USSA National Brand Planning Research Study

1. USSA National Brand Planning Research Study Kagel Research Associates – November 2006

2. Slide Index • Introduction – 2 • Storytelling Results – 7 • Word Association Results – 13 • Skiing/Snowboarding Top of Mind – 23 • Athlete Recognition & Evaluation – 28 • Olympic Athlete Attitudes – 38 • Benefit Hierarchy – 43 • Discussion Items – 59 • Suggestions – 62 • Bumper Stickers – 68 • Insights - 69

3. Introduction • Conducted three small group sessions in each of four markets • Denver – September 27 • LA Area – October 4 • Chicago – October 10 • NY Metro – October 12 • Total of 50 participants

4. Introduction • Respondent Screening • Men & women adults age 18 -40 • Household income of $60k or more • Watched at least one skiing/snowboarding event in the 2006 Winter Olympic Games • Who skied/rode (snowboarded) at least three days during the 05/06 season

5. Introduction • Research Exercises – Awareness & Evaluation • Storytelling Warm-up – To determine top-of-mind memories and feelings about the last Winter Olympics • Word Association - To explore surface feelings respondents have and their awareness of key concepts • Athlete (Picture) Recognition – To determine unaided/aided awareness of USSA athletes • Evaluation of USSA athletes they recognize

6. Introduction • Research Exercises • Benefit Hierarchy – To allow respondents to create a benefit ladder or hierarchy in their own words, which will help define the underlying emotional benefits they are seeking • Discussion Items • Feelings about Olympic ski and snowboard teams pre and post Olympics • Team versus individual considerations • Suggestions for USSA improvement • Bumper Stickers – To sum up feelings

7. Research Results • Storytelling • I would like you to imagine that you are being interviewed by Winter Sports magazine for an article entitled “My favorite skiing or snowboarding moments this past winter” anything on TV or direct experience…something you have watched, heard about or done yourself

8. Research Results • Storytelling • There were a total of 10 out of 50 who mentioned the last Olympics in Torino with specific detail • Three comments were about Lindsey Jacobellis (negative) • Two comments were about Bode Miller (negative) • One comment was about Shaun White (positive) • One comment was about Gretchen Bleiler (positive) • Three general comments (positive)

9. Research Results • Storytelling • Lindsey Jacobellis • In the Olympics, snowboarding, where a little hot-dogging cost somebody a gold medal. I wouldn’t say it was my favorite moment, but it gave me an opportunity to teach my kids a lesson. If you’re competing and you’re serious about it, you’ve got to stay focused on your goal until you achieved it, cause even just the slightest mental lapse can cost you

10. Research Results • Storytelling • Bode Miller • I though it was kind of comical but at the same time kind of disappointing with the American skier Bode Miller, the controversy where all these people working all their life to get to a certain point and then he supposedly was seen out at the bars drinking whiskey and what not before his event, and he screwed up. I thought that was kind of funny

11. Research Results • Storytelling • Shaun White • I just remember watching the winter Olympics, the last winter Olympics. Watching Shaun White, the snowboarder. He fell on his first run, and he needed a phenomenal last run to be in contention for any kind of medal. He had, there’s a perfect run, and he had it. I’m just thinking about how big these winter sports are getting. Five years ago you would never even hear about them and now they’re becoming more mainstream

12. Research Results • Storytelling • General • I remember watching the winter Olympics with my husband. Just being completely amazed at what they’re able to do. Watching them use their vibes, they’re just tremendous athletes. It was good because it was an opportunity to spend time with your family watching something that you enjoy, that you’d like to be able to do but can’t …and you see how much they work for their whole lives and to be able to share that with the world

13. Research Results • Word Association Summary – People • Shaun White – stand up guy, red hair, great snowboarder, gold medal • Bode Miller – disappointing, upsetting, loudmouth, over hyped • Picabo Street – talented, courageous, Chapstick • Phil Mahre – older Olympian skier but most don’t remember him • Jonny Moseley – many have heard of him but don’t really know him • Danny Kass – most do not know him, a few think he is talented

