Score with Soccer Net Branding...

Are you looking for a unique way to separate your brand in the soccer and hockey space? Are you looking to capitalize on branding successes from relative sports?

In recent years, Allstate has captured significant attention in the collegiate space with its branded field goal nets. Through the creative branding initiative, Allstate effectively portrayed its “Your in Good Hands with Allstate” messaging when field goals were kicked through the uprights and into the Allstate hands.

As consumer awareness grew for this unique branding tactic, competitors within the insurance category raced to brand similar performance-level assets that garner high media impressions (e.g. State Farm branding the basketball hoop arm at many Universities).

But when will this creative tactic be introduced in the soccer space, particularly in Major League Soccer and the Premiership? Brands looking to separate themselves from the rest of the pack within these leagues should consider asking for and implementing such a tactic that can provide considerable media impressions, especially during the penalty kick stage of premier events.

Per the direction of the league and/or teams, soccer net branding can either face in (facing the action captured on television) or face out (as shown above), capturing the attention of fans seated behind the goal (but it would have to be in a non-intrusive manner).

Here are some ways that brands can benefit from soccer net branding:

Brand Awareness

• Target – The mass retailer could brand the four corners of the net with its signature logo. The “Target logos” would appear to be targets for the shooter (in this case, the net could be branded or the logos could be artificially put in (similar to the first down line in the NFL)
• Other potential brands could include: Allstate (and companies withlogos that also are applicable), Mastercard,etc.

Product Trial & Promotion

• A beverage/product company can brand all four (4) corners of the net and offer a promotion where all consumers in attendance will win a free XXX if a player on the home team hits one of the targets during regulation. The provider can also make the branding consumer-facing by offering similar nets with brand targets setup throughout the concourse and interactive levels.

Retail Traffic and Sales Drivers

• Retailers and QSR’s can set up tournament-long promotions offering a free XXX or discount off purchase every time a select player (e.g. David Beckham) scores a penalty kick goal that appears to hit one of the targets. This type of promotion will drive incremental interest throughout tournament play, which can extend over a lengthy period.

Targeting Young Consumers?

Are your corporate partners targeting teens, young adults, and college consumers? Are you looking to provide your partners with vital consumer behavior information on young consumers that will help guide their sports strategy?

Here are a few interesting nuggets of information on young adults:

Video Game Purchases/Activity (Source: Brands Increasingly View Videogame Placement as Viable Ad Platform. Youth Markets Alert, 7.15.08)

• 75% of teens own at least one console or portable gaming system and intend to purchase 3.1 games in 2008 (up from 2.5 games in 2007)
• Teens want video games to mirror their real world environment, so they expect to see brand placement 

• Note: The cost of entry for Videogame integration can range from a couple hundred thousand dollars (i.e. billboard ads in-game) to $3-$4MM (customized games, static immersion)       

Translation: Video gaming is a booming industry that provides marketers with an engagement medium where consumers are receptive to advertising. Marketers must get in early before demand drives prices high. 

Mobile Marketing (Source: Mobile Marketing Partnership Targets Urban Multicultural Youth. Youth Markets Alert, 7.15.08)

• 20% of young urban multiculturals say they contact 50 people by text message every day, compared to 1% of non-urban Americans
• African Americans, Hispanics, and Asian consumers are more likely than Caucasians to buy products using mobile texting (e.g. text "food" to 1234 to order pizza). Caucasian consumers tend to purchase either by visiting a company's website via their mobile phone or by using a traditional computer
• 56% of teens are receptive to cell phone advertising if they get something in return (in comparison to 37% of adults)
• Cash is the most preferred incentive among teens (70%), entertainment-related downloads ranks second (61%), free music ranks third (57%), and complimentary minutes ranks fourth (53%)  
• Teens prefer to receive ads via text messaging (64%) or picture images (47%)
• 70% of teens are interested in receiving sports, entertainment, and travel mobile ads (in comparison to 46% of adults) - this is the highest category among teens

Translation: Mobile advertising is an extremely effective medium for engaging young adults; however, marketers must be aware of the cultural differences (target text redemption at minorities; target online/mobile redemption at Caucasian young adults). Marketers can develop highly effective programs by offering reimbursement for the time and attention of our targeted consumers.

