royals FanFest 2013

January 25, 2013

There is no off-season for a baseball fan. Following the success of MLB All-Star FanFest this past summer, BaAM returned to the Midwest in January 2013 to convert the Overland Park Convention Center into Royals FanFest, in collaboration with the Kansas City Royals.

Royals FanFest was opened to the public on Saturday, January 19 and fans came out in droves to get one-on-one access to their favorite players and the management team, great deals on Royals fan gear, and a chance to impress their friends and family with skill-testing interactives. The event boasted a fully-programmed Main Stage, multiple Autograph Stages, a Royals Baseball Diamond built to scale, Batting Cages, Pitching Cages and Little Sluggerrr’s mini interactive activities for the youngest of Royals fans.  For their 2013 event, the Royals doubled the total number of autograph stages.  Players like Billy Butler, Ervin Santana, Alex Gordon, and Bruce Chen were part of the SEVEN hours of autograph signings, spanning SIX autograph stages.

BaAM started working alongside Don Costante, Megan Wellborn and the rest of the Royals’ Event Presentation Team shortly after the 2012 MLB season came to a close, to plan for this exciting and much-anticipated fan event. Our supervisors were onsite to manage the installation schedule and provide support during the event.  In the weeks leading up to Royals FanFest, our Design and Project Services teams provided logistics and design consultation and developed floorplans - and ceiling plans - for the final event set-up.

Needless to say, Royals fans love to show their support for their favorite baseball team.  Final attendance numbers show that more than 9000 fans came out to celebrate the game and cheer on their home team.

BaAM Productions - Director, Project Services

January 21, 2013

We're looking for a Director, Project Services to lead our Project Services team! The ideal candidate will be a strategic thinker with experience managing and developing staff. He/she will have experience leading the planning and production of large-scale event and entertainment

projects in indoor and outdoor locations and thrive on creating and implementing business systems and processes to support a professional operation. The ideal candidate will be as comfortable in the boardroom making presentations to clients and owners as they are on a job-site directing vendor partners. He/she will be able to collaborate with designers to ensure alignment of creative development with the practical aspects of production and implementation. If you are the right person for this job, you will have a post-secondary degree in a related discipline and 7-10 years management experience successfully managing events and entertainment projects.

Additional requirements for this position include:

• Experience and certifications to manage Health & Safety programs for BaAM to instill a culture of awareness and prevention.
• Experience developing and implementing structured formats for managing budget, schedule and scope on projects valued in the millions of dollars.
• Established working relationships with production resources throughout North America.
  
• Excellent people management and interpersonal skills, demonstrated ability to provide staff with the training, tools and coaching to ensure their success. Demonstrated ability to select, manage and maintain contract workers who strengthen and compliment project teams.
• Positive, proactive approach and strong communication and time-management skills.
  
• A strong working knowledge of office software applications; Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Access and Microsoft Project, with superior working knowledge of Excel and Project.
• To be available to travel as required on a project-by-project basis. 
• When required, must be willing to work flexible hours, including evenings and support project and production schedule deadlines.

BaAM Productions is a Toronto-based creative design and project management company that works with clients in the sports, entertainment and culture-heritage sectors throughout North America to develop unique and exciting event, entertainment and exhibit projects.

Qualified candidates should submit their resume to careers@baamproductions.com.

We thank everyone for their interest - only those selected for interviews will be contacted. No phone calls please.

Application Deadline: Wednesday, February 6, 2013

VGuide Brings New Heights to Visitor Guides

December 31, 2012

BpbZ's vGuide featured in the Financial Post 

" [...] Building such a strong catalogue of Tier 1 brands boils down to creativity and competency, Ms. Roe says. “We’ve become a trusted resource so those brands keep coming back. Work begets work as they say. And we have been working very hard at helping customers tell stories and create unique experiences for their fans or customer base.”

Creating those experiences has evolved a lot in the past 10 years, she says. “It’s moved from very tactile to very media-based experiences. I believe there’s a great balance when you can include both, because you can capture all the dimensions that a fan or visitor is looking for."

Click here to read the full article published by the Financial Post on December 31, 2012.

BaAM Celebrates the 100th Grey Cup Festival

In November, the 100^th Grey Cup Festival hit the streets of Toronto celebrating 100 Grey Cup Championship games and all things CFL.The Festival kicked-off on Thursday, November 15 and encompassed everything from special film screenings and concert series to parades, ziplines and a re-creation of the famous 1950 Mud Bowl.

BaAM, along with Accucom and the 100^th Grey Cup Festival Committee, was at work more than a year in advance to plan and prep for this once-in-a-lifetime event.  BaAM designed and project managed a number of events that took place over the 11-day period, including the overall look for the festival, creating a high impact and easily recognizable brand across the various event sites.  

As part of the 100^th Grey Cup Festival, Toronto’s Yonge-Dundas Square was transformed into the Nissan Family Zone.  The Square was packed with football interactives for fans, food sampling, and a main stage that hosted musical guests, CFL alumni, and events like the Toronto Argos’ Pep Rally and Bullying Prevention Rally. 

The mbna Adrenaline Zone was just a few blocks away at Nathan Phillips Square.  It was a popular site for the adventurous types who dared to follow in Santa’s steps and fly over Toronto’s City Hall on the tallest urban zipline in North America.  Also at Nathan Phillips Square, we transformed Toronto’s best-known outdoor ice skating rink into a lush green football field.

BaAM was also part of the production and operations staff at the re-creation of the 1950 Mud Bowl at SATEC @ WA Porter CI.  The event re-staged the fun that ensued after melting snow and rain led to a very messy Grey Cup game in 1950.  More than 60 years later, the re-creation swapped out people usually found on the sidelines with those on the field – getting members of the Toronto media to play against one another as a member of either the Toronto Argonauts or Winnipeg Blue Bombers team.

We were there for every minute of the Festival tweeting and posting about the events, but if you missed our tweets you can always catch up by checking out our Facebook Albums.

Virtual Reality in the Rockies

Modern technology brings UNESCO World Heritage Site to fresh light as Jasper Park Tramway debuts BpbZ's vGuide technology in Canada.

2012 MLB All-Star FanFest in Kansas City – It’s a wrap!

Kansas City baseball fans are passionate about the sport – and it certainly showed with increased attendance at the 22^nd annual MLB All-Star FanFest. Attendance jumped 7.5% from last year’s final tally in Phoenix and .6% since the 2010 FanFest event in Anaheim, CA.

Planning for the 2012 MLB All-Star FanFest started last summer.  Since that time, BaAM’s team of designers and project managers have been collaborating with MLB staff to ensure another fantastic fan event.  We worked alongside MLB’s All-Star Special Events team of Robert Field, Bernie Goon, and Michelle Cordero, led by Director Jackie Secaira-Cotto, to integrate sponsor activations and interactive components throughout the site plan and then execute every detail to create “baseball heaven on earth.”  In Kansas City, this meant 8 days from bare walls until the first family walked through the doors at Kansas City Convention Centre – Bartle Hall.

For 2012, BaAM revamped the Negro Leagues exhibits to add all new graphics in honour of Kansas City, home of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.  Part of the new exhibit included a tribute to baseball’s history with a photo opp featuring the Homestead Grays line-up, giving fans a chance to pose with players from the 1944 team.

