Interesting Marketing Idea

[gmartin]

Upon reading the Miami media guide for their upcoming games I noticed a very nice marketing idea. Next week when Miami hosts Buffalo the game is Wednesday at 1:00pm. The game is called 'Class at Court', where over 1500 grade school students will be at the game. Students from 4 grade schools will be bussed to and from the game. Fre admission for the kids.

Now why can't BG do something like this. It is apparent that BG only draws about 300 college students to the game and they are let in free. The other 1300-1500 of our attendance are season ticket holders and GA tickets sold. With that said why can't BG host an afternoon game and do the same thing. Bus in students from BG, Otsego, Perrysburg, Eastwood, Elmwood, etc. Give the students free admission. Not like the rickets would have been sold otherwise. I am sure most of the kids would at least buy a beverage so BG would make money on concessions.

The kids may go home with a great experience and may want to come back and next time will have their parents. This would be a win win situation. Schools want to save money and not go on long field trips but do want new things to do. I don't think one afternoon game mid week would bother the season ticket holders.

Anyone else think this would be a great idea? Toledo Mud Hens do this in baseball 5 times a year and it is a sell-out. I have spoken with their marketing director and have been told that from follow ups with the schools that the kids who have attended the school day games have gone back to 5/3 field an average of three more games a year.

Down here in Indianapolis we do similar marketing things with the Colts.

So does anyone think this would be a good idea? We could do one game for Women's basketball, one for Men's Basketball and one for Hockey.

[factman]

I think it sucks, because many of us that work and are season ticket holders could not attend!

[FalconTurf]

I have seen the Mudhens operation and they have a lot of staff directing this operation from bus parking to street crossing patrols to greeting groups outside the stadium. It would be a challenge for the BG ath. dept. to handle 4,800 students coming on approximately 80 busses.

There also needs to be an educational component to the event. The academic side of BGSU would need to get involved with math, science, literature and the arts components to make a treasure hunt of sorts to satisfy administrators at that time of the school year. At least have the band performing.

Great recruiting - the Mudhens draw kids from all over NW Ohio and SE Michigan for the 3 or 4 games they do in the spring. The pair in May after state testing sell out to the point they have schools using the picnic tables in the outfield. Advantage for them is the school year is wrapping up and this is simply a goof off day for most schools.

I just don't know if it would draw very well. Most schools have limited money for bussing kids on field trips and they like the Mudhens because it's the end of the year when high stakes tests are done or take trips to academic related venues. Could be done but the whole university must get involved.

Season ticket holders might not be too upset if it were a game against a non-conf. team that is weak. Most don't want to miss a good game.

[jburket]

I have read about other universities hosting the "day game" with local schools attending, but unfortunately - - in this day and age of high-stakes standardized testing - - school systems will NOT permit field trips that are not directly related to the Ohio Content Standards, and thus - - related directly to the Ohio Achievement Assessments.

It's just not gonna happen. With state educational funding in a total state of negative flux, field trips are among the first to go as school system explores cost-saving measures.

I say keep the game on a Saturday, and offer a special deal to the Wood County students. For example, 2 adults enter the game free with every school student aged 6-17 or something like that. Season ticket holders STILL get to see the game, attendance might be spiked slightly - - and who knows? Perhaps some seeds of interest to attend in the future might be planted for those who are experiencing a women's game for the first time.

[BGFalconfromCincy]

I remember a few years ago at a women's game they had a whole bunch of girl scouts at the game, that is something they should do more of for men's and women's games with both girl scouts and boy scouts

[FalconTurf]

jburket - one problem the marketing has had is they only seem to want to market to Wood County through the Sent-Trib. Kids in outlying areas are just as likely to show up in BG for an event. When we came up for the Globetrotter we saw kids from our area as well. BG does little outside their little footprint and when kids go to the game and see the Wood County kid of the week on the field they wonder why.