Financial Interests / Payment Processes (Source: College Kids Most Likely to Buy Products Using Debit Cards. Youth Markets Alert, 7.15.08)

• 72% of college students say they are "likely or very likely" to use a debit card while making a purchase, according to a study conducted by online bank Higher One (In comparison, just 16% use credit cards)
• 70% of college students go online to check account balances at least once per week; 33% check daily
• 22% of college students own stocks, bonds, mutual funds, or money market accounts
• Students take charge of their own finances at an average age of 18.8 years

Translation: Gear financial programs targeting college students are debit card usage and create unique ways to integrate offerings into online banking

Gift Cards (Source: Teens Not As Eager to Use Gift Cards. Youth Markets Alert, 6.1.08)

• 52% of teens redeemed a gift card within one (1) month of receipt in Spring 2008, representing a decline from 2007 (Fall 2007 - 58%, Spring 2007 - 59%)
• 89% of teens redeem their gift cards within nine (9) months (87% within six (6) months, 77% within three (3) months)
• The top gift cards that teens prefer to get in Spring 2008 are: Mall gift card (10%), Hollister (8%), Best Buy (7%), Nordstrom (6%), Abercrombie & Fitch (4%), Target (4%), Forever 21 (4%), Wal-Mart (4%)

Translation: While demand for gift cards has shown a relative dropoff, the industry overall is still strong. Count on young adults redeeming gift cards in their possession, just not within the first six (6) months. Align gift card initiatives with brands that young adults perceive to be "cool" and "fashionable".

Travel (Source: College Kids Flee the Country. Youth Markets Alert, 6.1.08)

• 64% of college students have a valid passport (Note: College students are nearly twice as likely as the general population to have a passport)
• 89% of college students have traveled internationally at least once in the past five (5) years (24% have traveled internationally four (4) times or more in the past give (5) years)

Translation: Creating promotions that offer college students an international excursion or international trip with friends may not be a bad idea... They are more well-traveled than you might expect. Consider this when aligning with corporate partners like Orbitz, Expedia, and STA Travel.

Car Purchasing Decisions (Source: Factors in Car Purchasing Decisions, Then and Now. Youth Markets Alert, 7.1.08)

• Fuel efficiency and reliability are the two (2) factors that young adults aged 18-23 are most interested in when purchasing cars (Note: adults say that car appearance and style mattered most to them when purchasing their first car)
• Only four (4) percent of young adults say they care about the look and style for their first car
• The largest number of young adults (37%) plan to pay $10-25K for their first vehicle

Translation: Car makers know their brand and target market better than anyone. When you pitch a proposal or piece of signage, make sure that you realize the exact purchasing interests of consumers. Gear automobile promotions targeting young adults/college consumers around fuel efficiency and reliability; once the economy changes, these interests may also change.

 Print Interests While in College (Source: Print Still Rules on College Campuses. Youth Markets Alert, 7.1.08)

• 76% of students read their college newspaper at least once per month; only 20% have accessed their campus newspaper online during the same timeframe
• 50% of college students read at least three (3) issues per week; 30% read their college newspaper daily
• 53% of college students read their school's paper while on campus (just 29% read at home)
• 61% of college students tell friends about articles or promotions they see
• 78% of college students use coupons or promotional codes featured in their newspapers

Translation: Print remains an effective way to reach the college populous, especially if you can find creative ways to target this demographic through promotional offers, coupons, and promotional codes. There may not be a need to advertise daily, but it may be wise to invest enough to capture the attention of the "3-times-per-week" crowd.

Gas Purchases (Source: Teens are Charging Gas. Youth Markets Alert, 7.1.08)

• 69% of teens use credit cards to purchase gas (in comparison to 52% in 2007) - gas is the item most likely to be charged by teens
• 10% of teens use credit cards (approximately 15% say that their parents pay the bill)

Translation: Targeting teens at the pump is probably not a wise idea for sports marketers (since their parents foot the bill anyway), but if it is done, gear it around a credit card promotional program.

The Brewers Hit the Jackpot with Powerball...

Are you looking for an effective way to leverage a lottery partner?

The Milwaukee Brewers currently feature "The Powerball Home Run Leaderboard" on their team website. The interactive web feature enables Brewers fans to see the top five (5) home runs of the week and provides detailed information on the team's home run totals. The feature is unique in the way that it is presented (click through the link to see) to users on the Brewers' site. The team supports the online initiative with an effective banner ad campaign.

Are you looking to implement a similar tactic? Organizations in other sports leagues can consider pitching similar "Powerball" web tactics:

• Basketball Organization - Element displaying the top three (3) pointers of the week
• Tennis Organization - Element displaying the top five (5) serves/aces of the week
• Golf - Element displaying the top five (5) drives of the week
• Football - Element displaying the top five (5) field goals of the week

Can we please see a team install a large lotto element (lotto machine filled with balls) in-venue that posts HR totals/distance (similar to the C-IT-GO feature at Miller Park?). The element could be called "The Powerball Tracker". This would be an extremely popular feature that would resonate highly with consumers and would carry higher consumer recall than traditional wall signage.