The World’s Largest Baseball was officially authenticated in Kansas City, which means that an MLB official was present for the autograph signing and decorated the baseball with an identification sticker.  All signatures from 2012 and on will be officially authenticated and baseball fans will be able to look up the number listed on the identification sticker to find out which authenticated signatures have been added since 2012.

A special highlight for us this year was celebrating the success of the 22^nd annual MLB All-Star FanFest with our first-ever wrap party baseball game.  Special congrats to BaAM Project Manager Louis for earning the MVP designation and winning an All-Star jersey signed by Hall of Famer George Brett and current Royals outfielder Alex Gordon.

Next stop: the Big Apple!

Wanna see more photos? Visit our Facebook page to see the whole album.

2012 BaAM Awards at MLB All-Star FanFest

MLB All-Star FanFest 2012 has drawn to a close. Before we left Kansas City, BaAM took time to recognize the hard work put in by our fantastic team and acknowledged some special individuals who went above and beyond this year with the 2012 BaAM Awards.

A big "Thank You" goes out to the entire team, and these BaAM Award winners...

The Ambassador: Bruce Sweezie
The Ambassador is someone who best represents the spirit of our work as a group, who performs with confidence under pressure and has a great attitude and demeanor throughout the project.

Rookie of the Year: Cory Mathews
The Rookie of the Year is someone new to the BaAM team whose outstanding performance shows great promise and aligns with our commitment to producing amazing experiences.

Greatest Save: Erica Brown
The Greatest Save is made by someone who responded to the call of duty and whose show-saving action involved quick thinking and put Fan Safety as a #1 priority.

Be the Ball: Alex Kerr & Stef Kopp
The "Be the Ball" Award is given to an individual or duo whose hard work and dedication to the quality of the show set the standard which we all strive to achieve.

MVP: Vince Morgan
The Most Valuable Player this year as selected by his fellow peers.

Biggest Wow: Dan Sheard
The Biggest Wow is awarded for that moment during the show when one person’s achievements went above and beyond, exceeding all expectations.

Planning for the 100th Grey Cup Festival

Planning is underway for the 100th Grey Cup Festival, set to energize the city of Toronto this November with a number of events across the city in celebration of the CFL’s 100th Grey Cup. The Grey Cup is the annual championship for the Canadian Football League and this year’s historic game is the inspiration behind the multi-day 100th Grey Cup Festival. The Festival will be longer in length and broader in scope than ever before in order to pay tribute to this long-held tradition.

Beginning November 15, the 100th Grey Cup Festival will span ten days and eleven nights. It will showcase both the game of Canadian football and the City of Toronto.  The series of events will be a national celebration aimed to reach out to Canadians from coast to coast.  This “Invitation to the Nation” will be hosted in Toronto, the city where it all began with the very first Grey Cup in 1909. 

BaAM, in partnership with Accucom Corporate Communications, is designing and developing some of the Festival Zones that will make up this year’s 100th Grey Cup Festival in collaboration with the 100th Grey Cup Festival Committee.  

Learn more about the Grey Cup and its 100th Game. 

"Wanna Play?" at Family Fun Day in Houston, TX

April 17, 2012

This past weekend BaAM traveled to Houston, TX with MLB's "Wanna Play" program as part of Family Fun Day held at Houston Astros MLB Urban Youth Academy at Sylvester Turner Park.  The event featured musical performances, lots of food, and baseball activities focused on different aspects of the sport and was created as a way to encourage families to visit the park, strengthen the community and celebrate the game of baseball together.  

As Project Manager for the event, BaAM did all advance prep including site planning and graphic design. BaAM team members then supervised the setup of baseball interactive activities, including Center Field a mini-diamond attraction, Batting Practice, Steal Home Challenge, and Pitching Cages.  Last year's Family Fun Day drew approximately 11,000 people to the park, this year's event was reported to have broken that record with more than 15,000 in attendance.  

Click here to see more pics from this event.

Read the official MLB.com article for full details about Family Fun Day and the Urban Youth Academy.

BaAM Visits New Stadium for Marlins FanFest 2012

On Saturday, March 3, the brand new Marlins Park welcomed fans for Marlins FanFest 2012. 

BaAM worked with the Miami Marlins organization leading up to the event, planning baseball interactives like Batting Practice, Pitching Cages and our Center Field Attraction. BaAM also coordinated the installation and dismantle required for these various activities that were set up outside the stadium. 

By the end of the day, Marlins FanFest had drawn more than 40,000 fans for its one-day event. Apart from getting an insider’s view of the beautiful new Marlins Park, we loved seeing current Marlins players coaching young fans at our Rookie League interactives. It was a great event that brought players and fans together in a true celebration of the game.

BaAM powered by ZOLKc™ Collaboration Produces Story-Driven Amazing Experiences

BaAM Productions of Toronto, Canada and ZOLK^c based in Waterford, Ireland have teamed up to introduce a new brand in North America’s interactive experience industry. BaAM powered by ZOLK^c™ (BpbZ™) brings together BaAM’s content development, interpretation and storytelling expertise with ZOLK^c’s advanced technology, programming skill and success in creating amazing visitor experiences in Ireland, England and Scotland.

BpbZ’s vGuide premium experience and Smartphone Apps will offer visitors at a wide range of tourism, cultural and sports attractions the perfect handheld interpretive solution - offering enhanced layers of content and storytelling.  With a touch of the screen, visitors are immersed in richly interpreted multimedia stories comprised of audio, video and images.  The vGuide device is intelligent and accurate enough to know exactly where a visitor is and what content should be delivered. Indoors looking at an artifact, outdoors taking in a panoramic view, vGuide uses our proprietary AccuLoc IO™ technology to provide relevant information automatically, creating a user-friendly tech experience. This premium handheld experience also entertains visitors while they are queuing, allowing them to connect to social media, play games and explore those far off, unreachable places and stories, virtually.  Supporting the incredible visitor experience are operational advantages such as incremental revenues, the ability to keep tour content current using our ZED1 Cloud Platform™ for updating, as well as the opportunity to provide content in multiple languages and extract Geo-Analytic data to be used in managing a venue.  

“The BpbZ vGuide represents the next generation of interpretation for today’s increasingly tech-savvy and demanding visitors, as well as creating kid-friendly heritage experiences by providing instant layers of information presented in creative and engaging ways using a technology platform that can truly support the experience.  Our team is very excited for the opportunity to take our interpretive and content development work to the next logical level.” said Gary Myers, BaAM’s Vice President Creative.

Zolk^c CEO Paul Savage believes that “This partnership will allow us to bring the success of our work creating experiences for clients such as the National Trust of Scotland and The John F. Kennedy Trust of Ireland to the North American market.  This partnership with BaAM is key to our development strategy of using a stable, proven technology to create amazing experiences.”

For more complete information check out the BaAM powered by ZOLK^c website at 

www.bpbz.com

 
About BaAM Productions

BaAM is a creative development and project management company specializing in the unique requirements of high profile and large scale cultural, sports and entertainment projects.  We have created interactive exhibits focused on a wide range of subjects including history, geology, archaeology, physics, zoology, geography, sports and math.  Our work requires collaboration with varied groups of content experts to ensure the accuracy of complex information.  We use creative storytelling to integrate facts into amazing experiences for both permanent and touring exhibits. 

BaAM clients include the Canadian Museum of Nature, Cupids 400, Parks Canada, the Aga Khan Foundation Canada, the CN Tower, the Olympic Spirit Group, the National Hockey League and Major League Baseball.

