Great stuff on the official league msg. boards And stickied from here on out http://boards.wusa.com/messageview.cfm?catid=13&threadid=10506 This is interesting, and maybe we should have our own online BigSoccer Charge Focus Group; there's a lot of stuff that we can digest from this. Paul
Focus groups should represent a balanced view. I'd tend to think BS is a more serious fan than the average season ticket holder, after all, BS users need to take some effort to pursue reading posts and commenting. The moderator of a focus group needs to be very good, not letting 2 or 3 people speak for the entire group of 10 or 15. This can easily happen despite whatever TOPIC GUIDES are being used. More verbal people can direct the discussion and others can simply follow their lead. My interest would hav been if any people in the focus group were season ticket holders in YEAR 2, but were NOT in YEAR 1, and what their motivations were for becoming HOLDERS in YEAR 2. That's an audience of interest, what's causing a NEW season ticket holder to become one. As to Howard, he's background noise, at least to me. Big question is, are there enough ardent fans to do enough cheering to create a good soccer environment. I'd say a majority of adults are just causal obervers. like their watching a movie, and are not participating in the event. So I believe crowd atmosphere will take a hit without Howard. Glenn, I guess this means you need to send TIm Murphy your resume.
"Charge Post-Game Live"... Why not? Comcast SportsNet has a similarly-named show for the other four major teams...that would be an invaluable promotional tool for the team. I'm going to rename the thread as it's too vague and I'm aiming for this to be the top thread on the Charge forum. We've got some pretty good heads on here; let's brainstorm, shall we? Paul
First idea..... generally means more (practical and ingenious) to come.. At half time have a mini-soccer game with players from the other Philly pro sports teams... (if there are fan faves.... or simply to "draw" in different people- if only for one game, they may return) Questions- who are you looking to target for increase fan base? what characteristics do they have that you/Charge can relate to? what do you have to offer them? I was really impressed with 2 Charge things this year: 1. the Sports Media Fair (hosting it) and 2. the Girl Scout Night where the kids actually got to SLEEP on the field! Wow-zers Perhaps the Charge will do Movie Night next year- o I'd love to see an Odyssey of the Mind- or other such related group- team design its own vehicle or contraption and play a mini soccer game with it on the field. Now you target the "kids" but not the soccer frenetic ones- Recognition for doing well= getting to use your brains and play on a pro field- with what you designed- in front of thousands of people... This is also a time when I suggest teams chatting with other fans and seeing what their teams do/don't do.... Not a universal league in marketing by any means- that wouldn't work- but there are ideas that are common to all- and can be modified if needed that will work.... or are used on a rotating (every other year) basis. I'd personally like to see the teams develop 35 or so give away ideas- so the same ones don't occur each year.... Do the Charge do a Beach Bash? or a Casino Night?- wouldn't that be fun A Weds. night game- targeting the business crowd... and the non-inner-Philly area ones..... Just some thoughts...
I don't believe there's any thing magical in all this except the concepts AWARENESS and LOYALTY. Without having access to the Charge research, I'd say the AWARENESS matter is getting well addressed, from the clinics to appearances in the media. I believe you have to look at the soccer interested universe and, on the whole, soccer fans know the Charge exist. The next step in the process is building INTEREST, then building LOYALTY. Anyone knowing much about soccer can readily identify the PLEASING nature of their style. The key is getting the AWARE, NOT-INTERESTED soccer person into the stadium, to make a first hand judgement. And then letting the product build it's own loyal base. I have a co-worker, he and his wife played D-1 soccer, he refs in a womans rec league, and they finally made it to the NY match the Charge lost 3-2. He then went to the semi match. He got hooked, and there's more like him out there, who need that one step to go see the 1st match. After months of talking, finally he made the decision to go, and now he's asking about next year. It's these micro level decisions, which count, and it all starts will awareness, and then some spark which gets you to go see the Charge play.
In order for awareness to increase, too... The Charge have to begin acting like they're the city's 5th major pro team. What was encouraging to me was that they addressed the possibility of them ending the championship drought here, with Heather the reporter on CSN's Sports Night, and the letter from Mark Goodheart to season ticketholders when letting us know about playoff tickets on sale, with the Charge possibly "finally bringing a championship to Philadelphia." Bravo to that. In order to be perceived as a major league franchise, the team must believe that it is. That means engaging WIP whenever it disrespects the Charge. It means putting a letter to the sports editor when Don McKee (also of WIP) uses his forum on the Sunday Inquirer to rag on women's soccer and taking him out to the verbal woodshed. What more can the players do, though? You've already asked them to go miles beyond the call in promoting the team. Whatever marketing strategy the Charge will do (and why not publicize on TV and in the papers that 2003 season ticket deposits are being accepted?) it will require $$, and Comcast may not, due to its own financial quagmire it might be in, be able to dish out the moolah needed to put the team on par, awareness-wise, with the other four teams. Crowd participation at games is another matter, and one that legit makes me cringe, post-Howard, and that's another topic for another day... Paul
I respectfully disagree; I did put a smiley on that part of the message. It may come across like that, admittedly, but there's just so much competition for the sports fan's attention that sometimes you need to address your detractors in a compelling fashion. Paul
Adam brought up an idea without realizing it most likely. As I am looking for an indoor rec league to play in, it's been on my mind. There are a large number of recreational adult soccer leagues in the Philadelphia area (don't forget South Jersey and Delaware.) It wouldn't cost very much money, or research, to make sure that every player in these leagues is aware of the Charge. Obviously, marketing money is best spent when it reaches it's target audience. If a large amount is spent during a Charge game or broadcast, you are preaching to the converted. Scott
Paul, what you can do is get 2 season tickets and then bring a friend to the matches. That addresses the matter more directly. Your tone alienates some people, and they then do NOT listen to what you have to say, just the tone. And Scott raises a good point about marketing directly to these rec leagues, you have players doing all these kiddie clinics, why not pursue a bit more of the adult league angle. Perhaps have Charge players ref some matches?
