How Genuine Are Your Fans?

Are you looking for a unique way to promote your organization's MillerCoors partnership in-venue? Are you looking for a new way to promote Miller 64, the new 64-calorie version of Miller Genuine Draft Lite?

The Milwaukee Brewers are currently running a unique initiative called "The Search for Genuine", which rewards 50+ Milwaukeeanswith a year's supply of Miller Genuine Draft and the chance to throw out the first pitch at a home game during the summer of 2008.

"Genuine" fans will be selected through a variety of means:

• Consumers at Brewers home games will be selected at random and featured on the video board
• MGD street teams will search local sports bars through September and reward select consumers that are 21+
• Consumers can submit stories of their friends who live to a "genuine standard" at www.ReachforGenuine.com

Each of the 50+ "Genuine Fans" will receive two (2) free tickets to the Brewers game versus the Pittsburgh Pirates on September 24th, where they will have the chance to be chosen as Milwaukee's "Genuine Person of 2008" and throw out the first pitch.

The Brewers activate the promotion by offering an in-venue video board feature called "The Search for Genuine". In essence, the team zeroes in on one (1) fan in the crowd that defines a "genuine fan" (e.g. a fan drinking Miller Genuine Draft). This simple, yet creative video board is an excellent way to promote this Miller Genuine Draft initiative in-venue.

The Marlins Offer Unique In-Game Entertainment...

Are you looking for new ways to attract a new fans to the ballpark? Are you looking for ways to attract a new demographic to your games? Battling a low payroll and blistering hot summer days at the ballpark, the Florida Marlins have gone to new lengths to attract  and entertain fans at the stadium:

The Marlins have created two (2) sets of dance/cheer teams... The Mermaids and Manatees.

The Mermaids

• The Florida Marlins' Mermaid squad, a group that has been around since 2004, can be hired to do autograph sessions, photograph sessions, and dance performances at parties and corporate events.

The Manatees

• The Marlins created the Manatees squad in 2008 after putting out an open casting call for fans who have bellies with the biggest jiggle, big feet with the best dance moves, and enthusiasm that will rock Marlins fans out of their seats
• The group performs at all Marlins home games played on Friday and Saturday night

Are You Living in the Moment of Exclusivity?

Is your brand living in the "moment of exclusivity" in-venue? Are you selling the "moment of exclusivity" to your corporate partners?

MediaPost Publications recently featured an interesting article on how "the moment of exclusivity" has quickly become the newest buzz word in the sports biz. What is it exactly? When teams convert every piece of digital signage in-venue to display a select brand's messaging at a given moment during a game. For example, teams can control the in-venue signage so that if a fan leaves his seat to go to the bathroom and misses the massive Sprite ad on the center-hung LED scoreboard, he/she will see the same branding on the LCD monitors mounted outside the restrooms.

Who is doing it? Currently, only a handful of powerful brands (e.g. Coca-Cola, Anheuser-Busch, etc.) have invested in the opportunity to own a given moment in-game. As properties update their signage, eliminating static panels, the industry will see more and more brands investing in "the moment".

Stay tuned for more information on strategic plans that brands are implementing to differentiate themselves in-venue...

Incorporate Olympics Entertainment While It's Hot...

Over the past two (2) weeks, have you considered incorporate Olympics entertainment into your game nights? Have you considered finding unique ways to capitalize on the buzz surrounding the 2008 Beijing Olympics?

The Washington Nationals recently staged an Olympics-inspired Presidents Race during the 4th inning of their game on Sunday at Nationals Park. The team tasked its 10-foot President mascots with jumping over hurdles during the team's traditional in-game Racing Presidents feature. The team even outfitted Abe Lincoln with gold running shoes (ala Michael Johnson) during the contest.