About Zolk^c

Zolk^c is committed to the creation of amazing visitor experiences using the best in technology, and is building an international reputation for excellence in the deployment of technology-driven interpretation for the tourism and heritage sector in the UK, in Ireland and now in North America.  Our creativity and unique approach lies in the software we design, the content we create and the partnerships we establish with our clients.

As a spin-in company of the research group, TSSG, of Waterford Institute of Technology we have direct access to over 140 researchers in mobile and pervasive technologies - one of the largest research institutes in Europe. Our relationship with the TSSG means that our clients benefit from not only the design of leading-edge services to create the desired visitor experience at the onset, but also in keeping the service fresh and vibrant as new technologies evolve. This future-proofs deployments for our clients and their visitors.

For more information, please contact:

Bill Campbell, Vice President Business, BPBZ, Inc
bill@zolkc.com
p: 416-703-5753

Christine Kerr, Vice President, BaAM Productions
christine@baamproductions.com
p: 416-234-7266



• BpbZ_Mar 1_12 FINAL.pdf [pdf]

BaAM in Canada's Capital for NHL All-Star Weekend

On Thursday, January 26, the NHL All-Stars took over Ottawa, Canada’s capital city, for a weekend full of hockey entertainment.  BaAM was involved in many of the All-Star events at locations around the city.  

BaAM supported IMG with set production and stage management for the NHL All-Star Fantasy Draft at Casino du Lac-Leamy.  We provided on-site production management, construction management, and technical direction for the NHL All-Star Skills Competition and the NHL All-Star Game.  

Outdoors on the Rideau Canal, BaAM worked with the NHL and Canadian Tire to produce the Junior Skills competition finals.  The exciting event brought young hockey players from across Canada to test their skills on one of the most iconic rinks in the world. Winners were presented during the All-Star Skills event at Scotiabank Place.   

At Rideau Hall, the Governor General’s residence, BaAM provided production management for the press event held in support of the Hockey Education Reaching Out Society [H.E.R.O.S.] program. Hosted by George Stroumboulopoulous, the formal press conference included comments by His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Gary Bettman, Eugene Melnyk, Norm Flynn and Will O’Ree, and was followed by a hockey skills presentation on the outdoor rink, featuring NHL team mascots and a visit from legendary NHL goalie Johnny Bower.

Both the Fantasy Draft and Skills Competition drew large crowds and broadcast audiences. Following the events, the NHL reported that 10.2 million Canadians tuned-in to some part of CBC’s All-Star coverage. If you do the math, that works out to be about 30% of the population.

It was a busy weekend with some unforgettable moments.  It’ll be hard to catch everything in one post, but here’s our best shot:

VIDEO: The Ottawa Citizen recaps some highlights from All-Star Weekend

VIDEO:  NHL.com’s Best of All-Star Weekend

BaAM Travels to Philadelphia for 2012 NHL Winter Classic

The 2012 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic entertained 3.74 million viewers on January 2. While planning and pre-production started months in advance, the webcam on-site recorded the install that saw Citizens Bank Park transform from a ballpark to a hockey arena.  

From the picture-perfect weather to a penalty shot in the final 19 seconds of the game, this year’s match-up between the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers kept hockey fans on the edge of their seats – or more likely up on their feet!

And the excitement didn’t end with the final buzzer. Here are some of our favourite NHL.com post-event media clippings:

VIDEO: "Bettman: Philadelphia was 'spectacular'"

ARTICLE: "Teams feel privileged to experience 'perfect' Classic"

ARTICLE: "Rangers, Flyers praise Classic playing conditions



BaAM Fuses Athletics & Art For Pan/Parapan Am Handover

The 2011 Pan and Parapan American Games have officially drawn to a close in Guadalajara, Mexico. The Pan Am Closing Ceremonies were celebrated in the sold-out Omnilife Stadium on October 30, followed by the Parapan Closing Ceremonies at Telmex Athletics Stadium on November 20.  At both events, an 8-minute Handover Ceremony created by BaAM Productions symbolized the passing of the torch from Guadalajara to Toronto, ON – the host city for the 2015 Pan American Games.  

BaAM produced the Handover Ceremonies, providing TO2015 – Toronto’s Pan American Organizing Committee – with full creative and technical services.  The Handover Ceremony was comprised of a protocol-driven segment and a creative presentation signaling the countdown to Toronto’s 2015 games.  

The BaAM team collaborated closely with TO2015 Senior Vice President, Marketing and Revenue, Katherine Henderson and Creative Director, Arts, Culture and Festivals, Don Shipley to develop all elements of the creative presentation.  BaAM also worked alongside FiveCurrents, Producer of the 2011 Pan American Games Ceremonies, to seamlessly integrate the creative presentation within the Closing Ceremony programs. 

The Handover Ceremonies were developed through a creative process led by BaAM and involved a cross-section of talented thought-leaders from Canadian arts and culture.  The resulting creative brief was rooted in story and focused on sharing the heritage and culture of the Pan American spirit while highlighting the diverse cultural canvas of Toronto.  Don Shipley of TO2015 remarked that, “This was an exceptional creative collaboration in its truest form resulting in a unique fusion of talent and complementary skills and a presentation that was world class in every respect for the Handover Ceremonies.  The teamwork, attention to detail, and problem solving techniques employed by BaAM made the whole process creative and enjoyable from beginning to end.”

Download BaAM's official press release to learn more about the Pan and Parapan Handover Ceremonies and the incredible production team involved in the projects.



• Press Release PanAm Handover FINAL.pdf [pdf]

BaAM Produces 2011 Parapan Am Handover Ceremony

On November 20, the Parapan American Games were officially brought to a close at the Telmex Athletics Stadium.  BaAM returned to Guadalajara to produce the Handover Ceremony within the Closing Ceremony program.  The Pan/Parapan Closing Ceremonies begin the countdown to the next series of Pan Am Games to be hosted in Toronto, ON.  

It was an unforgettable experience for our BaAM team and the talented Canadian artists that collaborated with us for this project.  Click here to read TO2015's full press release covering the event.

Photo at Right: Pan/Parapan dancers rev up for the Parapan Handover Ceremony creative presentation.

Guadalajara 2011 Pan Am Games, Videos and More

The 2011 Pan American Games drew to a close in Guadalajara, Mexico on Sunday, October 30, 2011 in the sold-out Omnilife Stadium. As part of the Games’ Closing Ceremony, an 8-minute segment created by BaAM Productions symbolized the passing of the torch from Guadalajara to Toronto, ON – the host city for the 2015 Pan American Games.

Stay tuned for full details about the Pan Am and Parapan Am Closing Ceremonies.  In the meantime, you can follow these links to some of our favorite coverage from the closing of the Guadalajara 2011 Pan Am Games.

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Missed the live broadcast on October 30?  No sweat!  Watch the CBCsports.ca broadcast here.

Click here for a great behind-the-scenes look of the Pan Am Handover Ceremony, brought to you by TO2015 TV.

Learn more about the ideas and themes behind the official Handover Ceremony between Guadalajara 2011 and Toronto 2015. Follow this link to the TO2015 News feature!

Heres an album from Guadalajara 2011 dedicated to the Closing Ceremony celebration.

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Still can't get enough?  You can always follow us on Facebook and Twitter to get instant access to BaAM projects and events.