Penske Offers Video Board Promotion for Fans...

Are you looking for a unique way to promote your brand in-venue? Are you searching for a way to incorporate fans into your messaging?

Penske Trucking is teaming up with the Green Bay Packers to offer the "Go Pack! Go Penske! Commercial Contest", a promotion that offers Packer fans the chance to win a suite experience with seventeen (17) of their frends...

Penske is asking all Packers fans to create a 22-second commecial that encompasses the following elements: 

• Describes the benefits of renting a truck with Penske Truck Rental
• Depicts a Penske rental truck (in any way, shape, or form)
• Depicts the wonder of living in Wisconsin & being a packer fan

Penske will select the seven (7) best commercials as semi-finalists for fans to judge on Packers.com. All video submissions are to be sent to Penske's Marketing Department (the address is included on the promotional page) for review.

One (1) lucky fan will win a suite experience at the Packers' December 28th home contest against the Detroit Lions with seventeen (17) of his/her friends. At the game, the winner will be recognized and the winning promotional spot will be featured during the game. The six (6) remaining semi-finalists will receive a $250 Packer Pro Shop gift certificate.

Scent Marketing in Sports... It Just Smells Right

Are you looking for new ways to engage consumers seated in your suites? Are you searching for new ways to deliver on consumer recognition/recall outside of visual awareness?

In the coming years, professional and collegiate organizations will begin considering the thought of using scent marketing to promote the products of their corporate partners to fans in-venue. But how?

Recently, a company called Cinescent has begun pumping out scents of products in European movie theaters. In the theater, consumers are shown a :60 clip of a typical beach scene with people lying in chairs, waves crashing onto the beaches and sea gulls flying above in the sky. While consumers watch and wonder what the ad is for, the scent of Nivea sun cream circulates through air conditioning vents within the venue, preceding an advertisement on the screen that features a Nivea logo alongside the words, "Nivea. The Scent of Summer."

What was the response and consumer recall?

Exit polls have revealed a 515% rise in consumer recall in comparison to moviegoers who were shown the same advertisement without the scent. The same ad, when combined with only a subliminal whiff of a scent, scored a 25% lift (What's That Smell in the Movie Theater? It's an Ad - Ad Age).

Does scent marketing pose a risk to consumers?

No. The scent is designed to cover other smells without being overpowering. By distributing smells through air vents, consumers are exposed to much finer molecules than methods where smells were distributed via boxes located amongst consumers.

What is the translation for sports marketers?

In the coming years, professional and collegiate organizations will begin entertaining the thought of using scent marketing to promote concessions and product offerings of their corporate partners to fans in-venue. But how?

Sports marketers can begin researching and considering implementing similar tactics throughout suite levels of stadiums and arenas. If air conditioning vents are connected and televisions are synched in each of the suites, sports marketers have the capability at their fingertips to provide their corporate partners with a new way to engage consumers seated in these areas. As more companies trial new scent technologies, sports marketers can begin discovering new ways to deliver value for partners across a number of categories:

• Automakers (i.e. featuring a silent ad of a car touring throughout the city and/or testing high speeds with the scent of a new car smell filtering in)
• Sun care providers (as shown above)
• Perfume/cologne providers
• Air freshener / detergent companies 
• Coffee blends
• Bread / Pastry / Donut companies
• Chocolate/confectionary companies
• Home Improvement companies (filtering in the smell of fresh cut grass)
• Restaurants (Upscale, casual dining, QSR chains)
• Concessions Items

There should be more to come on this topic in the near future. Stay tuned!

Are You Looking to Activate Within the Running Space?

Are you looking to activate within the running space? Are you looking to gain a better understanding for different ways that sponsors are leveraging their marathon, triathalon, and 5K assets? Are you looking to enhance your knowledge of running events from the ground up?

Look no further than Nate Demercurio's website, Running the Best Races.

Nate does a tremendous job providing an in-depth perspective of activation tactics, technology, and sponsor involvement in the running space. In the past few weeks, Nate has posted some great articles on:

• Leveraging Cheer Boards
• Maximizing Venue Setup Space
• Investing in Mobile Billboards
• Creating Video and Mobile Vehicle Displays
• The Impact Technology has had on the Running Industry
• Audio Entertainment
• Sponsorship Integration Ideas
• Maximizing Retail Displays
• Parking Strategies

Continue to expect some great content from Nate's website. If you are looking for some insiders knowledge on activation tactics, best practices, and quality events in the running world, he is an ideal contact. Check out his site here!

