2014 ball state wvb marketing plan

Ball State Women’s Volleyball

2014 Marketing Plan

Ball State University- Women’s Volleyball Marketing Plan of 10

2014 Ball State Women’s Volleyball Marketing Plan

Marketing Plan Summary.………………...………………….……………………..…3 Attendance Research.………………...…………..…………………………………..…4

Program Review – 2013 Season (4)

Attendance Review – 2013 Season (4)

Attendance Observations (5) Product Analysis (SWOT)……………………………………………………….……….6 2014 Season Outlook……………………………………………………………………..7

Home Matches (7) Promotional Calendar……………………………………………….………………….8 Marketing Plan Recap (post-2014 season).....………….………………….…9

Attendance Review – 2014 Season (9)

Attendance Observations – 2014 Season (11)

Dig Pink (12)


Goal #1: Average student

attendance of 250 per match

Goal #2 Raise $1,000 for 2014 Dig Pink by

Side-Out Foundation

Goal #3 Attendance average of

750 for Active Ankle Challenge

- Promote as part of football opening weekend - Encourage fans to start Labor Day celebrations with women’s volleyball - Offer free admission to both Saturday matches - Promote in Star Press and Daily News print ads - Promote on WLBC radio - Begin Fan of the Match promotions - Give-a-ways at each match provided by Active Ankle - Kick-off “Tees for Aces” promotion courtesy of Active Ankle

- Launch campaign during Mid-American Conference play in October - Host Dig Pink match in late October - Promote awareness/donations on video board during October matches - Send out information on Dig Pink/donations to program alumni, friends of the program, parents of current student-athletes and fan database

- Promote to students at Scramble Light pep rally (four this semester) - Table Tent ads ad Atrium and Student Center dining locations - Fall sport schedule cards to each student at Welcome Week event night - 200 student rewards points for each match - Multiple ads in Daily News through season

Women’s Volleyball Marketing Plan Summary

Objectives Strategic Initiatives Tactics

Overall Goal:

Average attendance Of 800


2013 Season Program and Attendance Research Program Review : 2013 Season Head Coach Steve Shondell and his team are coming off another strong season. The Cardinals finished the 2013 campaign 24-8 and 12-4 in the Mid-American Conference. Ball State continued its home court dominance with an 8-2 showing in the ten home matches last year. Fourteen of the team’s twenty-four wins came as a 3-0 sweep, while they were only swept in three consecutive sets twice. Last year’s squad last to Western Michigan 1-3 in the conference tournament quarterfinals.

Attendance Review- 2013 Season Match-By-Match Date Opponent Day Time Attendance(students) Sept. 4 IPFW Wednesday 7pm 881 (380) Sept. 17 IUPUI Tuesday 7pm 666 (294) Oct. 5 Buffalo Saturday 7pm 715 (160) Oct. 11 Western Michigan Friday 7pm 1087 (263) Oct. 12 Northern Illinois Saturday 7pm 615 (88) Oct. 25 Bowling Green Friday 7pm 780 (254) Oct. 26 Miami Saturday 7pm 639 (191) Nov. 1 Central Michigan Friday 7pm 688 (168) Nov. 2 Eastern Michigan Saturday 7pm 762 (216) Nov. 7 Toledo Thursday 7pm 1454 (751) 2013 Regular Season Attendance Totals Regular Season Total Attendance: 8,287 Regular Season Average Attendance: 828.7 Regular Season Student Total Attendance: 2,765 Regular Season Student Average Attendance: 276.5


2013 Attendance By Match

Overall Attendance Observations

The 2013 season had strong attendance to start the season with a Wednesday night match. It helped to have the I-69 rivalry to open the home season.

There was no true Active Ankle challenge this year, unlike previous seasons where it was a weekend in September hosting non-conference teams.

The team was home the same day as Homecoming.

They were only home for two non-conference games, prior to opening the MAC season in early October.

The final home match (vs Toledo) saw the largest overall crown and student crowd at 1,454 and 751, respectively.


Product Analysis (SWOT) Strengths

Dedicated fan base from local high schools, clubs and area community (history of volleyball in and around the city of Muncie and Delaware County

Head Coach Steve Shondell is from the area and has storied success in the area at Muncie Burris. He is a household name in the community and well known and respected.

Strong home conference schedule, hosting MAC east foes Ohio, Kent State, Akron, and all the MAC west schools.

Third year of student rewards program and it is growing more every year (up 45% from year one to year two)

Not home on Homecoming Saturday this year; home Thursday during the week (great opportunity for student attendance prior to Air Jam event later that night)

Weaknesses

Active Ankle Challenge day two is during first home football game

Two home matches are over fall break, when the students are mainly away from campus

No home matches in month of September. Opportunities

The Nest (student section) rebranding to help increase student attendance and promotion

Second year for video board, able to introduce/utilize more elements to enhance game day atmosphere

Cheer or Code Red at every home match (minus 8/30) Threats

Facing tough crowd possibilities on Labor Day weekend due to home football

Final home match is an “outlier,” nearly two weeks removed from other home matches