2011 NHL Face-Off Winnipeg Drew Nearly 1 Million Viewers

On Thursday, October 6, the puck was officially dropped for the much-anticipated 2011/12 NHL season.  The season’s opening night was celebrated with a free, family-friendly event in Winnipeg, Manitoba, home of the NHL’s newest team:  the Winnipeg Jets. BaAM’s team of Project Managers and Designers collaborated with the NHL to produce this historic event.  In the days leading up to the festival, BaAM was onsite at “The Forks” – a major gathering area for the City of Winnipeg set along the Red River – preparing for the event that would eventually draw thousands of fans over the course of six hours. 

The 2011 Molson Canadian NHL Face-Off ^TM Festival was a fan event dedicated to all things hockey with more than fourteen (14) sponsored activities and booths to give visitors a hands-on experience of every angle of the game.  Attendees had the chance to test-drive EA SPORTS™ NHL^®12 on PlayStation^®3 entertainment systems, check out the latest Reebok gear in the Reebok Locker Room, skate on a Synthetic Ice Rink with their teammates, or compete with family and friends at XM’s Hardest Shot Interactive.

In addition to these interactive activities, Jets players Andrew Ladd, Zach Bogosian, Ron Hainsey, Jim Slater, Mark Stuart, and Tanner Glass were on hand to sign autographs and introduce Canadian rock legends Randy Bachman and Fred Turner for a live performance on the Scotiabank Stage.  The festival included an entertainment line-up featuring Toronto-based rockers Three Days Grace, Winnipeg-born Inward Eye and Canadian rock legends Bachman & Turner. CBC’s George Stroumboulopoulis and Hockey Night in Canada’s Andi Petrillo emceed the evening for all those onsite at The Forks or tuning in from home.  CBC later reported that the NHL Face-Off pre-game show drew an average of nearly a million viewers, which was a 66% increase in viewership compared to last season’s opening night.  

Click here to read "Winnipeg Face-Off party starts memorable weekend" on NHL.com.

BaAM Returns to the State Fair of Texas

BaAM returned to the Lone Star State this fall for the 125th State Fair of Texas. Working with Jack Morton Worldwide and Chevrolet, BaAM provided interactive attractions including the Center Field Baseball Diamond and always popular soccer activity Kick to Score.  

Remounting "Wanna Play?" for Game 3 of the World Series, for MLB

It was a beautiful day for the MLB "Wanna Play?" event at Rangers Youth Ballpark in Arlington, Texas, celebrating Game 3  of the World Series and just coming off a nail-biting Rangers win in St. Louis. BaAM provided our Center Field baseball diamond, Quick Ball attraction, MLB regulation batting cages, and Fastest Pitch attraction for this year's Game 3 "Wanna Play?" program.  It was the second year we worked with Major League Baseball to create this event, and we had twice as many kids from the local Boys and Girls Club and RBI Leagues in attendance.

The Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation facilitated the clinics, once again, giving the young baseball hopefuls tips on sliding, fielding, pitching and hitting, as they rotated from station to station, with some help from Rangers’ alumni Curtis Wilkerson, Bengi Gil, and Tim Crabtree.  At the main stage, they were treated to life lessons from Harold Reynolds and Ray Burris.  It was a great perspective getting to work with the Rangers Foundation team again, and to see how the benefits of their first World Series experience last year resulted in a more confident staff and heightened awareness of what to expect from the hype of a Championship run. 

BaAM at the Int'l Sports Heritage Association Conference

From October 12 – 14, 2011, the International Sports Heritage Association held its 41st Annual Conference in Oakville, ON, hosted by the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum. This year’s conference theme was “Survive AND Thrive,” and it offered a number of round table discussions, workshops, and break-out sessions with topics ranging from Social Networking and The Foundation of Strategic Planning to Digitization and Online Photo Management.

Gary Myers, BaAM’s Vice President, Design Services, presented some of the latest tech developments during a round table discussion about New Exhibit Technology (see photo right).  It was an idea-inspiring session that considered the exponential rise of smart phones, apps and mobile devices and the limitless possibilities for museums and halls of fame to incorporate them into their exhibits.

Photo provided by the International Sports Heritage Association.

Kids' World of Sport at the CNE

This summer BaAM was at the 133rd Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto.  We provided the CNE Kids’ World of Sport: an area nestled in the west end of the CNE dedicated to practicing and mastering the skills required to play some of the world’s greatest games.  BaAM’s interactives included a Basketball Hoop Challenge, Homerun Derby, Kick to Score soccer challenge, and a Quarterback Challenge.   

Our team provided project management, graphic design and production, and installation and dismantle supervision.  To learn more about the CNE and its programming, click here.

BaAM Takes Part in Worldwide Day of Play

This past September, BaAM traveled to Washington, D.C. for Nickelodeon’s Worldwide Day of Play – a full day dedicated to getting kids outside and active.  The September 24 event was the biggest Worldwide Day of Play celebration ever held to date.  The event was setup on the Ellipse in President’s Park with various games and activities happening throughout the site.  To help encourage families to get up and get active for Worldwide Day of Play, Nickelodeon went off-air and offline from 12pm – 3pm on Saturday, September 24.  Stars from some of Nickelodeon’s shows like iCarly, Victorious, Big Time Rush and Supah Ninjas were there to join in the fun, along with several organizations, including MLB, PGA, Special Olympics International and Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” Campaign.

BaAM managed all aspects of MLB’s “Wanna Play?” presence at the event including The Center Field baseball diamond, batting cages and quick ball attraction with clinic programming provided by the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation. Daniella Monet and Matt Bennett, stars of Nickeolodeon’s Victorious, shared their tips on staying healthy from the Center Field attraction.  Watch the full video here.

The BaAM FanFest Awards

August 16, 2011

The BaAM FanFest Awards were announced onsite in Phoenix, AZ at the close of MLB's five-day fan event.  The whole BaAM team was recognized for their hard work under the desert sun, but a few people walked away with some special honors.  Congrats to all the winners!

And the winners are...

Rookie of the Year: Sarah Zeilstra*

*Click here for a firsthand account of MLB All-Star FanFest from a Rookie's perspective.

MVP: Kenny Roy

Greatest Save: Geoff Kay

Ambassador: Bruce Sweezie

Biggest Wow: Vince Morgan

Be the Ball: Mike Steenvoorden

Pictured Right: Bruce Sweezie is presented with the Ambassador Award by AMR.



MLB All-Star FanFest: A Rookie's Perspective

August 16, 2011

By Sarah Zeilstra

This year saw the 21st installment of MLB’s All Star FanFest; for me, it was my first…a Rookie!

There was a sprinkling of us rookies among the veterans, some who have returned year after year to a host of different cities across North America….all to bring the MLB FanFest experience to thousands of baseball fans of all ages.

This year: destination Phoenix, Arizona; an unexpectedly small downtown core consisting mostly of commuters from the surrounding suburbs. Though that wasn’t any gauge or indication on the crowds the MLB All Star FanFest would draw. They came in droves and took full advantage of the interactive modules and all that MLB offered at FanFest.

A day in the life of a technical supervisor began with our 6:45 am ‘Driver Dan’s’ bus ride to the convention centre for our 7:00 am meeting. Here we received our daily install jobs, binders of information and radios….then it was off down to the tool truck in the loading bay to collect tools and ladders. 7:50 am outside to meet our crew for the day.

