InduSTry and ASSociATion nEWSBirthday group sales bring life to <strong>the</strong> partyfor MLL Champion Chesapeake BayhawksWith assistance from Full House and its birthday lead list, <strong>the</strong> Bayhawks increased <strong>the</strong>ir group sales business by 160%In Maryland, lacrosse is no casual pursuit.Most young boys and girls growing upin <strong>the</strong> Old Line State choose to pick up amesh-headed crosse over a baseball gloveor soccer ball. For <strong>the</strong>m, lacrosse is a birthright.And for some kids in <strong>the</strong> Annapolis area, it’s abirthday <strong>the</strong>me as well.In sports, group sales are essential lifebloodfor boosting ticketing revenue. Dave May,Director of Ticket Sales for <strong>the</strong> ChesapeakeBayhawks of Major League Lacrosse, realizedgroup sales was an area <strong>the</strong> organization neededto improve and that birthday parties could helpgrow those sales. “We knew some of <strong>the</strong> moreCelebrateyour birthday with<strong>the</strong> bayhawksGet in <strong>the</strong> Game!aNdIn <strong>the</strong> Game: The postcard on <strong>the</strong> left was mailed to 3,448 leads,including Dylan Sharpe, shown here celebrating his 7th Birthday in<strong>the</strong> Bayhawks Birthday Bash area.“[Birthday parties] accountedfor around 10% of our totalgroup sales this year.”– Dave May, Chesapeake BayhawksPhoto courtesy of Gail Sharpeaffluent families in <strong>the</strong> area would have somedisposable income to take <strong>the</strong>ir kids to ourgame for <strong>the</strong>ir birthdays,” says May. “[Birthdayparties] accounted for around 10% of our totalgroup sales this year.”GETTING IN THE GameThe Bayhawks worked hand in hand with FullHouse Entertainment Database Marketing toestablish criteria for a birthday leads list. Accordingto Full House, <strong>the</strong> target audience washouseholds with income over $90,000 that hada son between <strong>the</strong> ages of 5-13 and a birthday(turning 6-14) in May, June, or August– <strong>the</strong> durationof <strong>the</strong> Bayhawks’ season. This past season,in which <strong>the</strong> team won <strong>the</strong> MLL Championship,<strong>the</strong> Bayhawks didn’t play any July homegames which is why <strong>the</strong> list was narrowed downto three months. The geographical target was a30-mile radius of Annapolis.“Birthday parties have always been a strongpart of our group sales recommendations, especiallyto lacrosse, soccer, arena football, minorleague baseball, and hockey clubs,” notes FullHouse President Ron Contorno. “A team notonly generates ticket revenue, but it is greatgrassroots marketing for future birthday parties,groups, and season ticket packages.”After <strong>the</strong> list of 3,448 leads was purchasedfrom Full House, a postcard promoting birthdayparties was mailed to those prospects. Themessage of <strong>the</strong> mailer included a personal touchwith each child’s last name variably printed on<strong>the</strong> back of <strong>the</strong> jersey. “We had strong feedbackon <strong>the</strong> postcard,” May explains. “[The personalizedjersey] hit home with a lot of <strong>the</strong> younglacrosse players around here.”THE BIRTHDAY BASHThe Bayhawks hosted 5-10 birthdays per gamein <strong>the</strong>ir Birthday Bash area. Parties often exceeded<strong>the</strong> minimum guest list of ten; onegroup hosted 50 people. The Birthday Basharea is located in <strong>the</strong> parking lot of Navy-MarineCorps Memorial Stadium within a tailgatearea complete with an inflatable field and rockclimbing wall. For <strong>the</strong> parents and o<strong>the</strong>r adults,[continued on page 92]22 | S E A T | www.alsd.com | #SEATWinter2013
Nearly 2,000 yearsin <strong>the</strong> making….construction on <strong>the</strong> coliseum began in 72ADand in 2012 Sports cRm was released….don’t wait ano<strong>the</strong>r 2,000 yearsto ensure a full house.IF you’Re conceRned aBouT eFFecTIvely:· Managing Inventory: game day suite inventory, bookingsand invoicing for suites and o<strong>the</strong>r products.· Increasing Sales: developing cross-sell programs orincreasing sales by creating up sell programs.· Handling Service Requests: tracking and quicklyresolving customer issues.· Scheduling Events: managing renewal and o<strong>the</strong>r customerspecificevents to create <strong>the</strong> ultimate customer experience.· Streamlining Internal Operations: coordinating staff andorganizing tasks prior to critical events to improve efficiencies.We have <strong>the</strong> answers.“The Boston Red Sox organization is driven to ensure that everyfan has a consistent, high quality experience each time <strong>the</strong>y visitFenway Park. The improved visibility into <strong>the</strong> consumer preferencesof our fans is helping us achieve that goal.”Ron BumgaRneRSenioR Vice PReSident/ticketing<strong>the</strong> BoSton Red Soxwww.greenbeacon.com • 617-485-5000
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