SOCCER UNDER THE LIGHTS EVENT MARKETING PLAN AMY M. PODULKA (REPUZYNSKY) 180 Westchester Dr. Brunswick, Ohio 44212
[email protected] Telephone: (440) 221-8355
SOCCER UNDER THE LIGHTS EVENT MARKETING PLAN EVENT DESCRIPTION Type of Event/Introduction Lake Ridge Academy (“LRA”) was established in 1963 as an independent school in North Ridgeville, Ohio, and which currently educates approximately 400 students from kindergarten through 12th grade. In recent years, LRA has diligently worked to bring the status of athletics to the forefront of their conference and division. This work began with the hiring of Athletic Director Deborah Ghezzi approximately 5 years ago. In 2010 Athletic Director Ghezzi implemented an athletic event, an annual nighttime soccer event. The soccer fields on campus do not offer stadium lighting and therefore LRA can only conduct competitions during daylight. This "Evening of Lights" (the "Event"), brought several sets of lights to the field on campus and a doubleheader soccer event, one male competition, one female competition, was hosted. LRA is preparing to carry on the tradition with its third annual “Evening of Lights”. It is the ultimate goal of LRA and its Athletic Department that revenue be increased to cover the $1,000 cost to rent the stadium pod lighting, in addition to increasing attendance. Constituents Traditional stakeholders/customers exist within the LRA community. These stakeholders/customers include:
Board of Directors Student population Student-athlete population Coaches Parents Alumni
General Marketing Plan Overview This Event shall be hosted in its normal course of business, coupling it with marketing opportunities for the department to generate revenue to cover the rental fee of the lighting pods, as well as increase attendance for the Event. The general marketing strategy takes into consideration each group of stakeholders/customers for this event and includes the implementation and use of the following:
Traditional media strategy (mass media with newspaper, television and advertisements) -
Weekly Newsletter • Weekly updates in the weekly newsletter, sent electronically to all current students and families
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In-Touch quarterly newsletter • Quarterly update in the In-Touch print newsletter, sent to all current and alumni students and families
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Newspaper Advertisement Please see attached Appendix “A” for Newspaper script • Potential one time advertisement with local newspaper
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Radio Advertisement • Potential one time voice read through local radio broadcast(s) • Potential voice read partnership with local collegiate radio stations, ie., Baldwin-Wallace College
Premiums and offers (giveaways and incentives) -
Athlete T-Shirt • Sponsorship t-shirt to be given to soccer players • Players to wear t-shirt while selling event tickets
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Spectator T-Shirt giveaway • Sponsorship t-shirt given to the first “x” amount of spectators • Sponsorship t-shirt thrown during half-time
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Post-game soccer goal kick competition • Spectators purchase one-kick opportunity for $1.00
Pre-game, in-game and post-game operations (engaging the crowd throughout the event) -
Partner with the Parent Association to create crowd involvement activities T-shirt giveaway
Digital media (Facebook and Twitter) Please see attached Appendix “B” for media script - Facebook - Twitter - LRA Website This strategy allows for connection with each stakeholder/constituent, which has been lacking in the marketing of this event in previous years. Currently, LRA lacks in the ability to utilize the above-references outlets, although available to the athletic department. A media push incorporating the various media outlets identified above will, by default, increase attendance and, therefore, revenue. MARKETING GOALS/ OBJECTIVES/TACTICS/MEASUREMENTS OF SUCCESS I.
Goal: Generate additional revenue at the Soccer Under the Lights Event. Objective: Generate $1,000.00 of revenue above operating costs at the Event to offset rental of the lighting pods. Tactic: Implement a ticket fundraiser, which will begin approximately 6 weeks prior to the evening of lights. Tactic: Allow for the sale of additional concessions and spirit wear during the event. Tactic: Conduct a 50/50 raffle during the evening of lights. Measurement of Success: This will simply be done by the evaluation of actual numbers. For example, a standard soccer game yields “x” and costs “y” to host. During the Soccer Under the Lights event, were we able to raise “z”, over and beyond “x” and “y” to yield the required offset of the $1,000.00 of the rental light pods.
II.
Goal: Generate additional attendance at the Evening of Lights Event. Objective: Generate at least 20% additional attendance at the Event. Tactic: Incorporate the use of media marketing tools identified above and as not previously provided for. Tactic: Connect with the Marketing Director to establish marketing outlets available to LRA that can also use to promote the soccer event, including the tools identified above.
Tactic: Self-promotion within the school should be on-going from the scheduling of the event with use of posters, fliers and loudspeaker announcements. Please see Appendix “C” for flier. Measurement of Success: This will be comparison to the number of tickets sold for the 2012 Evening of Lights event, to the number of tickets sold for the 2013 event, and continue to do so each year thereafter. The use of a simple spreadsheet for tracking purposes would be sufficient to determine if the 20% goal of additional attendees was achieved. III.