8:00 am to 5:00 pm was spent supervising the crew installing flats, risers, cages, and graphics that transformed into walls, stages, and booths of the modules, each with a specific purpose for the baseball fan soon to be attending. Some modules were interactive where fans could test out their batting practice, be challenged at their pitching skills or practice their fielding. Other modules were information based which illustrated the amazing historical aspects of the game.

Our evenings were the occasional meal out, or trip to the grocery store but mostly they were spent by the pool, relaxing, chatting to fellow crew and the occasional water badminton tournament played with a beach ball!

There are many great things I will remember from my experience at FanFest…..trying to learn Euchre from quick and nimble experts, our trip to Target that became a race back to the hotel in an effort to keep ahead of the sandstorm, a tsunami of sand that was fast approaching Phoenix! Playing Golf in a 120 degree heat in the desert, and spending lunchtimes watching a slideshow of photos from the previous days…….But the most memorable of all has to be the last day of strike and the craziest renditions of British accents on radio!

As for winning Rookie of the Year….what an honour as I was among such stellar fellow rookies. I would like to think it was because I did the job well, got on great with everyone and held my own as one of the guys but I have a sneaky suspicion it was more to do with my British accent!

I feel very privileged to have worked with such a brilliant crew, managed by a great company who over 20 years have perfected the art of production managing such a large scale event with an even bigger impact on its audience.

CN Tower - 35 Years of Innovation

BaAM continues to work with the CN Tower as they celebrate their 35th anniversary! The updated guest experience features new content-rich graphics on the Glass Floor level and throughout the facility, focused on 35 years of Innovation.

Visit the CN Tower homepage to learn more.

MLB All-Star FanFest 2011 - Phoenix

More than 110,000 baseball fans came out to mark the first ever MLB All-Star FanFest in Phoenix, AZ. Packed with baseball interactives, memorabilia, trophies, celebs, hometown heroes, and even a wedding ceremony - MLB All-Star FanFest in Phoenix was a hit. Thank you to the BaAM site team – you made it a great event!

“2011 MLB All-Star FanFest is Officially Open” (article and video)

“First Ever MLB FanFest Wedding Goes off without a hitch!” (video)

Parks Canada

Check out BaAM’s work for Parks Canada at the Point Pelee National Park Nature Trail and Visitor Centre and the Commemorative Walk on and around the Commons in Niagara-on-the-Lake – one of the Niagara National Historic Sites.  

Learn more about the Niagara National Historic Sites

Visit Point Pelee National Park Online

Parks Canada's 3D Tours

NHL Entry Draft 2011 - Minnesota

BaAM was at the Xcel Energy Centre in St. Paul, MN where the Draft was broadcast live on June 24 and 25. Over the two-day event hockey fans tuned in to Versus, TSN, and the NHL Network to watch the newest NHL talent make it to the big time.

Click here to connect to the NHL Draft webpage.

BaAM is on its way to Phoenix

Only a little more than a month away, this year’s FanFest is heading to Phoenix, Arizona – home of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The city of Phoenix will host the 2011 MLB All-Star events, including FanFest, the All-Star Game, the All-Star Futures Game, All-Star Legends & Celebrity Game and the Home Run Derby. This year, MLB All-Star FanFest is setting up shop for its 21st year and ticket sales are already soaring.  The Phoenix Business Journal reported at the end of April that 90,000 FanFest tickets had been sold since they went on sale in February.  It’s no wonder they're a popular item - the event spans across 5 days and gives baseball fans of all ages unparalleled access to players, games, personalities, trophies and more. 

BaAM is Executive Producer for MLB All-Star FanFest and is responsible for project management and floorplanning the 500,000 square ft. event area.  BaAM will also be onsite supervising the installation of all exhibits, graphics and interactives and the event’s subsequent dismantle.

Pictured right: The Collector's Showcase at MLB All-Star FanFest 2010 in Anaheim, CA

New Interactives Added to the BaAM Line-up

BaAM aims to keep sports fans connected to their teams and leagues through the most exciting means possible.  With this in mind, we’ve been rolling out all new sports interactives for events across North America.  These properties are proving to be a huge hit among fans from Dundas Square in Toronto to Sun Life Stadium in Miami.

BaAM’s unique line of sports interactives offer participants a hands-on experience designed around skill-building exercises.  Hockey interactives like our Stick Handle Challenge allow fans to compete against each other and test their stick handling skills at the same time, while football interactives like BaAM’s Quarterback Challenge let players show off their QB skills by catching a football and collecting points for completing passes through tires.

Each activity can be customized with graphics, signage and logos so that it is a unique property wherever it travels.  We’ve designed our interactives to be more than just static features at an event.  Whether for hockey, baseball, football or soccer, BaAM’s interactives allow for game modifications and new programming throughout the day.  Center Field, for example, puts baseball fans right in the middle of a scaled baseball diamond large enough to accommodate an entire game, fielding practice, clinic, batting exercises, or Home Run Derby. 

The world of sports is just as fast-paced as the athletes we celebrate, so BaAM’s design team is always exploring and developing concepts for the next line of sports interactives.  Feel free to contact us directly at projects@baamproductions.com for more information on our latest properties.

"Wanna Play?" at the 2011 Civil Rights Game

It’s been a busy spring season for the “Wanna Play?” program and a busy season for the BaAM crews who have been onsite for each of these recent events.  Only a month after “Wanna Play?” took to the field in Houston, MLB and BaAM were busy again building excitement for local youth at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, Georgia on Saturday, May 14.  As an event centered on igniting inner-city youth interest and participation in baseball, it offered everything from batting cages and pitching stations to BaAM’s Center Field attraction and a Youth Summit with former players and stars. The day also featured a wiffle ball game with such baseball greats as Jeffrey Hammonds, Bobby Bonilla, Tony Clark and Cliff Floyd, which proved to be a highlight for several young players.  

In preparation for the big day, BaAM provided MLB with Project Planning, Project Management, Graphic Design, Site Planning, Security Planning, and Event Signage. As well, BaAM supervisors and project managers were onsite in Atlanta to provide event support and supervise the installation and dismantle.

The free “Wanna Play?” event was a precursor to the Delta Civil Rights Game played on Sunday, May 15 between the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies.  Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com remarked that, “The events and corresponding game are about remembering those who fought for key social issues on and off the field, but also about addressing the future…and that’s what Saturday’s Youth Summit put into action.”  You can learn all about this year’s Civil Rights Game and related activities at http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/civil_rights_game/y2011/.


Wanna Play, Houston?

The Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) program was active again in Texas, this time at the Sylvester Turner Park in Houston for the one-year anniversary of the Houston Astros MLB Urban Youth Academy.  On April 9, 2011, representatives from MLB, former Houston Astros players and other dignitaries were in attendance to celebrate the Urban Youth Academy’s successes this past year.  BaAM was also onsite providing interactive attractions like Batting Cages, Pitching Cages and the Steal Home Challenge.  In addition to providing fun and games for the event, BaAM oversaw Event Design and Coordination, Project Management, Installation , Supervision, Signage and Graphics. 

NHL Outdoor Games Set New Records in 2011

So far this year, BaAM Productions has been involved in creating back-to-back “Classics” for the National Hockey League.  On January 1st, the 2011 Bridgestone Winter Classic was presented at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, with a 22% increase in viewership for the US broadcast on NBC.   The record-breaking 2011 Tim Horton’s Heritage Classic debuted on February 20th as another cornerstone of the NHL’s big event strategy, setting an NHL event record for both total sponsorship revenue and activation.  The event also led NHL.com to its best Sunday performance of the season, with web traffic up significantly in the US, Canada and internationally over a typical regular-season Sunday and was the no.1 trending topic on Twitter in Canada throughout the entire game and peaked at the No.3 trending topic worldwide.  

