Technology in Sport: Golf

Did anyone catch the new IBM commercial that aired during the Masters coverage that demonstrated the impact that technology will have on one's television viewing experience of golf? It was incredible. I am trying to track down the commercial footage as we speak. If anyone has any insights, please send them to bgainor@hotmail.com. Thanks!

Read Up On What Is Taking Place in Dubai...

If you haven't read up on Dubai's recent efforts to become the sports tourism capital of the world, the following article and video should peak your interest. Sponsors, leagues, and teams alike should begin to make greater efforts to understand opportunities that exist across the globe...   

Sports Paradise by Jim Caple (ESPN.com) 

The following video shows the world's highest tennis court, located in Burj Al Arab. The court stands 690 feet in the air and doubles as a landing pad when tennis matches aren't being played. Andre Agassi is featured in the video describing the qualities of the venue.

Tennis
Uploaded by reelgood0008

What Are The Talents of Your Fanbase?

Have you considered running a promotion on your team's website that gauges the talents and skills of your fans? The clip enclosed below should open your eyes to the fact that there are many different ways that you can leverage the talents of your fans to show additional value to your ticket holders (i.e. if the Brewers featured this incredible LEGO display on-site)...

The Starbucks Philosophy on Customer Service

BusinessWeek (4.21.08) featured a great writeup on the philosophies of Howard Schulz, who is leading the revival of the Starbucks brand across the globe. In the article, Schultz made a great comment that I wanted to share because it is has applications for all organizations aspiring to offer exceptional customer service for their fans:

"The job of every retailer and every merchant is to put yourself in the shoes of the customer and ask yourself: Are you exceeding their expectations? That's what you have to do as a business." - Howard Schultz, Starbucks

Leverage Music Partnerships...

Everyone loves music, there's no question about it. As a sports marketer, have you considered the fact that many sports fans would love to know what their favorite players, coaches, and team personnel are listing to?

The Phoenix Coyotes have capitalized on this notion with "Coyotes Trax", an online initiative that allows fans to purchase their favorite Coyotes' playlists or individual songs at the iTunes store. Coyote fans can also purchase a wide range of music that players listen to in the locker room before going out on the ice. The Coyotes offer a direct link to the iTunes website for fans looking to download music.

With Coyotes Trax, the Phoenix Coyotes have developed an excellent way to leverage music/electronic partnerships. Soon, we may see a number of organizations that have working relationships with iTunes to offer such services. I wouldn't be suprised to see new relationships formed between teams/University athletic departments and music companies, online music sharing companies, and different companies touting electronic products (i.e. iPod, mp3, disk drives, etc.)

Fan Loyalty Cards!

The Anaheim Ducks have implemented one of the greatest initiatives in sports... Fan Loyalty Cards.

The Ducks distribute Fan Loyalty Cards to all of their season ticket holders and suite holders - the cards provide users with discounts at retail locations of select corporate partners as well as the Anaheim Ducks team store. The Ducks drive web traffic by posting "new discounts" throughout the year for their loyal ticket holders. The cards are valid for a calendar year (expiring September 1, 2008).

Some current discounts for season ticket holders include:

• 20% off AT&T accessories
• $10 discount when joining the Auto Club of Southern California
• $10 game card with the purchase of an entree at ESPN Zone
• 10% off all orders at First Class Pizza
• $5 off any purchase of $50 or more at any Discount Dance location
• Free $10 Game Play with the purchase of a $10 Game Play at Dave & Busters
• 10% discount on parts, service, and accessories at select Honda locations
• 10% Hugo Boss products at select retail locations
• Buy 1 Combo, Get 1 Free at select Weinerschnitzel locations

Take Steps to Value Your Corporate Partners

Where would your organization/University athletic department be without your corporate pillar partners? In this day and age, corporate investment is a critical part to team success. Yet, if this statement is so true, why don't more organizations take greater steps to value their corporate partners?

