Your World of Chicago Sports

Everything Sports, Everthing Chicago

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HOSM 357: Takeaways

NETWORKING

Connecting with individuals and groups who have similar interests and skills. This enables relationship building and essentially becoming living advertisements for one another.

“It’s not about what you know, it’s about who you know.”

BUILDING AND MAINTAINING RELATIONSHIPS  

Being that the sports industry is on the larger scale contacts and those who one networks with are as well. As stated by numerous guest speakers throughout the week, “someone you once worked with may come back into your life ten years from now and be your boss.”

CULTURE

The values of a company and the variations from team to team.

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PCG Sports Friday, June 9, 2017

Firm believer in showing vs. telling. This is important to this company because storytelling can go to the next level and drive and create revenue.

Sponsorship opportunities generate media exposure also known as “earned media.” This means receiving exposure to the directed audience.

PCG is composed of three teams: -Innovations: strategy, marketing opportunities, sponsorship opportunities -Partnerships -Digital: amplify innovations to life and develop champagnes

Cookies are fan profile generated. This is used to write a script based on browsing history. After the script is written, the company/agency is able to come up with a profile of the individual.

In this industry it is “not about what you know, it’s about who you know.” This shows how networking is crucial in the hospitality industry.

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Vivid Seats ad on the Red Line

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Buy and Sell Tickets: Concerts, Sports & Theater | Vivid Seats

Online ticket marketplace where fans can buy and sell tickets to sports, concerts, and theater events nationwide.

Conor Rappaport Vivid Seats Monday, June 5, 2017

More and more up and coming companies with “millennials” as employees focus their time on getting the job done in a casual setting over working 9am-5pm and dressing in a suit and tie every day.

When a broker looks to sell tickets to events, games, concerts etc. they will use more than one third-party sites such as StubHub and Vivid Seats to ensure they will be able to sell their tickets.

Vivid Seats attends a few major sporting events each year where they set up a tent and interact with fans and guests. Events include: Super Bowl, NCAA and March Madness to name a few.

Often, Vivid Seats brings purchased tickets to the event. This serves as a safety precaution. Rather than shipping tickets through the mail they are handed out directly to the buyer. This becomes important with larger scale tickets that cost a great deal of money i.e. Super Bowl Tickets. There is less liability on the company if it hand delivered.

If and/ or when a ticket is purchased on both third-party sites, Vivid Seats will work to find an alternative solution. Many times, resulting in an upgraded seat for no additional cost. This is a crucial aspect of maintaining loyal, returning guests.

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UIC Baseball Field

Kim: Ticket Operations Coordinator Ryan: Associate Athletic Director of Marketing Coordinator Danny: Director of Athletic Communications Kyle: Director of Marketing UIC Thursday, June 8, 2017

Have a strong focus on student athletes and their stories and market to get more people to come to athletic games.

A main goal is to make everything, including their website, “mobile friendly.”

Selling tickets on social media is an offseason goal. Being that social media is a major marketing tool for schools and sports teams it is a good idea to incorporate adding the selling of tickets to their athletic games to these sites. 

In athletics and sports there are not very many new ideas being thought of or implemented. What they try to do is find ideas that are working and adapt them to the team.

UIC has created a rewards app that allows students and guests the ability to check in, earn points, sends notifications, check scores and offers incentives like winning prizes. This app has increased attendance by 25% over the past year and they will continue to revise and update it as they progress.

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Students hit home run on sustainability projects for MLB, FOX Sports | Newsline | DePaul University

This spring, a special topics public relations class developed communication campaigns to raise awareness about FOX Sports and Major League Baseball's joint sustainability efforts. The students then presented their ideas to six executives-turned-judges from MLB, FOX Sports and 21st Century Fox, on Monday, June 5.

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Sustainability is crucial for the hospitality industry.

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Chicago Fire Soccer Stadium

Kevin Brewer: Director of Fan Relations and Experience Scott Hammer: Digital Marketing Chicago Fire Thursday, June 8, 2017

When looking at the demographic of certain areas, the results show that sales in group sales are highest. 