The BaAM team supports the NHL to make events like these happen, converting outdoor football and baseball stadiums to fully-functional NHL game venues.  In a fast-paced and solution-driven environment, BaAM balances creative thinking with solid project management experience.  Our creative team pulled together a mass of information and organized it to provide design solutions that integrated the needs of broadcast, entertainment and fan services.  Our project services group worked alongside the NHL during the months of planning, focused on overall logistics including detailed schedules, budgets, and then sub contracting all the work required to make the massive conversion happen.  Given that the two events moved across an international border between host cities where the average temperatures differ by about 32 degrees Fahrenheit, this was no easy task. All of this detailed planning allows the BaAM team to shift their focus on-site to supervising installation and supporting all groups as the go-to resource for responding to the inevitable challenges.

“The Heritage Classic was a tremendous triumph for the NHL and it was gratifying to see our fans and the business community embrace the event so enthusiastically,” said NHL COO John Collins.  “Our big event strategy is activating our fan base like never before,…”

And NESN said: “The idea to bring NHL games outdoors has been the best and most innovative idea a major sports league has had.”

BaAM President Annemarie Roe couldn’t agree more and speaks for all BaAM staff when she says that “The BaAM team is thrilled to be a part of the NHL’s 'outdoor adventure'.”

Pictured right: Members of the BaAM crew at center ice in McMahon Stadium.

BaAM Reports Back from the 2011 Winter Classic

January 21, 2011

More than 6.6 million viewers tuned in for the 2011 Winter Classic on January 1.  The event marked the fourth year that BaAM has been involved with the NHL Winter Classic.   BaAM was responsible for converting the venue into a functioning arena while supporting game, broadcast and entertainment requirements. BaAM also created the master logistics plan ensuring all aspects of the rink set-up were considered and efficiently executed.

No matter the city, we’ve learned that each outdoor game delivers an unforgettable experience for hockey fans while presenting new obstacles for our production team.  The 2011 Classic upheld such a tradition. Over the course of eight days Pittsburgh saw major rainfall, uncharacteristically warm temperatures, and even a bit of sun – all of which make building an outdoor rink a very tricky situation.  Despite the uncontrollable weather, BaAM’s crew persevered to ensure that the ice was ready for the official puck drop. 

Do we have any tricks up our sleeve?  Maybe.  We asked a few members of the BaAM team to share their Winter Classic survival secrets.  Read on and you might unravel a few hints – or at the very least you’ll learn why people are crazy enough to withstand Mother Nature for the good of the game...

Annemarie Roe (AMR)
President, BaAM

1. What tool or piece of equipment would you most likely be caught using at the Winter Classic?
My clipboard.  No matter how technical the production world goes there is nothing as certain as a note on the clipboard.  Real-time scheduling! 

2. Using only 5 words, how would you describe the days leading up to the main event?
Early, late, busy, cold, warm. 

3. What’s the best way to stay warm (or dry) at the Winter Classic? 
Keep moving - fast. 

4. If you had a Winter Classic highlights reel of your own (from any year), what would you put in it?
The helicopter fly over in Buffalo, the fans on the roof tops at Wrigley, the look on the faces of everyone as they stepped onto the field at Fenway, the time lapse of the first 36hrs at Heinz Field and a pan of the fans just before puck drop in every city. 

5. Why do you do what you do? 
Being a part of an event that has an impact on so many people and gets so many people working well together keeps me believing that anything is possible.  

Pictured right: AMR and Chris Dowling take a break at the 2010 NHL Winter Classic held at Boston's Fenway Park.



Megan McCarthy
Production Coordinator, BaAM

1. What tool or piece of equipment would you most likely be caught using at the Winter Classic? 
My blackberry - even if I'm on the run I have to be in touch and ready to switch gears.

2. Using only 5 words, how would you describe the days leading up to the main event?
Mother Nature- a controlling woman!

3. What’s the best way to stay warm (or dry) at the Winter Classic? 
Multiple pairs of backup socks. 

4. If you had a Winter Classic highlights reel of your own (from any year), what would you put in it?
Boston - The view from field-level during the pre-game events and the roar in the ballpark after the Bruins' Game Winning Goal.  Pittsburgh - The time lapse footage of the install (music included) and 70,000 Passionate fans ignoring end of the game rain.

5. Why do you do what you do? 
It's a privilege to work with an incredible team on an event that has such a huge impact on the citizens of each city it travels to.  Each game is a brand new experience with it's own set of challenges and thrills.  It's impossible to get bored!  

Pictured right: Megan at the 2011 Winter Classic in Pittsburgh, PA.

BaAM Gives Back to the People Who Inspire Us

January 17, 2011

Over the holiday season BaAM sponsored raffle drawings among staff, friends and family in support of a local charity.  We raised more than $1000 and donated all funds to Variety, the Children’s Charity - a charity dedicated to providing specialized sports and recreation programs to children and young people with special needs.  In addition to Variety’s programs, Variety Village located in Scarborough, ON offers six-acres of accessible indoor facilities and remains the largest sports training and fitness complex for children with special needs in North America.  Variety’s mandate is based on the inclusive principle of fostering opportunities for all abilities: “All members, both with special needs and able-bodied, fully support this and wouldn’t want it any other way. They understand that integration is vital to create the right and supportive environment young children need to develop confidence and leadership skills.”

BaAM has had the good fortune to collaborate with Variety at the CNE’s Olympic Spirit exhibits in 2008 and 2009, celebrating Canada’s Paralympics athletes – many of whom honed their skills at Variety.

Pictured right: Megan McCarthy and Aimee Roy of BaAM Productions with members of Variety Village.

BaAM Gears Up for Winter Classic 2011

December 23, 2010

Christmas Eve is just around the corner and while it usually means plenty of gift-wrapping and eggnog for most people, for BaAM it means it’s time to don a toque and gloves and get ready for the Winter Classic.  This year our crew is traveling to Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field to get ready for NHL’s outdoor tradition.  They’ll be working around the clock between now and New Year’s day to get the ice ready for the Penguins and Capitals who face-off on January 1.  Click on the following link to visit the NHL’s Winter Classic webpage and get a behind-the-scenes look and up-to-date info on everything Winter Classic:  http://www.nhl.com/ice/eventhome.htm?location=/winterclassic/2011

Happy Holidays to All from BaAM

BaAM Productions wishes everyone a very merry holiday season and a happy New Year!

BaAM Hits Grand Slam with RBI's 'Wanna Play?' Clinic

BaAM’s outdoor baseball interactives and graphics created every future major leaguer’s most hoped-for training facility with batting cages, pitching cages and a mini baseball diamond open for practice at the Rangers Youth Ballpark in Arlington, Texas. The various elements were installed in coordination with the Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) “Wanna Play?” clinic.  The program reaches out to local youth and encourages boys and girls between the ages of 6 – 12 to increase their overall fitness and nutrition education through the sport of baseball. 