Consider benchmarking the practices of the Chicago Bears corporate partnerships department, an organization that clearly "gets it". The Bears:

• Feature a "Partners" scrolling tab on their main webpage, which features their major corporate partner initiatives (Bears Extra Points, Miller Lite Party Deck)
• Teams should even consider placing the "Partners" link under their "Team" scrolling tab on the main website. This demonstrates how highly your organization values their partnership commitment
• Feature a Misson Statement on the organization's "Partners" site
• Every organization should look to develop a similar tactic; demonstrate to potential partners that you value their commitment and will work to develop exceptional service to achieve outset goals/objectives
• Offer a direct contact (name, email, phone, address) for potential partners to inquire about how a partnership can help grow their business
• Too often, organizations fail to provide prospective partners with a direct person to contact (listing a general email/phone number). No prospective partner wants to inquire through a general email/phone number. Dedicate a member of your corporate services staff to handle all incoming requests using their contact information on the website 
• Show a clear listing of sponsors (with messaging and direct links), and ongoing promotions under a "Hall of Fame Partners" or "Premier Partners" moniker

Have You Considered Player Internships?

Are you looking to keep your organization's players out of trouble and likewise generate some quality PR? Are you looking to develop career opportunities for your players after they are done competing?

The Indianapolis Colts feature a link on their team webpage that is dedicated to finding internships for their players during the off-season. The "Player Internship" webpage copy reads:

"As part of an ongoing program to enhance their lives and post-football career opportunities, the Indianapolis Colts are always seeking off-season professional internship opportunities for their players. If your organization can provide such opportunities, the Colts would welcome the opportunity to work with you in an area mutually beneficial to the Colts, to your business and to Colts players."

The site goes on to list the contact information for Steve Champlin, Director of Player Development, and asks prospective employers to provide their contact information and a brief summary of the role.

This is a great example of a unique initiative implemented by one of the finest organizations in the NFL!

Please provide employer name, contact and a brief summary of the role.

Target Out-of-Town Fans!

Are you looking to target fans outside of your team's local market? Consider benchmarking the online tool that the New York Jets created for their fans across the globe.

The New York Jets feature an online portal called Out of Town Jets Fans. The online tool is so simple, yet it provides a very effective way for the Jets to connect their fans and increase their affinity for the organization.

The Out of Town Jets Fans is a user-friendly spreadsheet tool that lists:

• Bar/Restaurant Location
• Address
• City
• Phone
• Specials

Users can post their own fan club pages, access existing fan pages, and update new bar listings. Users can search by state listings. This is a great tool to stay connected with fans out-of-market!

Sponsorship Review... Miller Park

I had the privilege of attending the Milwaukee Brewers - Cincinnati Reds game at Miller Park on Tuesday. The game atmosphere at Miller Park was great. To capture the event, I created a detailed sponsorship recap which I posted on the Partnership Ideas section of PartnershipActivation.com. Click here for the entire recap.

Enclosed below is a video of the infamous Klemster's Sausage Race from our seats at the park... One of the best in-game promotions in all of sports!

Taco Bell Ties Rewards to In-Game Occurences!

Teams looking to drive in-game fan excitement should consider creating promotions tied to team performance. Taco Bell has done a very effective job creating promotions based on in-game occurences. In 2007, Taco Bell offered a "Steal a Base, Steal a Taco" promotion that rewarded consumers across the nation with a free taco when Jacoby Ellsbury stole a base during Game 2 of the World Series. I posted a few clips in the Video Vault that detail Taco Bell's activation around this event.

Taco Bell has also run a promotion at multiple properties that rewards all fans in attendance with a free taco when the team scores "X" points. Below, I have enclosed a clip that demonstrates Cleveland Cavalier fans chanting "Cha-Lu'Pa" in eager anticipation of the team scoring 100 points.

Sharing The Experience With "Time Share" Tickets

The Dallas Cowboys recently announced that they will become the first team in the NFL to allow groups to share tickets. The Cowboys are slated to implement a system that enables a group of people to purchase a single ticket, and once inside the stadium, the group can take turns going into the game.

