Sidney Crosby wins hearts of all Canadians...

I do live in the South, but born and raised in Canada I am a HUGE hockey fan! The 2010 Winter Olympics that were held in Vancouver kept me glued to the TV. When the US beat Canada, 5-3, during their first encounter the American's believed they had this tournament in the bag. With huge recognition to Ryan Miller, who was named MVP of the tournament, the Americans had the hottest goal tender. However, Canada did not give up and fought until the end. They beat Germany, Russia, and Slovakia puting them back in line to the gold medal game. This game was going to be epic and could have turned out to be one of the biggest upsets in history. The Canadians had control most of the game, but the US came out of no where and tied it up 2-2 with only 27 seconds left. The arena went silent when the US scored, but the momentum was in the hands of the Americans. A four on four 20 minute sudden death over time was played only to be won out by the Canadians. Sidney Crosby, who has always been an idol to many in Canada, made the winning goal that awarded Canada the gold medal for men's hockey. The arena began chanting "Crosby, Crosby" over and over and everyone knew he was the hero.

The Olympics ended, but many heroes remain. Miller has left a huge impact on the Americans as Crosby has left an even bigger one on Canadians. These two players came into this as well-known sports professionals, but left as two of the most famous and influential players in hockey. Everything with the name Crosby or Miller on it is sold out. They are receiving endless amounts of publicity and gaining more and more recognition each day.

So what does this mean? This is an example of how influential sports stars can be on people. They are seen different than actors or musical artists and I believe have a bigger influence on the public. They are heroes to many and idols to young hockey players who dream of becoming a "Sidney Crosby" or "Ryan Miller". Big name companies are dying to use them for endorsements and these players will be offered millions of dollars to do so. Using these players as spokespersons can really influence the public. This is a great example of using effective PR skills to gain exposure and public acceptance.