More than 500 local children attended the event held on the same day as Game 3 of the World Series.  They were joined by former Texas Rangers Jeff Russel, Pete O’Brien and Steve Buechele.  Also attending the event was Orlando Hudson, who met with a number of the clinic’s participants for his Around the Mound talk – sharing past experiences and bits of advice. 

In advance of the event, BaAM provided project planning and designed site layouts incorporating our various interactives.  BaAM’s crew then oversaw the installation, daily events and final dismantle to ensure every step of the day ran smoothly. 

New BaAM Interactives Featured at NHL Face-Off 2010

October 14, 2010

It was every fan’s dream as BaAM joined the hockey crowd at Toronto’s Dundas Square to celebrate the NHL’s official season opener on October 7.  Fans had a chance to try out BaAM’s all new hockey interactives inspired by hockey’s elite players and their training techniques.  It was a free opportunity for players and enthusiasts alike to step into the net, break daily records for hardest shots, stickhandle through an obstacle course and shoot pucks at dryers a la Sid the Kid. 

Concept Development is Underway for a New Interpretive Trail

September 28, 2010

Many know Point Pelee as the southern-most point in Canada, however some may not be as familiar with the expansive National Park that also occupies the area.  Described as a “lush Carolinian forest,” Point Pelee National Park contains a rich natural history and is home to more than 370 species of birds.  BaAM Productions is currently working in cooperation with Parks Canada to create a new interpretive trail to connect visitors with the area’s unique heritage. 

BaAM Joins LA Kings at 2nd Annual HockeyFest

September 17, 2010

This past weekend BaAM was onsite at the second annual Los Angeles Kings HockeyFest held at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo, CA.  Fans had the opportunity to test their skills at Slap Shot and Goalie Challenge games, try out the latest PS3 and Nintendo games from EA Sports, get autographs and participate in Q & A sessions with coaching staff, current and former players.

In addition to providing hockey interactives, BaAM was responsible for all aspects of site planning and site management for installation, event operations and load out.

NHL Announces the Winter Classic and Heritage Classic

September 2, 2010

Although the NHL’s press conferences in Pittsburgh and Calgary were under the bright warm sun, thoughts were looking ahead to the ice cold hockey games now set to hit Heinz Field and McMahon Stadium in 2011.  BaAM was onsite in both Pittsburgh and Calgary this summer to set the stage (and turf) for the official announcements of the NHL’s outdoor games. 

The press conference in Pittsburgh at the end of July confirmed what many had hoped to see:  the ultimate match-up, Crosby vs. Ovechkin.  Hockey fans were reassured that the Winter Classic will maintain its New Year's Day tradition, this time in the home of the Pittsburgh Steelers.  In addition to the podium highlights, the Pittsburgh press conference had such players as Sidney Crosby and Brooks Orpik aiming to shoot a field goal hockey-style (some actually made it). 

In Calgary, only a week after the Pittsburgh announcement, the Heritage Classic was presented to the public.  The Heritage Classic will be the NHL’s second outdoor hockey game in 2011, to occur on February 20 at Calgary’s McMahon Stadium.  The Montreal Canadiens will face-off against the Calgary Flames at the first regular-season NHL outdoor game played in Canada since the Heritage Classic in 2003.

Photo Courtesy of Chris Horner | Pittsburgh Tribune Review



Northern Edge Hockey on Wheels

August 30, 2010

BaAM Productions has been collaborating with Northern Edge Elite Hockey School, based in Wildwood, Missouri, to develop a concept and design direction for a Mobile Team Center.  Northern Edge's Mobile Team Center will be a state-of-the-art training facility equipped with the latest training tools giving hockey players a chance to strengthen their skills.  The various elements can be stored, setup at a temporary site and housed within the vehicle itself - allowing the facility to reach-out to wider audiences anywhere a road may lead. 

BaAM Produces 20th Annual Edition of MLB All-Star FanFest

August 23, 2010

For five days in July, the Anaheim Convention Center was converted into Baseball Heaven on Earth as MLB All-Star FanFest 2010 provided fans with access to more than 500,000 sq. ft of baseball memorabilia, all-star signings, Q & A sessions and skill-testing interactives.  In addition to the 118,429 fans on-site for the event, such baseball greats as Torii Hunter, Joe Mauer, Evan Longoria and Heath Bell were also in attendance.  They were joined by Hall of Famers like Rod Carew, Bob Feller, Tony Gwynn and Rickey Henderson.

New this year for BaAM was the “Steal A Base, Steal A Taco” interactive sponsored by Taco Bell where each player has the opportunity to select a famous MLB play and run to base before the onscreen play is complete.  Every player got a free taco for their efforts.

Cupids Legacy Centre Officially Opens

August 16, 2010

This week the Cupids Legacy Centre will officially open in Cupids, Newfoundland as part of the Cupids Cove week-long soiree, August 17 – 22, 2010.  The Cupids Legacy Centre commemorates the site where the first English settlement in Canada was built 400 years ago.  The Legacy Centre is a new state-of-the-art facility incorporating exciting media and interactives to tell a very powerful story.  It aims to preserve the memory of the Cupids community and to generate visitors’ own knowledge of their ancestral history, their understanding of Canadian history, and their place in the world. 

BaAM was honoured to take part in the project and to share in its contribution to preserving a Canadian legacy.  We collaborated with Marian Macaulay and the Cupids 400 project team as Lead Designer and Design Build Contractor for the Cupids Legacy Centre.   The BaAM team was responsible for a variety of aspects, including exhibit design, content and media development, graphic design, site supervision and installation.

For more information about the Cupids Legacy Centre, visit http://www.cupids400.com/english/legacy/index.php.

BaAM Sets the Draft Stage in Los Angeles

Since 1995 in Edmonton, BaAM has been setting the stage for the NHL Entry Draft.

This year continued the tradition at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.  On June 25th and 26th, the Draft was ready for its close-up.   

Round 1 of the seven round Draft is televised by TSN and its affiliated stations throughout the USA and Canada as well as being available on the NHL Network. This year’s Draft was a great success with two days recognizing the finest of NHL’s prospective athletes.   The BaAM team is already looking forward to the next Entry Draft slated to be in Minnesota in 2011.

BaAM SLaAM - Best Results Ever

We wanted to wait for our first win to do an item on our BaAM Baseball team, but after three games of consistently improving, we thought it was time to show off our colours. Wednesday nights have become a real break from the hard work we've all been doing in the office.  BaAM joined the Toronto Sport and Social Club, and is quickly making a name for itself for both its hitting power and spirit point accumulation!  Wednesday night we lost by our smallest margin ever, against Don't Stop Believing.  Look out More Cowbell...

Ford Field Returns to Turf With Dismantle of NCAA Hockey Rink

April 19, 2010

BaAM helped turn the Detroit Lions' football field into the site of the NCAA Men's Hockey finals and back to turf again.  The ice was host to a five-day events schedule, including team practices, a skills competition and the presentation of the Hobey Baker award to the league's top player, won by Boom Boom Geoffrion's grandson, Blake from the University of Wisconsin.  Boom Boom played for the Canadians and Rangers in his career spanning the 50s and 60s.  Boston College won the title on April 10th. 

Transforming a football field instead of a baseball diamond into a regulation hockey rink had its own unique challenges, including the addition of an extra 700 ft of piping needed to connect ice pans to the custom trailer, outfitted with a pumping system for the 6,000 gallons of glycol needed to keep the ice frozen.  Once again, BaAM was honoured to work with Dan Craig and his fantastic ice crew, and with Ford Field and the NCAA.

