This paper will discuss creative ways in which to attract fans to a facility in a down economy. The article begins out by stating that even though we are in a recession, sports still draw crowds to their events. There still is fan loyalty to the larger collages and pro levels however; smaller teams are not doing so well in this economy. It is found that Southerners stay passionate about football even during hard times as Georgia, Florida, Auburn, Alabama, and LSU brought in a combined $303 million. Therefore, it appears that these teams and their rivals will continue to be successful in ticket sales, and T.V. contracts.
The devotion of the fans still attending events explains why television network ESPN and CBS have agreed to pay the Southwestern Conference $3 billion to broadcast football games over next 15 years. Thus, ESPN and CBS remain positive that there will be a tremendously huge turnout for all the events still despite a crippling economy because people still need to see their favorite teams play and to support them.
However, despite optimism there have been some signs of economic worry to world of sports. Thus, with companies that have laid off staff, closed offices, and several minor league professional teams in Southeast have collapsed. Also, Nascar races and Major League Baseball games is down. The Jacksonville, Florida based PGA Tours overall prize money could decline this year for first time since 1975. In Louisiana, there has been major budget cuts with college athletic departments and eliminated Tennis altogether. As well, the Arena Football League folded in 2009 after being successful for 22 yrs., and so did a couple minor league hockey teams in 2008 shut down. In November 2008 the Atlanta Silverbacks men’s United Soccer League team (professional soccer team) shut down and prior the Beat, Woman’s Professional Soccer (WPS) folded in 2003.
The stock car-racing league is facing hard economic times with high fuel prices, rising unemployment, and economic uncertainty have caused racing fans and automotive industry sponsors to cut spending. In Daytona at the International Speedway Corp to reflect Nascar’s troubles have lowered prices on over 150,000 seats, or 15% grandstand capacity. Although, this may help some to get the fans back in the stadium the corporate sponsorships are taking longer due to companies being more cautious with their marketing dollars. Thus, the ways to keep fans coming back was for many teams to develop several new ticket packages such as half-season plans. In Atlanta, the coaches improved the team adding a new quarterback and this increased ticket sales for that season. Another option is to offer six-month payment plan and an lay away plan for tickets. Also, a few Southeastern cities and states are putting their moneys into sport venues and this can be utilized for all the following to generate more revenue: parades, track meets, football and baseball games, rodeos, and festivals. The states are hoping to stimulate the economy by channeling tax dollars into sport facilities because so many jobs are created by these projects. Therefore, this is an excellent idea as seen as a Joint Venture-reaching out into community and to start a new renovation or new facility all together this will pump up peoples enthusiasm.
This is the right move and decision that in a bad economy if one can is to forge ahead and not too during these uncertain times when the first reaction of most business owners, entrepreneur and sales professionals is to cut back. The cut back happens across the board: marketing, innovation, research and development, expansion, acquisition of key people and resources and is depicted as a downward spiral. However, the best choice and decision is to go full speed ahead and do more-add, initiate, market more heavily, recruit the best people and explode through it with momentum and speed. This is the methodology we must take in order for each new facility to gain popularity in a down economy.
References:
References:
1. Miller, Travis, & Vee, Jimmy. (2011). Five secrets to slow time success. Retrieved from http://www.gravitationalmarketing.com/five-secrets-to-slow-time-suce
2. http://www.frbatlanta.org/pubs/econsouth/econsouth_vol_11_no_3_sports_draw_fans.cfm
3. Monetizing your slow times. (2011, March 15). Retrieved from http://www.iasecp.com/monetizingyour-slow-times
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