Partnership Review: Lord's Cricket Ground

The Wall Street Journal recently featured an interesting editorial piece by Tunku Varadarajan on the aura and nostalgia of the Lord's Cricket Ground, located in St. John's Wood, London. In the article, Varadarajan referred the facility as the Mecca of cricket and spoke highly of the stadium's affluent culture and pleasant experience.

But what exactly is the Lord's Cricket Ground? It is the Wrigley Field of cricket - a facility built in 1814 that is revered as one of the most famous stadiums in the world. Like Wrigley Field, operators of Lord's Cricket Ground have battled with incorporating corporate presence ($$$) into the facility's historical setting.

While the facility is considered traditional, it features a number of non-traditional elements, including the Investec Media Centre (as displayed on the right). Investec signed a three-year deal in 2006 to become the title sponsor of the facility; a deal that also provides the company with widespread attention throughout the venue.

Take a moment to check out the facilities amenities and corporate signage here.

From an outsider's perspective, there are a few interesting things to note about the Lord's Cricket Ground:

1. All event attendees are allowed to bring in one (1) bottle of wine or two (2) pints of beer
2. All stadium signage is static - a very conservative, traditional setting
3. Concessions within the venue offer a variety of offerings, including True Indian food, The Great Australian Pie company, and FBC Fine Barbeque
4. The stadium is host to the oldest sporting museum in the world
5. Lord's Cricket Ground recently launched their own clothing line
6. The venue features a "Father Time Weathervane" that symbolizes the venue's history
7. The stadium features an outfield bar that enables its alcoholic sponsors to hand banners as backdrops

Over the past few years (since 2004), a number of companies have taken advantage of promoting their brand within the confines of the Lord's Cricket Ground, including:

• Vodafone
• Toyota (promoting the Avensis)
• Friends Provident
• Ask.com
• Betfair.com
• Qatar Airways
• nPower
• Deutsche Bank
• Red Stripe
• Nat West
• Hewitt
• Volkswagen
• Adidas
• Marston's Smooth Beer
• Predigree
• Icon
• Barclays
• Frizzell Insurance
• Fuller's London Pride
• Wold Blass Wines
• ebookers.com
• ToteSport.com
• The Daily Telegraph
• Ecb.co.uk
• sky Sports
• Airmiles.co.uk
• Invesco Perpetual

Hopefully this article will provide you with a greater understanding for the sponsorship landscape in England (players, branding) and the Lord's Cricket Ground approach to sponsorship integration in a historical setting. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or would like to learn more. Again, be sure to check out the gallery!

Take Control of Your Parking Lots...

Are you looking for new ways to generate revenue from your parking lots? Are you searching for innovative ways to streamline your parking operations? Are you looking to show fans incremental value before they enter the stadium?

Click and Park recently formed a partnership with Standard Parking, Soldier Field's parking operator, to provide Chicagoans with special parking services when attending games and events at the stadium. Click and Park recently launched a website to support the initiative and provide fans with a way to pre-pay for guaranteed spaces... Click and Park is implementing its pre-pay parking service by offering a limited number of pre-paid "print at home" parking passes for select lots, which the company can designate and block off ahead of time.

Click and Park's pre-pay parking service is the perfect way to create artificial demand for parking (and hopefully in turn, drive incremental revenue and/or ease the consumers experience on-site). Sports marketers all understand the demand for premium parking near the stadium and should begin to investigate similar methods to create artificial demand.

Once more organizations pursue similar pre-pay methods, will we see teams offer exclusive benefits for certain parking sections? For instance, if the Miami Dolphins implement a pre-pay process, they can market different "exclusive benefits" opportunities to fans who are willing to pay a slight premium. The team can offer Lot D parking for $35 (as opposed to $20 regular parking), but provide season ticket holders with two (2) vouchers that print out on the pre-paid parking sheet for an exclusive pre-game autograph signing in the parking lot (leveraging team alumni, cheerleaders, mascot, coaches, personnel, personalities, etc.).

To fill stadium lots (as opposed to neighborhood lots), teams can also begin incorporating food concessionaires couponing with these parking passes (attached coupons that consumers can tear off) to demonstrate incremental value to fans.

Teams can also consider integrating/selling a corporate partner on an opportunity to brand pre-paid parking lot passes. Automobile companies and car part manufacturers can brand utilize such opportunities to drive consumers to retail (feature a "bobblehead offer with purchase/test drive" on the parking pass that catches consumers when they are open to engagement. With pre-pay parking methods, the opportunities are endless for sports marketers... Now take advantage of it!