2014 Season Outlook

Home Matches Aug. 29 Western Illinois% 8 p.m. Aug. 30 Eastern Illinois% 11 a.m. Aug. 30 Northern Colorado% 8 p.m. Oct. 3 Eastern Michigan* 7 p.m. Oct. 4 Central Michigan* 7 p.m. Oct. 9 Toledo* 7 p.m. Oct. 17 Ohio* 7 p.m. Oct. 18 Kent State* 7 p.m. Oct. 31 Northern Illinois* 7 p.m. Nov. 1 Western Michigan* 7 p.m. Nov. 15 Akron* 7 p.m. %- Denotes 2014 Active Ankle Challenge match *- Denotes Mid-American Conference match The Cardinals open the 2014 season at home to host the Active Ankle Challenge. Northern Colorado, Eastern Illinois and Western Illinois will come to town for the Labor Day weekend tournament. This returns the tournament back to facing non-conference opponents, after last year’s being a weekend during conference play. The Cardinals are then on the road for over a month, as they do not play a home match in the entire month of September. Ball State opens Mid-American Conference play on the road the final weekend of September. The first weekend of October sees Eastern Michigan and Central Michigan come to town. They continue conference play hosting Toledo on Thursday, October 9th during Homecoming Week on campus. The next home matches on the 17th and 18th fall over Fall Break at Ball State (Oct. 18-21). A rematch from the 2013 MAC tournament quarterfinals occurs when Western Michigan comes to town on November 1st. The season wraps up at home on Saturday, November 15th as the Cardinals host Akron. The MAC tournament returns to campus sites this season, as the 2014 tournament will be held in Athens, Ohio hosted by Ohio University.


2014 Promotional Calendar

Season Long Promotions

Ball State Women’s Volleyball Fan of the Match

At every match, one lucky fan will be selected at as the Fan of the Game and will receive a prize pack from Ball State Athletics. To enter, fill out your entry in the Gate 1 lobby and at Gate 3 on the concourse.

Student Rewards

Every home match for women’s volleyball is worth 200 points with the Athletics Student Rewards program. Students will swipe in upon entry at Gate 1 (LL) and Gate 3.

T-Shirts for Aces

For every Cardinals serving ace, the cheerleaders will be looking for the loudest fans in the stands to throw a free t-shirt to, courtesy of Active Ankle.

Promotions for Select Ball State Women’s Volleyball Matches this season

Friday, August 29th and Saturday, August 30th Active Ankle Challenge

Active Ankle Challenge: Free give-a-ways from Active Ankle for fans! There will be rally towels and other prizes from Active Ankle at the gates for a select number of fans upon entry. There will also be mini-volleyballs and bonus t-shirts thrown into the stands during these matches.

Friday, October 31st vs Northern Illinois

Dig Pink: Partnering with Side-Out Foundation for seventh consecutive season to raise money for breast cancer awareness. It will be a month long promotion, cumulating with the Dig Pink match on October 31st. The team will wear pink warm-ups, as well as pink accents during the match.


2014 Women’s Volleyball Marketing Recap The Cardinals finished the 2014 season 17-13 overall and 11-5 in Mid-American Conference play. They were knocked out of the MAC tournament in the quarterfinals, losing to Western Michigan three sets to one. The Cardinals went 8-3 (6-2) inside Worthen Arena this season. The 2014 team played in nine five-set matches this year (compared to four last season) and went five and four in those matches going the distance. The Cardinals dealt with injuries from early on in the season. Match-By-Match Date Opponent Day Time Attendance(students)

Aug. 29 Western Illinois Friday 8 p.m. 725 (253)

Aug. 30 Eastern Illinois Saturday 11 a.m. 729 (N/A) Aug. 30 Northern Colorado Saturday 8 p.m. 713 (N/A) Oct. 3 Eastern Michigan Friday 7 p.m. 703 (210) Oct. 4 Central Michigan Saturday 7 p.m. 712 (224) Oct. 9 Toledo Thursday 7 p.m. 465 (161) Oct. 17 Ohio Friday 7 p.m. 491 (86) Oct. 18 Kent State Saturday 7 p.m. 453 (83) Oct. 31 Northern Illinois Friday 7 p.m. 434 (118) Nov. 1 Western Michigan Saturday 7 p.m. 725 (123) Nov. 15 Akron Saturday 7 p.m. 746 (249)

2014 Regular Season Attendance Totals Regular Season Total Attendance: 6,896 Regular Season Average Attendance: 626.9 Regular Season Student Total Attendance: 1,507 Regular Season Student Average Attendance: 167.4


2014 Season Match-by-Match Attendance Totals

2014 Season Match-by-Match Student Attendance


Overall Attendance Observations - We fell short of our attendance goal of 800 this season. However, this season we

were more diligent about accurately tracking general admission and student attendance.

- Student attendance was down and struggled this year with three matches over Labor Day weekend, one during other events on Homecoming week and two during Fall Break. However, if you take those matches out, the student turn out during other matches was still strong.

- This season there was no Senior Day, as those on the roster have at least one year of eligibility remaining.

- Last year’s senior day was the largest attended as three prominent student-athletes from the program graduated. That attendance and publicity boost was missing this season.

- Strong attendance from community and area for Active Ankle challenge; averaged 722.3 fans per match.

- If the Active Ankle challenge was not over a football game, we would likely have reached our 750 average attendance goal for the tournament.

- Low attendance in middle of October (Homecoming week and fall break) - Student support grew from Fall Break to end of season - First season of having students required to swipe in with student rewards at

entry gates (third year of program)


Dig Pink The 2014 Dig Pink campaign with the Side-Out Foundation kicked off in early October. The campaign was set-up online and promoted during matches on the video board, through PA reads and in programs. Also, this year’s campaign information was sent to program alumni, program friends, current parents, and fans via email and social media. This year $1,463 were raised, making it the most successful campaign with the Side-Out foundation to date.

Total Amount Raised for Dig Pink Match with Side-Out Foundation

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

$

2014 ball state wvb marketing plan

Documents