I heard a DCU ad for the first time on 98.7, which is a country station and one of the most popular stations. I hadn't heard one on there before. I also heard one at the gym on a station called 101 something, sounded like rock and roll, and the DJ talked it up a good bit--my guess is that is the station talley used to be on. we can all get our own little guerilla marketing on too. not just word of mouth but call your favorite radio stations and mention the game, post the game on any message boards and listservs you can--get your favorite bar, resturant, gym, etc. to put up a schedule, etc. those of you that listen to call in sports shows, call in about DCU, etc. i know the team is beginning to run ads, maybe a little grassroots push could help too.
Great idea.. grassroots marketing is the best way to get people interested. People tend to listen when people they know are talking. If I heard say, Amad Rashod(real tv guy) say that DC United is cool i wouldnt listen. but if my best friend told me i think i would. Just get a few friends involved with the team and you will be set. Last season I brought 14 people up from richmond for the el salvador match and for the kickers game i am bringing 8. At a ski resort i used to work at we had a motto that If you tell one person about a place.. 64 will know through word of mouth. If people gain interest they will come. Subtly suggest that we have "world cup stars on the squad". I put up the Kickers Flyer for the match at a local mexican restaurant on saturday... come on.. be ghetto.
I think that's a really good idea!! I'm a teacher and I always run a promotion for opening day to get my students and their families to go to the game. I'll have one of the players come out and talk to the kids and then hopefully that will spark them to continue to go throughout the season. Bobby Convey and Doug Warren came a couple weeks ago, and so far I have 45 people going with me!!
A great way to do this is just invite friends and co-workers to the game. I've hooked many non-soccer fans into the opening game just by saying it was an opening game. If you bill it as a fun group activity people will go with you.
I've got a full van of 7 coming down from DE, including 2 newbies. May 3rd I'm bringin my soccer team, none of them have ever been to a game Come on April 19th! Nice work by that teacher - word of mouth does it all.
I remember reading an article from Post comparing United fans to Jehovah's Witnesses. I guess I actually took that as a compliment. I'm bringing 6 newbies for the opening night. Keep on preaching my brothers and sisters.
My friend is a teacher at a school in Alexandria and his school is offering field seats for the May 3rd match for $15. If DC can push specials like that, it will definitely help get people "into" United. If you had $15 tickets for the Caps, Wizards, or Skins, you'd be sitting next to an oxygen tank.
I don't remember the article, but at this point we should acknowledge as much as form our own officially sanctioned cult...because when the Chinese do finally take over the country it'd be a shame to be out there with Fallun Gong and the Moonies. Tim
Third grade in Montgomery County. We're offering the tickets for $15 per person for the whole family. Today my total is up to 50!!!
The article was written in 1999, our last glory year. It was an article about couple of DC fans and the writer actually compared us to Jehovah's Witnesses because we constantly invite people offering them free beers and tickets. I never had to go this far but I do know many who used these tactics to bring people out. Back in 96 I didn't think this league would last five years but because of all the efforts others put in, we can still go and watch soccer in this country (Amen to that). Well keep on trying and let's make it exciting for the newbies. I hope to see many more opening nights to come.