Expanding Your Fanbase in Foreign Markets...

Are you implementing any initiatives to capture fans overseas? Have you realized the star power of professional athletes in foreign markets?

Raphael Bartholomew recently featured a great piece in the NY Times on Gilbert Arenas’ trip to the Philippines as part of his global Agent Zero tour. Arenas was taken back by the affinity and support of young Filipino consumers, a demographic with an extreme interest in the game of basketball. Arenas’ reaction to the reception he received in Manila was,

“It was like nothing I’ve ever seen before, and I’ve seen crazy fans all over the world”.

As a sports marketer (especially those working in the NBA), what does this mean for you? Re-focus your efforts on targeting fans in foreign markets and consider ways to expand your players’ marketability.

Red Bull's Team MascotThe practice of corporate sponsorships has risen in the Philippines with the induction and popularity of the game of basketball. Filipinos are more advanced within the sponsorship aspect than one might first expect, shown their implementation of a number of creative ideas:

• Branded seats on team benches (Gold’s Gym)
• Branded mats on the poles of basketball nets (Samsung)
• Corporate mascots (Red Bull)
• Multiple jersey placements for sponsors
• Krispy Kreme offers a retail promotion where it creates a signature donut for each of the four (4) teams in the Final Four

A number of American companies (or well known in the United States) currently sponsor basketball initiatives in the Philippines, including:

Technological/Photography

1. Canon – Courtside rotational
2. Samsung – Foam Fingers, Basketball hoop branding

QSR’s / Casual Dining

1. Dairy Queen* – In-Venue Signage
2. Taco Bell* – In-Venue Signage/Video Board Signage
3. Pizza Hut* – In-Venue Signage / Court Branding
4. Burger King – Courtside Rotational
5. Krispy Kreme - Retail Promotion

Apparel Companies

1. Nike – Apparel, Athlete Appearances, Marketing, Signage, Equipment
2. Adidas – Apparel, Athlete Appearances, Marketing, Signage, Equipment

Performance/Energy Drinks

1. Gatorade – Retail Activation
2. Red Bull – Title Sponsorship of a Team, Mascot Integration, Jersey Sponsorships

Other

1. Lee - Signage
2. Mentos - Signage
3. Petron - Signage
4. Gold’s Gym – Bench Signage

* Dairy Queen, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell are all owned by the Araneta Group, who also own the Araneta Coliseum (a major arena landmark in the Philippines)

Understanding the aura of NBA players in the Philippines, Nike has brought Kobe Bryant to the region twice (Supernatural Tour), while Adidas has introduced Gilbert Arenas (Agent Zero Tour) and Tracy McGrady (T-MAC Asia Tour) through in-market appearances. All signage and corporate marketing materials are displayed in English in the Philippines (English is considered the official language). For a better perspective of corporate partnership activation in the Philippines, please take a moment to check out a gallery that details “Basketball in the Philippines”. 

Check out some clips of Kobe Bryant and Gilbert Arenas' trips to the Philippines (Manila) below...

Update on Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 08:55PM by Brian Gainor

Go Guerrilla With Your Soccer Branding Tactics...

Are you looking for an innovative idea to drive some awareness for your soccer club in-market? Are you looking for some guerrilla efforts to benchmark?

Guarana Antarctica devised a clever branding idea to promote their affiliation with the Brazilian Soccer National Team. Guarana Antarctica placed actual size goal posts in bus shelters throughout San Paulo and tagged the guerilla displays with a pretty creative branding campaign.

The guerilla efforts were designed around Guarana Antarctica's $10MM jersey sponsorship of the Brazilian Soccer Federation around the 2006 World Cup. Upon the tournament's conclusion, Guarana Antarctica created these clever ads to help drive awareness for the initiative...

The Grizzlies Unveil The Toyota Pickup Center...

Has a unique venue branding tactic ever made you say, "That is really creative, why didn't I think of that?"

If so, here is another to add to the list...

Mike Redlick and Brent Schoeb of the Memphis Grizzlies recently led a project at the FedEx Form that converted an interior box office into The Toyota Pickup Center... This is an example of a great branding tactic that drives consumer awareness (opportunity for fans to gaze at the Tundra as they wait in line), consumer recognition (of Toyota's affiliation with the Grizzlies) and enhances the overall fan experience at the FedEx Forum (featuring a Pickup Truck over the ticket window creates a signature mark for fans in attendance to remember where they need to "pick up" their tickets)...

