HomeMy WebLinkAbout030309 SPORTS MARKETINGVirginia Beach
Sports Marketing
Virginia Beach City Council
March 2009
Meet the Sports Marketing Team
•Buddy Wheeler
–Sports Marketing Coordinator
•Nancy Helman
–Sports Marketing Representative
•Matthew Robinette
–Sports Marketing Event Supervisor
Today’s Economy and Sports Impacts
•“While there is a concern of a true recession and how it
could affect the industry….the number of sports events
increased last year and is expected to increase again. In
fact, the number of events is growing so much that new
venues are being constructed to meet demand.”
Sports Events Magazine, March 2008
•“Recent studies report that the intention to travel in 2009
is there: people are reporting they will continue to
travel...often in family groups. Our industry addresses the
need to get away, enjoy the competition and have a family
"mini-vacation" at the same time…. This is the time to
build your market share.”
Don Schumacher, Executive Director
National Association of Sports Commissions
December 2008 Newsletter
How do we fit within the CVB?
Jim Ricketts
Director
Al Hutchinson
VP Sales and Marketing
Buddy WheelerSally Noona
Sports Marketing CoordinatorConvention Sales Coordinator
Nancy HelmanMatthew Robinette
Convention Sales
Sports Marketing Sports Marketing
Convention Services
RepresentativeEvent Manager
Unit’s Primary Goals
•Sales (Room Nights, Off Season)
•Marketing
•Event Management
•Grant Program Management
•Event Development
•Unit Administration
Record Setting Impact
Room Nights Booked For Future Years
2007 –200896,816
2006 –200792,442
2005 –200690,337
2004 –200581,352
2003 –200482,827
2002 –200383,826
2001 –200268,987
Convention Center Impacts
FY 06-07FY 06-07 FY 07-08 FY 07-08
ALLSportsALLSports
* Numbers Provided by VBCC
Total Number of Events4071440717
Number of Room
Nights 135,60683,189156,301100,172
Convention Center
Revenue $3,123,034 $3,696,914
VBCC Event
Taxes/Fees $342,698 $492,201
Estimated Direct
Delegate Spending$50,575,117 $28,980,323 $48,669,787 $27,271,223
8.5% Tax
Revenue of the
$4,298,885 $2,463,327 $4,136,932 $2,318,054
Direct Spending
Total Revenue to City$7,764,617 $8,326,047
Total Operating
Expenses$4,923,606 $5,730,795
Net Return to City$2,841,011 $2,595,252
Sports Room Nights at VBCC
160000
140000
120000
100000
All Event
80000
Sports
60000
40000
20000
0
FY 06-07FY 07-08
How do we find business?
•Strategic Marketing Travel
–TEAMS Conference (Sponsor)
–National Association of Sports Commissions Annual
Meeting
–Amateur Athletic Union Convention
–USA Track and Field Annual Meeting
–USA Running National Meeting
–United States Olympic Committee Congress (Sponsor)
•Sales Blitz –Indianapolis, Colorado Springs
•Local Sports Community and Partnerships
How do we find business? …continued
•State and Regional Organizations
–HR Sports Commission/Sports Virginia
•Prospecting Research
–Sports Travel, Sports Specific Publications (Rugby,
Gymnastics, etc.), Online/Web, Sports Events Magazine
•Word of Mouth! –Small Industry (Industry Leader)
–Just given the “50 Planners and
Places to Watch Award”
by Sports Events Magazine
Who is the Competition?
•First, Second and Third Tier Cities…..
•National Competitive Set:
–Raleigh-Decatur/Birmingham
–Louisville-Atlanta
–Dallas-New Orleans
–San Diego-Tampa
–San Jose-Jacksonville
–Richmond-Houston
–Pittsburgh-Knoxville
–Boston-St. Louis
Issues Impacting Future Success
•Current Venues and Future Development
–DLH Center
–VB Field House and SportsPlex
–VBCC (Potential Expansion, Competition for Dates)
–PA Commons
–7 Cities Baseball Complex
•City Product Development and role of SM in booking
•City’s overall budget and effects on CVB/Sports
–Preserving funding sources (TAP Fund)
•Resort Management and related City agencies
–Highway, Parks and Rec, Police, EMS, etc.
•Growth of Sports Market within our competitive set
•Determining how to use Social Media Marketing within
City guidelines
Looking Ahead
•Recently Awarded (within the last 60-days)
–USA Field Hockey National Indoor Championship
–Price Waterhouse Coopers Softball Championship
–Virginia Is For Lovers 14k
–AAU Junior Olympic Games
•In Development:
–Fencing Division I/Youth Championship
–USA Judo Senior National Championship
–US Youth Soccer Coaches Workshop
–AAU Cross Country Championship
–VB LAX Spring Training (Lacrosse)
–USA TaekwondoJunior Olympic Championship
–Spirit Industry Trade Association –Trade Show and
Championship
Five Future Trends in the Sports Industry
1.More upheaval among corporate sponsors.
2.Events will pursue closer partnerships with Convention
and Visitor’s Bureaus and Home Cities.
3.Event marketers need to develop new sources of
support.
4.Decline in Corporate Meetings and Leisure Travel
increases the importance of sports-related travel.
5.Watch for unexpected sports industry launches,
partnerships, mergers and acquisitions.
Source: Tim Schneider, Sports Travel Magazine
“This is the time to build your market
share. Great marketers and salespeople
welcome the chance to differentiate
themselves from their competition, and a
downturn gives us the opportunity to
demonstrate the value of sports event
travel in our communities.”
Don Schumacher, Executive Director
National Association of Sports Commissions
December 2008 Newsletter