the beat have had fantasy camps for adults i believe maybe something like this for the charge is in order?
G4m and his Charge fantasies... We could take that in a number of ways... 1) I think our original idea, or Scott's, was having the adult rec leagues become a source of ticket buyers, by having some interaction between the Charge and those leagues. My idea is having players ref in these leagues, and build a bond similar to kiddie clinics... 2) Fantasy training camps is also a good one from Glenn, I recollect some media event during the season when media/select few participated in a day of training. I don't know if this correlates to adding ticket buyers, but it might be a way to create some revenue... 3) and finally Glenn, do you want the Duck's job or not?? Inquiring fans want to know?
i dont think theyre offering the posistion but if they still want to have a posistion of on field MC yeah adam you got me...id show some intrest, I actually have expirence in this exact posistion (On field announcer for the Newark Bears baseball club during opening weekend 2001) and am also intrested in Sports marketing (and currently hold a sports marketing job) so yeah if they post for a replacement, id apply for it, if you could tell me if they post a want ad or anything tell me and id answer it.
Proactive is the key word in the modern work force. Send them a note and ask if you can be of any assistance. You never know what might come of it... I believe Charge! wants to be your partner though, could we all stand 90 minutes of g4m and charge! I'd almost pay money for that routine.
Allright, you got me, you got me, ill shoot an email to northrop inquiring about the posistion and if it will be replaced and if so ill send a resume...as for a duo act with me and Charge! i dunno i think we need a brainiac talking ape for a straight man
Of course, any implementation of one or more... ...of these ideas we're bouncing around will require the green stuff, and that isn't in such bountiful supply as it was before. Now to this... There was an advertisement in the DN today (Daily News) for a Kixx guy, but not for the Charge - yet. And why not a team highlight video/DVD? Paul
It would probably be more than the cost of a season ticket, remember that; and if you're wanting to hold it this year, where would the camp be? Villanova's tied up with football until 11/16, so the field across from Villanova Stadium would be a good option. 2003 wouldn't be a problem, especially since you don't have to worry about putting in a new field again like you did last year. Paul
Ever since I became aware of the Charge having to bus to Boston, I've been thinking about a travel fund, something where Charge supporters could donate so the team wouldn't need to bus. Basically say 20 are flying and at $150 round trip, that would mean raising $3000, which means 150 donating an average of 20. This would have to be independent of the Charge, but I think it's something the players would appreciate, unless that like the bus trip more than I think they do. Any ideas about this? Or is this just a waste of time?
The Boston Breakers have hosted the final of the Eastern Mass. Women's Soccer League Div. 1 each year prior to their last game. Boston is holding a Breakers Fantasy Camp for Women sponsored by Tufts Health Plan. Two hour sessions, last night and tonight, on Nickerson Field. Hosted by Sarah Yohe and Tracy Ducar (not my fantasy ) with sessions by their trainer, their strength and conditioning coach, and a sports nutritionist. At the FC2 SC summit, Bjornsrud talked about how SJ held a number of training sessions targeted at women over 35 who had never played soccer. Save your pennies and travel with the team. They'd appreciate that more. As a player I'd rather take the bus than fly. Think about a trip from Philly to Boston. Five to six hours kicked back on a bus or four to five hours spent shuttling to the airport, waiting at the airport, crammed into an airplane seat, uncanned at another airport and then shuttled to a hotel. Not to mention being able to listen to my music and work on my computer uninterrupted (until the batteries die).
Have to agree with NSA on the bus thing. The buses they travel on are just as comfortable as any airline they would use, and I think it might be faster. When we went to Cary, Scott and I drove because it took an hour less time to drive. Dwight
In an article on www.europeanwomenssoccer.com Joe Cummings stated that the Breakers are sponsored by AMTRAK- which they use to go to NY, Philly, and Washington. The Breakers have a car, and the fans can come along (I believe in the same car), too. Perhaps Philly will take a look into it, too.
I just looked at the Charge site and Amtrak is one of the Charge sponsors too. I wonder if Boston takes the R5 from 30th street?? Too many people are car dependent here, one of the worst things about living here. Just imagine car insurance over 50 years...