The Baltimore Ravens aired Michael Phelps' final race at the Beijing Olympics after the team's home preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings on August 16th as a salute to their hometown hero. The team received permission from NBC to broadcast the event on the stadium SmartVision scoreboards and promoted the coverage by sending out press releases prior to the game and encouraging fans throughout the game to stay for the entertainment. 

The Ravens supported the event by sending Phelps an autographed No. 08 jersey, distributing "Ravens for Phelps" posters to all fans in attendance, and providing fans the opportunity to record video messages wishing the Olympian good luck in his quest for gold.

Here is a clip of the excitement at M&T Bank Stadium surrounding Phelps's victory:

Find unique ways to capitalize on the affinity that consumers have for the Olympic games... There are some quality ways here to connect brands with fans!

Are You Integrating Fans Into the Action?

Are you looking for a new promotional concept that engages fans? Are you interested in an idea that provides fans a way to have a direct impact on the game they are watching/attending?

Consider developing a "You Call the Play" promotion, where fans can call/text in a play that they would like to see their home team execute during the game. To execute such a promotion, team representatives would need to work directly with the coaching/team personnel. While such an idea may seem difficult, such an idea has been executed in the past (e.g. Charlie Weiss ran a play to kick off a Notre Dame game that was selected by a fan with a terminal illness).

Teams and supporting partners can execute fan polling through a variety of means:

• Poll fans prior to the game through print-text message/call-in/online poll (the team can openly ask fans to submit what play they would like to see on the first offensive/defensive play of the game, provide multiple choice options, etc.). In this scenario, once the play happens in-venue, the team can announce the fan play-call support via videoboard, LED, and on-air mentions
• Poll fans during the game through a video board display (provide fans with five (5) multiple choice options of plays that they would like the team to execute coming out of a timeout). With teams in college basketball knowing when certain timeouts will take place (e.g. 16:00, 12:00, 8:00, and 4:00 marks), this is easier to execute than in other sports
• Poll fans via LED in-between innings (providing fans the opportunity to select relief pitchers, pinch hitters, etc. via text messaging to a computer that calculates the final tally in the dugout) 
• Enable fans to vote on a variety of happenings in-game (touchdown dances, halftime performers, dance team music/performances, pre-game music, and player autographs after the game)

While such a promotion, which provides fans with a way to directly impact the outcome of the game, requires cooperation from many parties (the hardest of which is team/coaching personnel), it shouldn't be deemed unrealistic. Properties are inching closer towards creating in-venue promotions that offer said fan involvement. This promotion would be a great way to incorporate telecommunications partners.

Check out the video below, which provides a benchmark for executing such a promotion:

Gila River Casinos Offers DBacks Fans a Chance to Win Big...

Are you looking for an in-game promotional concept that will capture the attention of all fans in attendance? Are you looking for an idea that will generate a multitude of media impressions?

The Arizona Diamondbacks recently collaborated with Gila River Casinos to create an in-game "Gila River Casinos Million Dollar Hit & Win" promotion. During each Diamondbacks home game (from July 18th through the remainder of the season) randomly selected section(s) will be deemed the "Gila River Casinos Million Dollar Hit & Win Section". If a Diamondbacks player hits a home run off the Gila River Casinos target in left-center/righ-center field during the 4th, 5th, or 6th inning, eligible fans in the selected section(s) will win Circle K gift cards worth a combined total of $1MM. The Diamondbacks have also opened the promotion up to fans everywhere - five (5) fans not in attendance will be selected from mail-in entries to participate in each game promotion.

The actual amount of the gas cards distributed is dependent upon the number of eligible fans in the winning sections that are 21+and have a valid ticket for that section. The targets are located 425 feet from home plate, making a HR off the target a feat in itself. The team selects the "lucky sections" when it lowers the targets from the LED boards during the bottom-half of the fourth inning. To claim their prize, fans just have to fill out a completed affadavit form and submit it with their ticket stub to Diamondbacks representatives located at the Hit & Win Headquarters in Section 300.