It will be interesting to see how the Grizzlies take this branding piece to the next level. I am excited to see how the team leverages the "Pick Up Window" to really engage fans (exclusive test drive opportunities for suiteholders who pickup their tickets at the window? street teams engaging fans while they wait in line? exclusive tickets/experiences for select fans picking up tickets in the Upper Deck? ticket pickup tie-back to local Toyota dealerships?) 

Check out the video below, which captures the extensive measures the Grizzlies needed to take to make the "Toyota Pickup Center" happen: 

Have You Seen Adidas Futsal Park?

Adidas Futsal Park is incredible. The facility, located atop a department store in Shubuya, Japan, is a premier footprint that is unlike anything offered in the United States. Adidas Futsal park is open to the public; nearly 500 teams have signed up to use the facility during both day and night. Adidas uses the facility (outside of a signature awareness play) to offer personal memberships, host soccer clinics, and run competitive local tournaments. The innovative "soccer playground" is surrounded by nets and other precautionary measures to keep all soccer balls, equipment, and players/spectators on the roof of the building.

The facility debuted in 2001 after the Tokyo Sports System Co. realized that there was no space left within the city to build a soccer facility. They had no choice but to look upward to build, leading to a compromise with Adidas to build the facility. Due to space constraints, most department stores in Shibuya have used their long rooftops for entertainment purposes, but none to the extent of Adidas Futsal Park.

When will a brand or league do something similar like this in the United States? Why hasn't something like this been attempted in Times Square? or LA? or Chicago? For brands (especially athletic wear/apparel) looking to make a media splash, this would garner instant attraction/consumer interest.

Check out a video of the facility below:

Adidas football park Tokyo Shibuya 3
Uploaded by metsy

Are Fans Talking About Your Brand at Events?

Are consumers talking about your brands at events? Are you looking for a unique way to leverage your brand at a running event (marathon, half-marathon, 5K, running expo)?

In 2006, Adidas ran an innovative "Reason to Run" campaign that served as an incredible way to get runners talking about the Adidas brand on race day. The program, a benchmark for others, distributed bibs on race day to runners that asked them to fill out what their reason to run was (along with their name and email). These "Reason to Run" bibs became conversation starters throughout events across the globe (from Singapore to Toronto to San Francisco) as it spurred people to discuss their "reasons" pre-race, during the race, on their blogs post-race.

The "Reason to Run" bibs also translated to Adidas' activation at indoor running exhibitions. Adidas would ask all consumers who entered their footprint to fill out a Reason to Run bid and post it on the Adidas wall. The collection of bids would become a wall of art that would attract herds of people who were interested in seeing why others were running... The bids also became a database of names and emails of runners that Adidas could market to in the future.

The "Reason to Run" bibs are such a great, unique way to get people talking about your brands on race day. At a relatively inexpensive cost, you can make a big splash in an uninterruptive manner at race events and running expo's. Even if a race already has a title sponsor (who in turn, has the rights to the bibs), your brand can consider handing out similar "Reason to Run" bibs as a premium that you encourage runners to wear pre/post race.

"Reason for Being an "XXXXXX" Fan"

Is this an idea that also translates to other sports? Have you asked your season ticket holder base why they are fans? This could be a great idea to implement at draft parties, women's 101 clinics, and team appearances (for consumers to fill out while waiting in line for an autograph at a player appearance) for team's looking to build their fan databases. 

Looking to Target C-Store Partners?

Are you looking for new ways to derive value out of a c-store partner? During troubling economic times, are you looking for new "consumer-facing" ways to demonstrate incremental value at lesser costs?

Consider a strategy that the Sprint Center and QuikTrip recently collaborated on as part of a multi-year partnership. The Sprint Center provided QuickTrip the opportunity to become the first c-store to ever open up a retail location inside an actual arena. The QuikTrip offers a unique selection of sandwiches, cookies/pastries, slurpees, and energy drinks at costs less than nearby Levy Restaurant concessions.

How did the Sprint Center pull this off with having a concessionaire in-house? QuikTrip, as one of the arena's ten (10) founding partners, has a separate deal with arena concessionaire Levy Restaurants. QuikTrip uses Levy’s point-of-sale system and shares a portion of store revenue with Levy. None of QuikTrip's items directly compete with Levy offerings and all perishable items that go unsold on game night are given to consumers as they leave the Sprint Center...

This is a great example of a way that the Sprint Center discovered they can show direct, measurable value back to QuikTrip and also provide a unique stadium element that demonstrates value to consumers...