Planning events means getting all game day staff (600-700) ready and focused on what is happening that day.

Fan feedback and the collection of that data

By utilizing SWOT analysis for the Chicago Fire Soccer team it shows a positive impact on revenue and provides top customer service by JD Powers.

Security is a main priority on game days, which is especially important due to recent acts of violence in other stadiums.

Theme days, promotions and giveaways are a staple for ticket sales.

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The evolution of the Chicago Cubs logo

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The Park at Wrigley

Target market: Millennials & Families

Brad Nagel: Fan Development & Ticket Sales Chicago Cubs Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Ticket sales historically account for the largest piece of the revenue pie.  The Chicago Cubs game tickets were never “devalued” meaning that no matter how the team was playing the value of the ticket never decreased in value. This shows how reactions were never based on wins or losses.

“We are selling the unscripted and emotional Wrigley Field experience that can only be felt live and in person. Be here when it happens.”

Emphasis on service- Golden Rules: Create the opportunity Understand their needs Build a solution Solve for the ticket holder

The Chicago Cubs offer full-menu selling. This is a team of individuals who have the ability to sell a client or guest everything Wrigley Field has to offer, including non-gameday events. 

Recently paid for a $1 million grant to install 30 new security cameras around Wrigley Field and provide street closures on event and game days. This is in response to the Manchester attack and provides added security to fans and guests. 

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What's in the Cubs' new building? The Tribune's private tour

Crane Kenney on Monday gave the Tribune a tour of the Cubs' new six-story, 125,000-square-foot building at 1101 W. Waveland.

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Chicago White Sox

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Guaranteed Rate Field

Sheena Quinn: PR Director Beth: Director of Marketing & Analytics Jeff: Sponsor Development Jeff: Ticket Sales  Chicago White Sox June 6, 2017

A quote that was reiterated numerous times throughout discussions is “Don’t burn bridges.” This quote is important being that the sports industry is on the larger scale. Because it’s large so are contacts and those who one networks with. As stated, “someone you once worked with may come back into your life ten years from now and be your boss.”

Chance the Rapper brings guests into the ballpark whom may never visit. They hosted a music festival in which he performed which in the end enabled the White Sox team to maximize their opportunities. This is important because individuals who may not have visited a Sox Game in the past are now traveling to Guaranteed Rate Field and exposed to the culture

Communication and “consistency of messaging” enables fans to become and stay connected without missing opportunities from the Chicago White Sox.

MLB created mobile app Ballpark has a goal of compiling data that measures what kind of people buy tickets and why they buy them. This enables individuals such as Beth and her team to be able to differentiate who these guests are that are visiting the ballpark to open up different opportunities that are arise. 

After games and events the marketing and analytics team sends out surveys. In these surveys they look for improvements to make the experience of visiting Guarenteed Rate Field, an even greater one. Once gathered they use S.M.A.R.T goals in order to execute solutions.

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Chicago Bears Locker Room 

Tanesha Wade: Director of Entertainment and Events Chicago Bears  June 5, 2017

The Chicago Bears do not own Soldier Field, it is owned by SMG. This means the scheduling and execution of events such as concerts and festivals held at Soldier Field are through the stadium manager. 

Being able to adapt to how the team plays is necessary to maximize revenue. Reactions cannot be based on positivity (Bears win) or negativity (Bears lose). 

Communication skills as well as attention to detail are the two most essential qualities looked for during the interviewing process to bring in new employees. 

Finding mentors and networking will enable individuals who are interested in the sports aspect of event planning to be more susceptible of growing opportunities.

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Elevator Concept

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After the terrorist attacks in Manchester, England the Chicago Cubs responded with a $1 million donation to install 30 new surveillance cameras. Stressed is the importance of securing one of the largest tourist attractions in the state. Because Chicago is a world-class city any one of the three sports arenas: United Center, Wrigley Field and Guaranteed Rate Field and any one of them could be targeted. By installing new cameras around the entire perimeter of the ballpark, security is strengthened. Everyone involved in the project is confidant of the safety and security of fans and residents surrounding Wrigley.