It is rumored that the Cowboys could allow 20,000 fans to buy tickets to standing-room-only party plazas outside each end zone where the game will be featured on digital screens (this would be an interesting strategy to drive game and site attendance for the Super Bowl, etc.

Could this be a new wave in team ticketing strategies?

Let Fans Shoot It Out for Charity!

In 2007, the Boston Celtics created "The Shamrock Shootout", an incredible event that allows participants the rare opportunity to shoot on the TD Banknorth Garden floor and compete for a chance to play against an All-Star team of Celtics legends in a halftime event. The best part? All money through the event benefits the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation. In 2007 alone, the team raised $250,000+ through the event.

How does the Shamrock Shootout work?

The Boston Celtics enable thirty-two (32) teams of five (5) participants the chance to test their basketball skills through an on-court competition:

• All five (5) team members have 45 seconds each to shoot five (5) basketballs from four (4) racks , for a possible score of 44
• Four (4) ball racks are placed at four designations: layup, free throw, foul line exended, and the three-point line
• The foul line extended and three-point line shots each have a "money ball" shot (4 points and 5 points respectively)
• All five (5) balls from each rack must be shot before advancing; the top 50% of teams advance to the next round 

Registrants can either select to enter with a VIP Parquet Package ($10,000 donation) or a Sharp Shooters Package ($5,000 donation) - each have a range of benefits. The Celtics are also offering a "Play-In" event for teams to compete with a donation commitment of $1,000.

Prizes for the First Place Winning Team Include:

• The chance to compete at halftime during the Celtics-Hawks game
• The chance to "Travel with the Team" for a 2008-09 away game
• Recognition and a photograph in the Boston Globe
• Pre-game courtside seats plus a picture at center court
• Premium tickets to watch the Celtics-Hawks game
• 2008 adidas warmups

This is an incredible event that should serve as a benchmark for all organizations/University athletic departments looking to develop an event to raise money.

See a clip of the 2007 Shamrock Shootout event below:

Selling "The Bank Shot"

Are you an NBA organization or University athletic department looking for ways to activate partnerships with banks and financial institutions? Take a page out of the New York Knicks' playbook by selling the "Bank Shot".

The New York Knicks are currently featuring the "HSBC Bank Shot", a promotion that rewards a select contestant for "banking their shot in".  The HSBC promotion features a selected contestant who has the opportunity to shoot three (3) free throws - if they can make just one (1), they receive the chance to take a three-point shot for $10,000. If the contestant banks the shot in, he/she wins $15,000!

Organizations and athletic departments can take the Knick's concept of "The Bank Shot" and alter it to meet their own objectives to drive fan awareness in-venue. Some ideas for "The Bank Shot" include:

• Contestant needs to "bank in" a shot from mid-court to win $10,000
• Teams/organizations can set up five ball racks around the court. For each "bank shot" a contestant makes using balls off the rack in :30, they can win $100. Teams can feature a green "Moneyball" on each rack that contestants can "bank in" for twice the value

Create B2B Opportunities for Your Ticket Holders!

Are you looking to show season ticket holders incremental value? Are you looking to do so at a minimal cost? The New York Knicks may have the answer for you...

The New York Knicks created a "Business Alliance" for season ticket holders, and online forum that enables season ticket holders to post information about their business (Business Name, Contact Information, Address. Phone/Email, Website). The Knicks Business Alliance was designed to drive fellow season ticket holders and fans of the NBA to season ticket holders' place of business. The Knicks claim that the season ticket holder B2B directory will provide incremental value to all season ticket holders by providing discounts to local businesses. The Knicks send a printed guidebook (containing all B2B information) to all season subscribers.

Developing a "Business Alliance" is a great opportunity to show season ticket holders incremental value at minimal cost. The Knicks drive business for their season ticket holders, learn more about their businesses, and possibly open up the door for integration opportunities. This would be a great idea for University athletic departments to show incremental value to large donors and/or local businesses. Teams/organizations can support this online business forum through a partnership with CareerBuilder.com/GoDaddy.com/the Yellow Pages, executive hiring firms, etc.

