Cleveland Indians Baseball: Connecting with Community

Adam MillerFebruary 17, 2013

Objective and Agenda

• Objective: To provide thought starters on how I would approach EDF - Marketing position

• Agenda– Review Brand Vision– Discuss strategies to connect with youth– Show ideas on how to enhance experience– Introduce media strategy and tactics

Building Lifelong Connection With Fans

Brand Vision:Create Memories, Connect

Generations, Celebrate Families

Memories Come to Life Through Playing or Watching Game

Play (Focus on Youth)

Youth Leagues

Access to Progressive Field

Experience (Focus on All Ages)

Pre-game carnival atmosphere

In-game rituals

Move Beyond Skill Building for Youth

• Summer Camps, Baseball Buddies, and Wood Bat Fall League nice job of building skill– Memories also come from games and meeting players– Add “Fantasy Camp” elements to camps and leagues

• Player interaction• Games, not just drills

• Expose youth to glory of Progressive Field– Make it an aspirational place to go to– Host important games

• Winners of Summer Camp games• Little League, Middle School, High School Championships• Wood Bat Fall League Championship

– Not just All-Star game

Engaging Game Day Experience Will Create Memories for All Ages

• Tailgate Party in Parking Lot for All Ages

• Marching Band, Games, and Food

Pre-game

• New Fight Song• Pre-game Rituals• Signature Moments of

Celebration

In-game

Pre-Game Parties Make Game an Event

Pre-Game Party in

Parking Lot

Marching Band Build On Old Traditions and Start New Ones

• Embrace songs from past – Indians Baseball Song– Indians Fever– Talkin Tribe– It’s Tribe Time Now

• Develop new song in same vein of college fight songs– Quicker and punchier– Easier to show Indians pride

Fight Song Engage Fans In-Game

Pre-Game

• Get crowd into action

In-Game

• After Home Runs

Post-Game

• After Wins

Build Upon Fight Song To Create Engaging Pre-Game Ritual

• Have players enter field through stands vs. coming out of dugout– Intertwine fans and players in getting ready for game

• Have marching band perform on field prior to game– Bring Ohio State tradition of dotting “I” to life

• Dot one of “I”s in Indians

In-Game Rituals Keep Fans Engaged Throughout Game

• Marching band play in between innings

• Build upon Hot Dog Race with more traditions that happen at certain points of every game– Ex. – Sweet Caroline at Boston Red

Sox games– Ex – Jump Around at Wisconsin

Badgers Football Games

Connect Generations and Celebrate Families In-game As Well

• Promotional activity focused on getting families and different generations involved in pre and in-game activities – Leading team through stands and onto field– Leading marching band in on-field pre-game celebration – Leading crowd in fight song after 7th inning stretch

• Still have more traditional promotions– T-Shirt giveaways

• Retro shirts to bridge generational divides– Family packs of reduced price tickets and snacks to games

Extend Game Watching Experience Beyond Stadiums to Communities

• Make watching Indians games an event in local communities– Road game watching parties bridge gaps between home stands– Bring new rituals (fight song, marching bands, etc) – Focus on connecting families and different generations

• Set-up projectors in local parks and invite people to come watch games together– Local food vendors have stands– Games for families and kids

• Extra revenue opportunities through merchandise and concession sales

Focus On Digital/Mobile Platforms to Get Word Out About New Experience

Media Strategy: Connect with fans when they are seeking information on the team, sport, or community.

Push: Engage fans when they are actively searching for information

Pull: Provide fans spaces to express themselves and build community

Paid Search:

City Entertainment sites

Sports sites

Team site

Facebook/Twitter:

Local Blogs

YouTube

Fan forum

Conclusion• Historic franchise with strong tie to city

– Brand vision focused on creating memories and fostering connections

• Memory creation and connections need to be experiential – Pre-game carnivals– Pre and in-game rituals – Bringing experience to life in local communities

• Digital/mobile space best place to connect with fans– Actively engaged in media– Create forums where fans can become brand ambassadors