The results? On many game nights, fans line up and wait for up to twenty (20) minutes to purchase items in the QuikTrip retail location. QuickTrip is now considering the thoughts of opening a similar location within the BOK Center, Tulsa's 18,000 seat arena set to open in September.

Check out a quick tour of the Sprint Center's QuikTrip below:

Nike Taps Into Consumer Emotion...

Nike effectively tapped into the emotion of consumers across the globe on Fathers Day with a memorable commercial that featured Earl Woods touching on his son Tiger's success. The commercial demonstrates Nike's candid ability to create the perfect piece for the moment... I would imagine that 99.9% of people have seen this classic commercial since it aired, but if you haven't, this is a must-see...

Next time you are looking to activate around sporting events that occur during/around the holidays, consider taking extra effort to tap into the emotion felt during this time... I hopefully will have some best practices to share on this in the near future (i.e. Pink Bats, etc.)...

Partnership Industry to Watch: Movie Theaters...

Have you considered using non-traditional media channels to help promote your brand/product? Have you considered forming a partnership with your local movie theater, a venue that offers some unique ways to reach a broad range of audiences?

Sunrise Sports & Entertainment, the business arm that operating the NHL's Florida Panthers, recently formed a partnership with Muvico Theaters. Through the deal, the Panthers will receive in-theater and on-screen team advertising. The team will also feature:

• "Featured Matchups" Presented by Muvico 
• "Florida Panthers Movie Critic Promos" Presented by Muvico
• "Muvico Double Features" for Panther home games played on Sundays
• Promotion where fans can receive a complimentary ticket for any movie shown Monday-Thursday with a ticket stub from a Sunday home win.

In return, Muvico will receive signage in-arena at the BankAtlantic Center and the team's training center as well as website advertising and promotional exposure on the Panthers flagship station WAXY-AM.

Why is this deal significant? It marks a signaling trend for sports marketers as more teams and leagues are partnering wth movie theater chains in-market to drive awareness, promotional activity, and reach. The L.A. Lakers (movie critic vignette), the NBA (3D HD NBA Finals viewing parties), the Dallas Mavericks (3D HD viewing parties), the Boston Red Sox (live games in theatres) and the New York Mets (showing live games in movie theatres) have all implemented innovative programs that incorporate movie theater chains in an effort to promote their brands...

The New York Times recently featured a great piece on movie theatres hosting a variety of events nowadays...

Strike it Rich with a Lottery Partner...

Are you looking for some ideas to strike it rich with a lottery partner?

Dave Wedge of the Boston Herald recently featured a great piece on Massachusetts State Lottery (MSL) distributing thousands of dollars worth of free tickets to local bar and store owners as perks and to encourage them to "push" sports related lottery games. The Lottery even gave fourteen (14) agents a total of 28 tickets to Game 6 of the NBA Finals in Boston, including seven (7) sets of luxury suites and four (4) floor seats... Agents have also received Red Sox luxury box seats, tickets to fantasy camps to play ball with members of the Red Sox and Celtics, and seats at VIP brunches with players.

In total, the Massachusetts State Lottery has distributed over $340,000 in sports tickets to local agents, an initiative that is part of an overall strategy to compensate local agents who help drive millions of dollars in sales. MSL lottery spokesman Dan Rosenfeld considers the strategy "critical" to their success. All tickets were purchased from the teams by the Lottery, demonstrating that you do not have to have the Lottery as an official team partner to still pocket some of their business.

However, there are many teams who have developed innovative ways to leverage "the lottery", including:

• The Massachusetts State Lottery underwrited the Boston Celtics' 2008 playoff run (which explains how the lottery was able to get access to premier seats at the Garden). In '06, the Lottery launched a "Boston Celtics Green" $5 instant-win ticket that offered cash, Celtics season tickets, and team merchandise as prizes

• In March, the Massachusetts State Lottery launched a new $20 Red Sox-themed scratch-off ticket (which complements existing $5/$10 Red Sox lottery tickets)
• The MSL Red Sox lottery games generate $200-300M in revenue annually
• Chances of winning are 4-1 that a consumer can win a prize worth the same or more than the cost of a ticket
• Potential Prizes include: Red Sox season tickets for life and ten (10) sets of tickets to every Yankees-Red Sox series over the next decade
• *In 2004, the team sold a sponsorship of the World Series Trophy to the Massachusetts State Lottery
• At least ten (10) MLB franchises are selling licensed MLB "Instant Win Lottery Tickets" at their ballparks, and both teams and leagues are tapping into this new strategy as a new revenue source.
• Teams include: Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, LA Dodgets, SF Giants, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Indians, New York Mets, and the Milwaukee Brewers
• The New York Yankees capitalized on their cross-town rivalry with the NY Mets by creating a "Subway Series" instant scratch-off ticket.
• The Memphis Grizzlies distributed 50,000 ping pong antenna balls to fans looking to show their support for luck during the 2007 NBA Lottery (a great Lottery tie-in). The antenna balls were distributed at the team's last two (2) home games and were available at Sonic area locations (tie-in retail partner) and the Grizzlies Den Team Store.

