Earth to Tampa: Astronaut just a marketing ploy
Some NHL teams have fans who dress up in interesting costumes for games, and it seemed Tampa Bay might have joined those ranks as an astronaut started to appear at games toward the end of the regular season and in the playoffs.
But according to Yahoo! Sports, the astronaut is no fan; it's simply a marketing ploy by Malektronic, a Bluetooth speaker manufacturer based in Tampa. The CEO of the company, Ben Malek, told Sports Business Journal that the astronaut is meant to draw interest in the company.
"We don’t want it to be too commercial," Malek told Sports Business Journal. "I think it’s one of those viral things. … People will start asking questions, and that’s when it will come more to light. I think it’s more of an organic growth rather than being a straight-out ad."
According to Yahoo!, the astronaut caught on as far as the Lightning are concerned, and the team is nearing a deal with the company for a sponsorship for next season.
(h/t Yahoo! Sports)
Photo by AP Photo/Chris O'Meara