14. Research Results • Word Association Summary – People • Jeremy Bloom – two sport player mentioned but nothing more • Ted Ligety – no one knows who he is • Julia Mancuso – no one knows who she is • Gretchen Bleiler – no one really knows who she is • Seth Westcott – no one knows who he is • Hanna Teter – no one knows who she is

15. Research Results • Word Association Summary – Activities • Alpine Ski Racing – fast, awesome, scary • Cross Country Skiing – hard work, takes determination, boring • Freestyle Skiing – exciting, fun, dare devilish, innovative • Snowboarding – dangerous, gutsy, difficult

16. Research Results • Word Association Summary – Activities • Halfpipe – entertaining, exciting, tricks • Women’s Ski Jumping – so fun, exciting, impressive • Snowboardcross – most don’t know what it is but might like to watch • Skiercross – most have no idea what it is

17. Research Results • Word Association Summary – Events • Snowboard Grand Prix – a few say exciting, many tricks, professional but most do not know much • Alpine World Cup – fun to watch, competitive, enjoyable but remains unclear to most

18. Research Results • Word Association Summary – Events • 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver – can’t wait to watch, would love to go, exciting, not too far away • Torino, Italy – best of the best, prior Olympics, beautiful city

19. Research Results • Word Association Summary – Organizations • U.S. Ski Team – disappointment, pride, achieving, over hyped • U.S. Snowboarding – exciting, good team, bringing the sport to public, very young and fun • National Governing Body for Olympic skiing & snowboarding – not much recognition but serious, bureaucratic, strict

20. Research Results • Word Association Summary – Goal • Gold Medal – highest achievement, the best, top dog, what you yearn for

21. Research Results • Word Association People Findings • Bode Miller has a poor reputation and has cast a shadow on the U.S. Ski Team’s performance in the recent Olympics • Shaun White has a great reputation and has elevated snowboarding as an Olympic event • Jonny Moseley, Danny Kass, Jeremy Bloom, Ted Ligety, Julia Mancuso, Gretchen Bleiler, Seth Westcott and Hanna Teter are outstanding USSA athletes who are virtually unknown to the public

22. Research Results • Word Association Organization Findings • U.S. Ski Team – Mixed feelings of disappointment and achievement • U.S. Snowboarding – Exciting, very positive and on the rise in people’s minds

23. Research Results • When you think of the US Ski Team, what is the first thing that comes to mind? • Some positives: • Prestige, talent, and strong representatives • Hard working • Family commitment to participate in something like that • Fun to watch • Getting better

24. Research Results • When you think of the US Ski Team, what is the first thing that comes to mind? • Some positives: • A lot of training • Best of the best • Higher ranked • Team players • Proud team • It’s exciting to watch

25. Research Results • When you think of the US Ski Team, what is the first thing that comes to mind? • Some negatives: • Not very many medals • Overrated • Disappointed • Racing, world class, injuries and inconsistent performance, professionals that are paid • Underachieving

26. Research Results • When you think of the US Ski Team, what is the first thing that comes to mind? • Some negatives: • Grazing • Should do better for as many mountains as we have • Struggling • Inconsistent • Need improvement • Disappointing last Olympics

27. Research Results • When you think of US Snowboarding, what is the first thing that comes to mind? • All Positives • Entertaining • Fun to watch • Exciting • They’re the best • Up and coming • Dominating • Original, because they were some of the first • Exceptional

28. Research Results • Athlete Recognition • Show photos of athletes one at a time - How many of you recognize this athlete? Don’t say you do when you don’t. (Count) This athlete’s name is (NAME). Please fill out questionnaire if you recognize this athlete by picture or name. • Athletes shown in this order: Hannah Teter, Lindsey Jacobellis, Ted Ligety, Shaun White, Julia Mancuso, Gretchen Bleiler, Bode Miller, Seth Westcott

29. Research Results • Questionnaire: -1 2 3 4 5+ • I don’t like this athlete/Like • This athlete does not perform to his/her ability/Does perform • This athlete is not a very good person/Is • I do not enjoy watching this athlete perform/I enjoy

