Chapter 9 Sports Marketing Plans and Careers

Objectives Explain the purpose and function of a marketing plan. Identify each element found in a marketing plan. Discuss the diversity of career and employment opportunities in sports marketing. Identify different career and employment opportunities in sports marketing.

Case Study – Under Armour No sweat! Kevin Plank found a product to market to athletes of all types, from skiers, to hockey players, to football players – and made a career of it. When University of Maryland special teams captain Plank played football for the Terrapins, he didn’t like changing his T-shirt several times each game. So after graduating in 1996, he designed something better – a skin tight, high-tech microfiber T-shirt that would stay dry and light. He called the underwear Under Armour. The high performance gear was picked up by many college and professional teams. Variations came for both hot and cold weather. But how could Under Armour maintain an annual growth rate of 300 percent and compete against established brands such as Nike, Reebok, and Adidas? Analyze and write. 1) How did Plank launch his business? 2) How could Under Armour expand its business?

Section 9.1 The Marketing Plan

Why Write a Marketing Plan A “marketing plan” is a written document that provides direction for the marketing activities of a company for a specific period of time. It communicates goals, objectives, and strategies of a company to its employees.

6 Elements of A Marketing Plan 6 Elements of A Marketing Plan 1) Executive Summary 2) Situation Analysis 3) Marketing Goals/Objectives 4) Marketing Strategies 5) Implementation 6) Evaluation and Control

Executive Summary An “executive summary” is an overview of the entire marketing plan. It addresses each topic in the plan, plus an explanation of costs.

Situation Analysis A ‘”situation analysis” is a study of the internal and external factors that impact a marketing plan. Internal factors involve the company, its target markets, current performance, and financial resources. External factors include competitive, political, economic, regulatory, legal, technological, cultural, and industry trends.

SWOT Analysis (S)trenghts(W)eaknesses(O)pportunities(T)hreats

Examples of SWOT Analysis Strengths – assets, employees of a company. Weaknesses – anything that creates customer dissatisfaction. Opportunities – things that occur, that if handled properly, could be rewarding to a company. Threats – problems that occur due to any factor that negatively impacts the company (usually environmental).

SWOT – Internal & External Strengths and weaknesses are internal factors. Opportunities and threats are external factors.

6 Marketing Plan Objectives 6 Marketing Plan Objectives 1) Be simple. 2) Be single-minded. 3) Be specific. 4) Be reasonable. 5) Be measurable. 6) Contain a time frame.

Simple An objective must be simple so that everyone who works on the marketing plan finds it easy to understand and know what is expected.

Single-Minded Single-Minded means that only one topic is addressed per objective. Ex.: Increasing ticket sales.

Specific Specific means that the objective provides enough detail so there can be no misunderstanding. Ex.: Increase ticket sales by 10%.

Reasonable Reasonable means that the objective is realistic and achievable.

Measurable Measurable means that the objective includes a way to evaluate it. Ex.: Increase ticket sales by 10% within 6 months.

Marketing Strategies A “marketing strategy” is a method that identifies target markets to make marketing-mix decisions that focus on those target markets. The ultimate goal of a marketing strategy is customer satisfaction.

Target Markets Target Market – a segment of customers or potential customers that share certain characteristics such as age, income, lifestyle, or interests.

The Marketing Mix (4 P’s) ProductPricePlacePromotion

Product Marketing Strategies Product strategies involve the actual design of the product, as well, as its packaging and brand name.

Price Marketing Strategy Price Strategies relate to the price the customer will pay for the product. To arrive at a price, the company must consider cost, competition, economic conditions, and most importantly, what the customer will pay.

Place Marketing Strategies Place – getting the product in the customers hands. Direct channels may be used – through own sales force, websites, or tv infomercials.

Promotion Marketing Strategy Promotion strategies involve communicating with customers through sales promotion activities, advertising, publicity, public relations, and personal selling.

Implementation Implementation is putting the marketing plan into action. Who will be responsible for each phase? How much will the activity cost?