Pictured: Chris on practice day

BaAM Goes for Gold with Sunny View P.S.!

Over the past few weeks Sunny View Public School, a special education setting for children with physical and health needs, has hosted “Sunny View Goes for Gold!”.  This series of events honouring the 2010 Olympics and Paralympics have given the school’s 135 students, aged 4-15, a unique opportunity to connect personally with the events in Vancouver and is designed to inspire children of all abilities to strive for their best every day.  

On March 4, 2010, these activities culminated in a school-wide celebration which included a roller sledge hockey game for staff and students, as well as appearances from the Maple Leafs' Carlton the Bear and inspirational wheelchair basketball player Shayne Smith.  BaAM was honoured to be a part of these incredible events by lending some equipment and decor and by helping to turn their gymnasium into a Winter Games wonderland.  Highlights from the game were featured on Rogers Daytime Toronto and the Global National.

 Written by: Megan

BaAM Helps Ottawa Welcome Both Torches

Paul Shaw returns once again from Ottawa’s Parliament Hill, where he produced and directed the Paralympic Torch Relay Opening for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, following his successful direction of the Olympic Torch Relay Ceremonies on The Hill, December 12, 2009.

Aboriginal Chiefs and Elders, Choirs, City Mayors, gifted entertainers, VANOC’s CEO and the Right Honorable Stephen Harper acknowledged the courage and determination of the Paralympians from every province and territory.  They all celebrated and paid respect to this movement that urges us all to carry the flame inside us as we strive to make a difference.

Pshaw was proud to be a part of this amazing testament to the Canadian human spirit.

Ceremony Info



Photo from left to right: Pshaw, Randy Ferguson (OTR host right across Canada), and stage managers Dalelle Mensour and Cathy Mitchell

The Power of the Human Voice at Luminato

In 1848, in what is now Iran, a poet and teacher known as Tahirih, or “The Pure One”, dared to appear in public without a veil. She was arrested and subsequently put to death.

This event provides the inspiration for a new drama commissioned by Luminato: Toronto Festival of Arts and Creativity and produced by Erika Batdorf in association with BaAM Productions.

Weaving dance, poetry, music and song into the fabric of theatre, a dynamic and culturally diverse ensemble of creators challenge us all to find our own authentic voice and our own courage to speak.

Toronto June 10 – 14, 2010 

Written by: Pshaw
Luminato

Excitement Over 2010 MLB All-Star is Growing

Tickets just went on sale for FanFest, but we are already in our eighth month of planning for this 19th annual fan paradise.  Hall of Famer and former California Angel Rod Carew has just been named FanFest Spokesman, and if Anaheim fans are anything like the ones in St. Louis, there will be a sea of California Angels red at the Anaheim Convention Center this July.

Learn More About FanFest
Watch Rod Carew Video
Visit FanFest Website

25th Cubs Convention Includes History and Interactives

BaAM was honoured to participate in the 25th Annual Cubs Convention in Chicago, the oldest fan event in the Major Leagues.  To complement the popular autograph sessions and panel discussions with players, coaches, and new owners, the Ricketts family, BaAM designed and installed the Cubs Corner and Interactive Zone, featuring a Cubs history timeline, displays of locally-provided Cubs artifacts, and a collection of batting and pitching cages for both adults and kids.

Cubs fans truly bleed blue and span all generations, with line-ups starting long before opening.  Even the Cubs veteran organist, Gary Pressy, was on site entertaining fans as they filed into this unique event.

Written by: Louis

Cubs Convention Website

BaAM Participates in the Royals FanFest

BaAM’s collaboration on this year’s 2010 Kansas City Royals FanFest was a hit!

The cold Missouri winter weather could not keep the fans away from the 2-day event that took place on January 14 & 15, 2010.

A host of interactive games and activities gave everyone a chance to bat, pitch, or race against the clock and the BaAM Baseball Pyramid provided the perfect backdrop for a family photo op.

With enthusiasm that can only be described as true blue, the loyal fans kept BaAM Operations hustling and all 3 autograph stages bustling.

The Kansas City Royals Event Presentation and Production team produced a stellar event. Their Main Stage programming had fans dancing in the aisles or glued to their seats taking in every word during the player Q&A sessions.

The BaAM team is proud to have participated in this year’s successful event and we look forward to next year.

Written by: Maria

Royals' Site


BaAM Survives the Cold at the 2010 Winter Classic

January 6, 2009

BaAM is honoured to have been part of the Winter Classic in Boston!

The support of all the NHL Events group, Ice crew, Boston labour, our friends at the Red Sox, and the Boston area suppliers made this such a fantastic experience for all of us.

Long hours went into the engineering, planning and installation of the ice rink and its support infrastructure, and seeing the success of New Year's Day and the excitement throughout Boston made it all worthwhile.

Boston.com


Ice is Growing at Fenway

December 15, 2009

BaAM is on its 6^th day of install for the upcoming 2010 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic at Fenway Park in Boston, taking place January 1, 2010.  This is the 3^rd Winter Classic installation for BaAM President Annemarie Roe and her team, who work closely with the NHL, Fenway Park, Dan Craig and over 20 partners and suppliers to convert the historic baseball field into a regulation NHL rink.

Twitter search: #nhlwinterclassic

Trekking, tundra-style

On August 1, 2009, the Toronto Zoo opened its new, 10-Acre Tundra Trek Exhibit. This first stage in the north site’s redevelopment takes an innovative approach to animal housing and interpretation. Landscape architects CLRdesign worked with Zoo curators to create exhibits whose vegetation, rockwork, and design reflects the animals’ natural tundra habitats. BaAM created the initial interpretive design package for the exhibits and collaborated with content experts from the Zoo and Science North to develop interior and exterior signage.

Visit http://www.torontozoo.com/tundratrek.asp for more details.

UPDATE (October 2009):  The Tundra Trek exhibit at the Toronto Zoo is the recipient of the Baines Award for outstanding achievement.  Described as “the premier award of the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums”, the Baines Award recognizes the exhibit’s design which maximizes the overall visitor experience.  BaAM’s interpretive design for interactive exhibits, displays, and interior/exterior signage incorporates native traditional knowledge and nature’s spectacular animals.  The result connects Toronto Zoo visitors with the changes occurring in the Arctic and the role each person plays in the environment.  

Daring to be different

This summer, BaAM worked with Destination Cinema to update and expand an existing Daredevils Exhibit at their IMAX Theater in the heart of Niagara Falls, Ontario. The revamped exhibit opened Canada Day weekend to visitors curious to see the largest collection of original daredevil vessels – including barrels, boats, and a mass of inner tubes called “The Thing”! Video, audio, and tabloid-style graphics convey the stunts in all their heart-stopping detail.

To read a review of the exhibit, visit http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?archive=true&e=1628255

For more details about the IMAX Theater in Niagara Falls, visit http://www.imaxniagara.com/IMAX-theater/index.cfm

A Feast of Kings

At the height of Southern California’s heat wave, hockey was on the minds of Kings fans! Autograph sessions, Q&As with Kings greats, interactive games, and a feast of Kings memorabilia made for a successful LA Kings Hockey Fest at LA Live.

BaAM joined with the Kings on this inaugural festival, providing event design and operations for the three-day event.

To read more about the event, visit http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=490690 or visit the LA Kings website at http://kings.nhl.com.