Goal: Increase Merchandise sales. Objective: Develop an Event specific t-shirt. Tactic: Work with Event sponsor University Tees to develop Event specific tshirt design. Tactic: Determine whether to have a set price for t-shirt or suggest a requested "donation" price. Tactic: Agree to a date prior to the Event for t-shirts to be ready and available for purchase through the LRA spirit wear shop and for wear by soccer players specifically for additional advertising. Measurement of Success: As this is a newly implemented goal, the following measurements are applicable: a. Evaluate the amount of revenue received, after purchase of the tshirts, by the athletic department/soccer program and determine if the receivables outweighed the payables. b. Determine the number of shirts purchased versus the number of shirts sold, and evaluate whether the Event shirt was something our constituents wanted.
SPONSORSHIP/ GOALS/ OBJECTIVES/TACTICS/MEASUREMENTS OF SUCCESS I.
Solar Action, LLC and Bold Alternatives Solar Energy. This partnership should be seamless as there is already a working relationship established between these companies and LRA. These companies are able to provide the necessary solar power modifications identified below.
Objective: Solar Action, LLC and Bold Alternatives Solar Energy are current partners with the LRA community and encourage the on-campus green initiative. These companies would be sponsoring/providing the energy necessary to power the light pods for the Evening of Lights event with little to no cost to LRA, or the athletic department. From this partnership these companies will gain: a. b. c.
Signage to be placed on campus and near the stretch of solar panels, which will face heavily trafficked areas. Media push through traditional media sources, as well as through Facebook, Twitter and the LRA website. Further business ventures secured with the LRA community.
Goal: To further partner with Solar Action, LLC and Bold Alternatives Solar Energy to harness the solar power derived from the on-campus solar panels to fuel the rented light pods, therefore saving additional revenue. Tactic: Make initial proposition to the Companies to establish whether oncampus solar power can be harnessed for the event. Tactic: Repositioning of certain on-campus solar panels to closer proximity of the athletic soccer field. Measurement of Success: This measurement pertains to basic number comparison in various areas. a. Cost evaluation of the movement of solar panels b. Cost comparison of traditional energy/electric bill versus amount of money spent on non-traditional/solar energy. II.
Your Photo Here, LLC This partnership should be agreeable as the owner of Your Photo Here, LLC, has a vested interest in LRA, as the owner has a child who attends LRA. Additionally, Your Photo Here, LLC, has donated time and worked other LRA events. The owner should be receptive of the below objective, goal and tactics. Objective: To partner with local photographer/videographer to document the Event. Offering candid photos, action photos and any other staged photos from the Event. Your Photo Here will be given in-kind sponsorship by way of the following: a. b.
"Thank you" signs posted throughout the Event with Your Photo Here, LLC's contact information. Vocal plugs over the loud system throughout the event.
c. d.
Advertising for Your Photo Here, LLC, by including them in the "sponsored in-part by" portion of the advertising flier. Credit given to Your Photo Here, LLC, on all photos utilized by the LRA community of the event.
Tactic: Discussion with Your Photo Here, LLC, to confirm partnership for the Event. Tactic: Work with Your Photo Here, LLC, to establish on-site printing of Event photographs for sale at the Event, ie., candid photos, etc. Measurement of Success: a. The measurement of success for this will include additional follow-up after conclusion of the Event. Tracking of any additional business that Your Photo Here, LLC, gained by partnership of the Event will need to be discussed to see if the partnership was beneficial to the photographer. b. Revenue tracking from the Event and the sale of on-site candid photos; was a profit obtained by the Athletic Department. III.
University Tees. There is no previous relationship between LRA and University Tees, however, as a local business, relatively close in location to LRA, this partnership could prove to be profitable for University Tees, and, in turn save money for LRA. Currently, the spirit wear shop at LRA purchases all merchandise through Lands End, which is a pricy retailer. If a partnership can be established, the business for University Tees would prove profitable for their company, while saving money for LRA. Objective: Develop a partnership between LRA and local printing business, University Tees, in an effort to obtain Event t-shirts. The partnership with University Tees will yield the following: a. Additional revenue for University Tees. b. Advertising for University Tees, by including them in the "sponsored in-part by" portion of the advertising flier. c. Advertising for University Tees through their sleeve emblem included on each t-shirt, sweatshirt, etc., printed. d. Marketing opportunities at the Event through signage, as well as loud speaker announcements. e. Marketing opportunities through representatives from University Tees being on-site to sell merchandise and discuss the Company initiatives. Tactic: Begin the development of design ideas for merchandise.
Tactic: Discuss the monetary output to develop merchandise and evaluate the purchase price for our constituents. Tactic: Work with University Tees to develop an athlete t-shirt promoting the event and thanking our sponsors. Measurement of Success: a. Determine the profit made by University Tees b. Determine the profit made by Lake Ridge Academy c. Comparison analysis of payables versus receivables d. Analyze the initial amount of merchandise ordered versus the amount of merchandise sold IV.
Previous sponsors. Please see the attached Appendix "D" for a table of previous sponsors for additional contact opportunities.
The below timeline is a suggestion based upon the October 19, 2013, Event date. Consideration can be made based on the changing date each Fall for this Event. The Athletic Director and Marketing Director should be the point personnel to work in conjunction with during this entire process, from inception of the date through the date of the Event.