Evaluation and Control Evaluation involves answering the question: Did we accomplish our marketing objectives in the specified time frame?” Control means the company takes action to reduce the gap between planned and actual performance.

Section 9.2 Sports Marketing Careers

Overview of Sports Careers The sports industry includes: sporting goods companies, professional, collegiate, and amateur teams and leagues, and sports organizations.

Sports Marketing Job Descriptions (Employers) Sporting Goods Professional and Collegiate Sports Sports Associations and Organizations Broadcast, Online, and Print Media Sports Venues Sports Agencies

Sporting Goods Sporting goods are sold in both retail and wholesale outlets. Many of the stores employ salespeople, marketing and technical representatives.

Professional and Collegiate Sports Pro sports franchises and colleges employ salespeople to solicit corporate, individual, and group ticket sales. Some job titles include: 1) Season Ticket Sales representatives, 2) Ticket Service Manager, 3) Inside Sales Associate, 4) Corporate Ticket Sales Personnel, 5) Account executive, 6) Group Sales Manager A related job involves sponsoring special promotions and events. Job titles may include: 1) Marketing Coordinator, 2) Director of Marketing, 3) Director of Communications, 4) Director of Marketing, Communications, and Promotions.

Sports Associations and Organizations The many governing bodies for professional and amateur sports also offer career opportunities. These organizations oversee the leagues, teams, players, with regard to rules, ethics, competition, championships, and playoffs. Some of the major organizations for professional sports include: Major League Baseball (MLB) National Basketball Association (NBA) National Football League (NFL) Major League Soccer (MLS) National Hockey League (NHL)

Broadcast, Online, and Print Media Sports are very popular as entertainment. ESPN offers jobs in magazine, radio, web, and television stations. ESPN also needs sales personnel for selling advertising space and time. Becoming a sports journalist, announcer or copywriter requires excellent communication skills.

Sports Venues Sports venues are facilities or locations, such as stadiums, arenas, park, or golf courses where sporting events take place. Ex.: Wrigley Field, Madison Square Garden, The Boston Garden. Name 5 other famous sports venues. 1)_________________2)_________________3)_________________4)_________________5)_________________

Sports Agencies Sports Agencies are organizations that specialize in marketing and managing sports events, sports teams, and professional athletes. Sports agents represent professional football, basketball, baseball, soccer, and other athletes. Sports agents handle contract negotiations with an athlete, team, and corporate sponsors.

Other Careers Other sports-market careers that are growing in popularity are found in the health and fitness and recreation industries. Personal fitness businesses like Gold’s Gym cater to consumers of all ages. Recreation involves all areas of sports for people of every age including bowling, tennis, kickboxing, and youth sports programs and camps.

Sample Marketing Plan Review the sample marketing plan in Figure 9.2 (pp ). Answer the following questions. 1) What is FFC’s first objective. 2) Describe each element in FFC’s marketing mix. ProductPricePlacePromotion 3) List three strategies for the implementation of FFC’s marketing plan. 4) In your own words, define marketing plan.

Assignment – Write a Resume (100 Total Points/20 Points Each) You have a special talent or business experience in an area that you think can be applied to the sports marketing industry. Write a one page resume to showcase your talent. Job Objective Skills Work Experience Education Awards and Activities

Checking Concepts/Critical Thinking/Cross-Curriculum Skills (100 Total Points/10 Points Each) 1) Explain the purpose of a marketing plan. 2) Identify the elements of a marketing plan. 3) Explain how to conduct a SWOT analysis. 4) Identify the guidelines for the elements of a marketing plan. 5) Name appropriate marketing strategies for a marketing plan. 6) Discuss the diversity of career skills used in the sports marketing industry. 7) List five different employment opportunities in the sports marketing industry. 8) Explain the relationship between threats and opportunities. 9) Make a list of the major headings of this chapter. 10) What element of a marketing plan do you believe is the most one to start a business? Why?