Look for this practice to become implemented at organizations/Universities across the nation!

Generating Online Buzz...

When it comes to generating online buzz, does anyone do it better than Nike?

Here are two great clips that Nike created to drive online awareness and buzz for its soccer brands...

Ronaldinho Touches Gold

Rooney Strikes the Target

Need Help Driving Online Buzz for Your Brand?

Are you looking to create positive buzz around your brand/organization but lack the resources to do so? Have you exhausted all television, print, and radio efforts for promoting new ticket offers, initiatives, and team-related moves?

Here is a new option for you to consider:

Doe Anderson

I recently came across the services of Doe Anderson and was very impressed that such a company even exists. Doe Anderson is a company that prides itself on being "Building Brand Enthusiasts". The company features professional bloggers that build positive brand mantra on message boards, online discussions, and circulates positive awareness for your brand throughout the digital landscape. Doe Anderson did an incredible job enhancing Jim Beam's "Rally for Robby" campaign (supporting NASCAR driver Robby Gordon in '08) and appear to have an impressive client list:

• Wendy's, Valvoline, Umbro, Skoal, Papa Johns, Copenhagen, Maker's Mark, Louisville Slugger, etc.

I really like the idea of a team/organization outsourcing some of its marketing dollars to a company like Doe Anderson, among others, to build positive buzz in the social landscape. Why not put some of your dollars within the hands of professionals, who can take buzz building to another level in an area (the digital landscape) that you may not specialize in? Control systems would need to be implemented (to ensure that the correct messages are being relayed to consumers) but I think this would be a great trial-and-error move for an organization looking to drive messaging and awareness through the web.

NOTE: This article does not support Doe Anderson in any nature. The objective of the article is to simply to inform readers that Doe Anderson serves as an outlet for building brand buzz in the digital space.

How Are You Connected?

AT&T recently launched its "How Are You Connected" Team USA Sweepstakes that enables eight (8) consumers to win a trip for two (2) to the Beijing Olympics in August - the trip includes airfare, hotel accomodations, tickets to marquee events, and a unique chance to meet some of America's finest Olympians.

How are consumers eligible to win?

From April 1st to May 30th, consumers can register for a chance to win on http://www.att.com and/or text TeamUSA to 2008 from their AT&T wireless device. Participants can win by registering once per day and have an opportunity to earn a bonus entry by submitting an essay, uploading a photo, or posting a video with a short description of how they are connected to TeamUSA hopefuls on the AT&T website. One grand prize winner is recognized during each of the eight (8) weeks of the campaign.

Smaller promotional prizes include:

• Nintendo Wii consoles with "Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games" video game
• Team USA branded gear
• Autographed photos of Olympic Athletes

AT&T deems this the "ultimate once-in-a-lifetime, seemingly too-good-to-be-true-experience" - I wouldn't go that far... You might classify that as Buick's recent promotion dangling a chance to have Tiger Woods serve as your caddy. But this unique, high-rewards promotion does demonstrate AT&T's commitment to activate its Olympics corporate partnership. In total, AT&T spent nearly $172MM of its overall $805MM advertising budget on sports advertising (21.4%).

Outside of AT&T, who else is sponsoring the Olympics?

Worldwide Olympic Partners include: Coca-Cola, Atos Origin, GE, Johnson & Johnson, Kodak, Lenovo, Manulife, Mcdonalds, Omega, Panasonic, Samsung, and VISA

Beijing 2008 Partners include: Bank of China, CNC, Sinopec, CNPC, China Mobile, Volkswagen, Adidas, Johnson & Johnson, Air China, PICC, and State Grid (These partners pay $100MM+ to use the Olympic marks in China)

Sponsors include: UPS, Haier, Budweiser, Sohu.com, Tsingtao, Yanjing Beer, BHP Billiton

Exclusive Suppliers include: Staples, Schenker Logistics, etc.

BUT CAN YOU SAY CLUTTER? It is hard to maintain exclusivity when there is this much sponsor activity...

In total, sponsors have paid a total of $1.5BN in support of the Olympics...