Looking for more information on the promotion? Send an email to hitandwin@dbacks.com.

A special thanks to Kristie VanEngelen of the Arizona Diamondbacks for her contributions to this column.

Looking for Ways to Reinvent the Dance-Off?

Are you looking to create quality entertainment for your fans at minimal to no cost? Are you looking for new ways to reinvent the dance-off at your games? Are you looking for unique ways to tie-in a local dance studio, bar/club, or music sponsor?

The following four (4) clips demonstrate some unique ways that teams have implemented the dance off, including:

• A battle between two (2) drunk fields in the outfield stands
• A battle between the mascot and a midget ball boy
• A mascot doing a Striptease routine to the Backstreet Boys
• LeBron James doing the Souja Boy dance during a timeout

Looking for a Promotion that Pays at the Pump?

Are you looking for an innovative way to engage consumers while they are spending money pumping gas? Are you looking for an idea that will help capitalize on the recent surge in gas prices?

Allstate recently called on four (4) members of Elliott Sadler's pit crew to run a unqiue promotion prior to the race at Watkins Glen International this past weekend. Allstate utilized the four (4) pit crew members as Allstate "Safety Patrol" spokesmen at a local Sunoco gas station, rewarding all drivers who were wearing their seatbelts with a $15 gas card. The gas card promotion was a collaboration amongst Allstate, Sunoco, and NASCAR.

The promotion proved to be an extremely successful initiative for all parties as well as a great awareness driver for race weekend activities taking place at Watkins Glen International. The crew took two (2) hours away from their duties working on the No. 19 Dodge on the NASCAR circuit to alert fans on the rewards of being a safe driver and sign autographs. The promotion marked the crew's second Sunoco appearance; the parties held a similar event earlier in the year in Scranton, PA.

The crew used the following messaging to alert consumers of the promotion and drive awareness for the supporting partners,

"Good morning, thanks for coming in today - we're here on behalf of NASCAR, Allstate, and Sunoco. Congratulations on being a safe driver - I see you're wearing your seatbelt, so please accept this $15 gas card courtesy of Sunoco; and please contact your local Allstate agent if you have a question about how you can get your safe driver bonus check."

Have You Considered Implementing Promotions That Have Proven to be Successful in Other Sports?

Are you looking for a new way to capture the attention of fans in attendance? Have you considered implementing promotions that have proved successful in other sports?

The Lakewood Blue Claws, a Class A minor league baseball team, currently offer a half court shot promotion that has proven to be widely popular among fans (as shown below). The Blue Claws created a mobile version of the half-court promotion, which typically would take place during timeouts, halftime, and pre-game entertainment of basketball games.

The fact is that successful promotions translate with fans, no matter the arena of play. With fan avidity levels rising across the board (and many fans considering themselves fans of multiple sports), consider finding ways to implement promotions that have proven successful in other sports leagues!

Check out the clip below that dictates how the Blue Claws implement the half court shot promotion.

Update on Friday, August 8, 2008 at 06:19PM by Brian Gainor

Create Promotions That Engage Fans...

Are you looking for a new way to engage fans in-venue?

The York Revolution, a member of the Freedom Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, has aligned with Pizza Hut to offer a unique "K-Man" promotion. During team introduction prior to all home games, the team selects a player on the opposing team to be the "K-Man" of the game. If the Revolution strike out the designated "K-Man", all fans in attendance can redeem their game ticket for a free order of breadsticks at a local Pizza Hut location. The promotion is extremely popular with fans.

The same principle can be applied in practice for:

• Hockey - Fights/Penalty Minutes
• Football - Pass Interception, Fumble
• Basketball - Turnover, Blocked Shot, "Foul Out"
• Soccer - Yellow Card, Goal Allowed
• Tennis - Fault, Ace

Check out the video below to learn how the York Revolution implement the "K-Man" promotion.

Update on Friday, August 8, 2008 at 05:59PM by Brian Gainor