Case Study: Vegas Golden Knights

Ricoh helps the Vegas Golden Knights Skate to Success with an Official Partnership and State-of-The-Art Technology

About the customer

The Vegas Golden Knights NHL team entered the professional ice hockey world in 2017 as an official member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference. They challenge rivals at home in the T-Mobile Arena on the Las Vegas strip and on the road. As a start-up expansion team, the Vegas Golden Knights built everything from scratch — a new arena and practice facilities — that all needed to be equipped with technology that enabled the coaches and team to focus on winning and the corporate support staff to work smart behind the scenes.

"Working with Ricoh has been wonderful — I wouldn't use any other group. When we need something, they get it done."
George Guevara
IT Director
Vegas Golden Knights

Challenge

Complexities of starting a professional sports team
Need for technology to share information, work smarter
Desire to make back-office operations seamless
Scoring a partner for technology and expertise

Starting a professional sports team is no small task and back-end processes play a huge part in driving success. With the plan to build a state-of-the-art stadium and practice facilities, the Vegas Golden Knights wanted equally state-of-the-art technology. The team, coaches and support staff needed to intelligently share information and work smarter. They also needed technology that empowered them to maintain their focus on the team, winning games and satisfying fans — not spending time on frustrating back-office issues.

The Vegas Golden Knights' IT Director was very familiar with Ricoh's technology, having relied on our solutions in his role overseeing IT at one of the team owner's other business ventures. He had his sights set on replicating the reliability, productivity and efficiency he previously experienced in his new role directing technology for the Vegas Golden Knights.

He knew Ricoh had experience helping new businesses thrive and grow. He also knew Ricoh was adept at making technology work for other high-profile professional sports teams — on game day and every day in-between. The Knights' team leaders had total trust in us and wanted to leverage an official partnership going forward in new and exciting ways.

Results

Smooth start-up, ongoing success
Efficient, productive team support
Seamless back-end office operations
Trusted partnership for ongoing innovation

The Vegas Golden Knights got off to an exceptionally smooth start in their first season, skating to success with a brand-new arena, practice facility and corporate office equipped with state-of-the-art technology. In fact, the team even made it to the Stanley Cup Finals the first year — a feat no other expansion team had achieved since 1968.

The office technology installed in the corporate office helps the team's behind-the-scenes staff work smarter — unencumbered by back-office issues. In turn, the organization can focus on what's most important: supporting the team.

The Vegas Golden Knights are now exploring more of Ricoh's technology offerings, given their stellar experience during the first three years of the partnership. Team leaders have total trust in Ricoh and intend to leverage the official partnership going forward.

How we did it

"Ricoh truly understands what an organization like ours needs to succeed."

- George Guevara, IT Director, Vegas Golden Knights

Became an official technology partner to the Vegas Golden Knights
Provided MFPs and projectors for the inaugural season
Printed business collateral offsite
Proposed new technologies and services to increase productivity and efficiency

The Vegas Golden Knights approached Ricoh about becoming an official technology partner even before they had a team — while the stadium was still being built. Ricoh was eager to sign on to provide a range of technology that would help the organization run seamlessly to kick off its inaugural season.

Prior to the start of the first season, we initially installed approximately 50 MFPs throughout the practice facility and corporate office and provided a fleet of projectors for conference rooms to help the Vegas Golden Knights organization work smarter. We also assumed responsibility for printing their business cards, letterhead and envelopes at our off-site Ricoh production print facility.

Now in its 3rd season, the Vegas Golden Knights' leadership team is looking for additional innovative technologies to make the organization even more productive and efficient. We've proposed Customer Communications & Mail Services to streamline inbound and outbound mail, digital mail and the use of intelligent lockers for efficient, secure package delivery. We've suggested interactive flat panel displays (IFPDs) to assist in coaching and marketing presentations as well as light-weight short throw projectors for recruiters who travel. Planning also includes an on-site store with online employee ordering that will be run by Ricoh staff to print marketing materials quickly and bring business collateral printing in-house. In addition, we've discussed adding a production print unit on-site to print large-volume, color jobs for ticket holder promotions.

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