30. Research Results • Recognize Athlete • Most respondents could not recognize the athletes except for Shaun White and Bode Miller

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32. Research Results • Percent Evaluation • Most participants felt they could not evaluate the athletes except for Shaun White and Bode Miller

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35. Research Results • Hearing the name helped most participants to be able to evaluate the athlete • Clearly Shaun White is an athlete most people recognize, like, believe performs to his ability, is viewed as a good person and is enjoyable to watch as he performs • Clearly Bode Miller is recognized but viewed as just the opposite from Shaun White. He is evaluated especially low on performing up to his ability

36. Research Results • Olympic Athlete Attitude Form Results • Prior to the '06 Olympics, how did you feel about U.S. Ski Team athletes? Would you say you were: • very positive – 16% • positive – 54% • neutral – 28% • negative – 2% • very negative – 0%

37. Research Results • Olympic Athlete Attitude Form Results • After the '06 Olympics, how did you feel about U.S. Ski Team athletes? Would you say you were: • very positive – 4% • positive – 40% • neutral – 28% • negative – 26% • very negative – 2%

38. Research Results • Olympic Athlete Attitude Form Results • Before the Olympics most participants were positive about the U.S. Ski Team athletes (70%) • 28% were neutral and only 2% were negative • After the Olympics just 44% were positive • 28% were neutral and 28% were negative about the U.S. Ski Team athletes

39. Research Results • Olympic Athlete Attitude Form Results • Prior to the '06 Olympics, how did you feel about U.S. Snowboarding athletes? Would you say you were: • very positive – 30% • positive – 36% • neutral – 34% • negative – 0% • very negative – 0%

40. Research Results • Olympic Athlete Attitude Form Results • After the '06 Olympics, how did you feel about the U.S. Snowboarding athletes? Would you say you were: • very positive – 52% • positive – 38% • neutral – 10% • negative – 0% • very negative – 0%

41. Research Results • Olympic Athlete Attitude Form Results • Before the Olympics most participants were positive about U.S. Snowboarding athletes (66%) • 34% were neutral and no one was negative • After the Olympics 90% were positive • Only 10% were neutral and no one was negative about the U.S. Snowboarding athletes

42. Research Results • Ski Team Comments: • Before: The anticipation. Well, they should have done very well. I was looking forward to it • After: Disappointed. I think you were excited prior and you thought they would do well, and they were kind of slacking like they didn’t train enough or were too confident

43. Research Results • Snowboard Team Comments: • Before & After: I was fully expecting them to win, and they did • The wicked part of it was when the Flying Tomato guy has won everything, he always wins and you thought he’d be ‘Eh, I won again’ but when he won his gold medal he was crying and going crazy and hugging his family and going nuts and it was good to show that the Olympics mean more than just, obviously they mean more, but I didn’t know they’d break down like that and it’s the real deal

44. Research Results • Benefit Hierarchy • What is the most important or primary benefit you receive personally from watching a premier skiing or snowboarding event on TV or in person • Benefits are in their own words emotionally linked in hierarchical order

45. Research Results • Benefit Hierarchy • Factors – No order implied • Self Improvement • Social Improvement • More Productive Life • American Pride • Family Relationships • Happiness

46. Research Results • Self Improvement • Entertainment - watching world class skiers/boarders • Watching new techniques and skills • Try new things and learn • Improve and challenge myself

47. Research Results • Self Improvement • Gives me more exposure to winter sports I didn’t know much about • Raises my interest level to try myself - keeps me active and competitive in winter months • Keeps me in good physical condition • Raises and stimulates my mental awareness

48. Research Results • Self Improvement • Gives me a sense of pride • Makes me feel better about the world • Gives me a sense that goals can be accomplished • Allows me to try harder when things are tough • Helps me accomplish my goals

49. Research Results • Social Improvement • Allows me to enjoy something other than the mainstream sports • Gives me an opportunity to see something special I wouldn’t have seen before • I can share the experience with friends and family

50. Research Results • Social Improvement • Entertains and amazes me • Drives me to do more unique things • Makes me a more well-rounded person • Gives me better stories to tell • More socially entertaining