Looking to Target HS Athletes and Their Families?

As a property sales rep or corporate sponsor, you may be targeting high school consumers and their families for a number of different reasons:

PROPERTIES

• Group Sales (targeting teams, local area athletes, etc.)
• Low-Cost Single Game Ticket Sales
• Driving Younger Fanbase
• Drafting/Recruiting (NHL, etc.) 

CORPORATE SPONSORS

• Platforms/programs designed to target high school consumers
• Product Trial / Awareness

It really is no suprise that this demographic is targeted by a number of different parties... Why? Because they are so elusive - teen consumers use a variety of different mediums for entertainment/information purposes (Internet, Television, iPod/iPhone, Radio, Print, mp3, YouTube, etc.) and they are very conscious of which companies are selling to them versus who ARE them.

So, what is a new platform that you can use to target these individuals?

beRecruited.com

Founded in 2000, beRecruited.com is an online community that features 175,000 HS athlete profiles (representing 14,000 high schools) registered on the site promoting themselves. beRecruited.com claims to have at least one person registered on the site from approximately 70% of the 20,000 high schools across the United States. 

beRecruited.com and its partner website, http://teams.berecruited.com offer virtual networking environments for HS players and coaches to promote themselves. The site breaks down athletes by state and enables users to set up profiles where they can share stats, photos, and videos - the site currently supports 18 different HS sports.

States with the most users include:

• California (6,207 profiles), Texas, New York, Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio (St. Ignatius Boys High School is the #1 school represented on beRecruited Teams), Illinois, Michigan, Georgia, New Jersey

The site does account for advertising, yet it's corporate partners page is not too extensive. However, this platform can easily expand with the growth of social media and technology use amongst consumers. If Facebook or Myspace were to develop a similar application to this, beRecruited.com would be in trouble (since those two social networking platforms already have an extensive user base) but for the time being, this is a great concept. This online communuty could turn into a very powerful platform for properties looking to target this segment. While the site is still in the early stages of development, sports property representatives and corporate partners may want to consider this while the iron is hot.

NOTE: This article does not support beRecruited.com in any nature. The objective of the article is to simply to inform readers that this web community exists, among a number of opportunities, to target HS consumers. 

Build-A-Bear UPDATE!

A week ago I mentioned the recent publicity surrounding Webkinz and Build-A-Bear, two (2) companies who have built successful business models around the growing use of technology among America's youth. Yesterday, Build-A-Bear announced its emerging presence in Major League Baseball.

As of Opening Day, Build-A-Bear will feature five (5) in-stadium workshop locations and is slated to offer an exclusive game day giveaway at eight (8) select ballparks during the 2008 season. Consumers can purchase Build-A-Bear stuffed animals for $18-$25 and MLB outfits for an additional $6-$15 in-stadium.

In 2008, Build-A-Bear is featuring Workshops in the following MLB Stadiums:

• Citizens Bank Park (Philadelphia, PA)
  • Offering fans the chance to make their own Phanatic
• Great American Ball Park (Cincinnati, OH)
  • Offering fans the chance to make their own Gapper
• AT&T Park (San Francisco, CA)
  • Offering fans the chance to make their own San Francisco Giants mascot
• Busch Stadium (St. Louis, MO)
  • Offering fans the chance to make their own Fredbird
• Nationals Park (Washington, DC)
  • Offering fans the chance to make their own Screech

Build-A-Bear will provide exclusive game day giveaways at the following ballparks on select days:

• Chicago Cubs (Saturday, May 17th and Friday, July 25th)
• New York Mets (Saturday, July 12th)
• St. Louis Cardinals (Saturday, August 3rd)
• Cincinnati Reds (Saturday, August 10th)
• Kansas City Royals (Sunday, June 1st)
• Pittsburgh Pirates (Saturday, July 27th)
• Los Angeles Dodgers (Sunday, August 3rd)
• Florida Marlins (Sunday, August 31st)

Watch out for Build-A-Bears...This simple product offering could easily evolve into the next Beanie Baby craze!