There’s no escaping the national wildfire known as Pokemon Go.
The mobile game, based on the original Nintendo games, cards and TV shows, is an augmented reality experience widely accessible to those in the United States. Long story short, trainers hunt down Pokemon and visit shops and gyms in real-life locales. It’s the biggest mobile game in U.S. history, per Forbes.
The NHL has fully embraced the game. Take a look at a promotion by the Anaheim Ducks:
#GottaCatchEmAll – even inside the Team Store! Open #PokemonGo, snap a at the Pokéstop & get a free scarf! pic.twitter.com/6b1Xh5cxwO
— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) July 11, 2016
Fans have already asked the Columbus Blue Jackets about their locales:
@TheRealCapeezy the cannon, IH, box office & tower are!
— ColumbusBlueJackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) July 11, 2016
The Buffalo Sabres chimed in, too:
@BlueJacketsNHL @TheRealCapeezy our arena is too but we have pokestops nearby
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) July 11, 2016
Heck, even the Detroit Red Wings got in on the action—by accident (well, maybe):
UPDATE: The Detroit #RedWings today re-signed RW Teemu Pokémon to a one-year contract: https://t.co/5krS3tHNqa pic.twitter.com/E5EKDGWbon
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) July 13, 2016
The Blue Jackets were quick to call out the error:
.@DetroitRedWings what’s his CP rating
— ColumbusBlueJackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) July 13, 2016
For those curious, they signed Teamu Pulkkinen.
What’s interesting now is how other teams might run promotions for their fans. It sounds wild, but a Pokemon Go promotion might boost attendance. Laugh away, but the craze is real.
Expect the NBA and NFL to come to the Pokemon Go table next.