• The Minnesota Twins partnered with the Minnesota State Lottery to launch the Minnesota Twins Scratch Game in 2007. The $5 game featured a top prize of $100,000 and also rewarded consumers with lower level season tickets and trips to the team's 2008 spring training in Ft. Myers, FL.

• In 2006, The Illinois Lottery hosted a "Set for Life" event at Wrigley Field prior to a Chicago Cubs game where they awarded one winner with $100,000/year for the rest of her life. The event was for contestants who mailed in $30 of nonwinning instant tickets.

• Phoenix International Raceway teamed up with the Arizona Lottery to offer $3 tickets featuring the likeness of a few NASCAR drivers. The tickets rewards fans with trips to the NASCAR race and other race discounts

• In 2008, The D.C. and Virginia Lotteries teamed up to offer a $2 Washington Nationals scratcher ticket. Prizes ranged from $2 to $5,000 in cash and gave consumers the chance to enter a "2nd Chance Drawing" for an opportunity to win tickets and Nationals merchandise.

• The Georgia State Lottery offers a "Braves Baseball Suite Promotion", offering consumers in the state of Georgia the chance to win a luxury suite private party for fourteen (14) at a Braves game with purchase of a $5 Fantasy 5 Ticket (www.galottery.com/bravessuite). The promotion awards 25 suite nights - five (5) winners/week for five (5) weeks... A great way to capitalize on suite/ticket inventory!

Sell Your Interior Tunnel Signage...

Are you looking to sell additional assets in-area without affecting the fan experience? Have you considered selling your tunnel signage, where players and referees enter the playing surface?

I have attached a Calgary Flames 2008 commercial, which details the interior tunnel signage that the team incorporated with its Nike partnership (seen at the :09 mark in the commercial). As you can tell from clip, Nike does a great job branding the tunnel's interior fasica, driving brand awareness among all persons entering the game of play.

Now, you might ask, who would want to purchase this non-consumer-facing asset? I would think that there are many companies/categories that would be receptive to your sales pitch:

• Footwear / Apparel (targeting players) - Nike/Adidas/New Balance/Reebok/Under Armour
• Performance Drink - Gatorade/VitaminWater/PowerAde, Sobe, etc.
• Water - Dasani/Aquafina,  etc.
• Banking / Mutual Funds (targeting players) - Bank of America/Wachovia/Fifth Third
• Insurance (targeting players) - State Farm/Allstate, etc.
• Investment / Real Estate (Targeting Players)

This asset can either be sold individually or as a complementary asset to the exterior tunnel signage (consumer-facing).

The Bucks Need to Partner with an Online Dating Service...

The Milwaukee Bucks need to partner with an online dating service (Match.com, EHarmony.com, etc.) to find Andrew Bogut a soulmate... The following footage would be a great way to incorporate an in-game video board clip that promotes the service (with a PA message that reads: "Looking for a Friend/Soulmate?" Insert Video Board Clip "Find one at EHarmony.com...") 

It is only a matter of time before we start to see more online dating service companies emerge as team corporate partners (with sports arenas filled with consumers who enjoy entertainment with others and have the disposable income to spend)... Get creative with your branding tactics to integrate these partners!

Guinness, We Have Found Your Hockey Endorser!

In a post a few months ago, I mentioned the incredible experience I had attending an Atlanta Thrashers game at Phillips Arena... The team does a great job bringing the game of hockey to fans in a non-traditional hockey market... The highlight? A Guinness-chugging fan who gets the crowd going crazy during the 3rd period of every game... Well, to share this "experience" with you, I was able to find a clip online... Featured on the video board nearly every game, this fan normally will chug the full glass of Guinness and then go up and bang the boards - it makes the arena go electric!

Now, the next goal is to get Guinness to activate across the NHL (or another sport) by hiring a guy in every stadium to do this! When I attended the Thrashers game this past Fall, I was amazed to see that the team had four (4) alcoholic beverage sponsors, yet all four (4) failed to activate around this "in-arena" legend. Let's make this guy famous!