1. Sports Administration Seminar
September 10, 2012
Lecture Notes
Jackie Reau

4. The Long Tail & Sports Audiences
Audience Segmentation
Better Understanding
Deliver Enhanced, Personal Experience
Quicker Conversion to Avid Fan?

5. In Sports, who is Britney and who can be
No Doubt?

7. About sports…

8. Link to full report:
http://media.gamedaypr.com/LPGA%20Futures%20Tours/%233%20LPGA%20booklet.pdf

9. Cincinnati Soccer
Setting the Foundation

10. Cincinnati Soccer History
The game of soccer has a long history in Greater Cincinnati, both with professional teams and youth leagues.
Cincinnati boasts the second-largest participation of soccer in the country, second only to the Kansas City area
(based on per capita). Pro soccer teams, both indoor and outdoor, who have helped grow the sport, include:
Cincinnati Kids: The team was one of the founding members of and played in the Major Indo or Soccer League,
which existed from 1978 to 1992. The Cincinnati Kids played its home games for one year in the old Riverfront
Coliseum, now U.S. Bank Arena.
Cincinnati Riverhawks: The team initially played in the Premier Development Soccer League’s Mid-South Division of
the United Systems of Independent Soccer Leagues in 1997 and played in various divisions until the 2003 season.
Cincinnati Cheetahs: The team played in the U.S. Inter-Regional Soccer League for the 1992 and 1993 seasons. In
1994, the Cheetahs returned to play two seasons in the Inter-Regional Soccer League’s Midwest Division’s Eastern
conference.
Cincinnati Comets: The team played in the American Soccer League (ASL), a league that existed from 1933 until
1983. The Comets played four seasons (1972-1975), winning the ASL championship in its first season.
Cincinnati Ladyhawks: The Ladyhawks originally played in the W-2 Divisions Central Division of the United States
Women’s Soccer League. In its first season in 2000, the Ladyhawks finished in second place in its division. The
team no longer competes.
Cincinnati Silverbacks: Professional indoor soccer team that played in the National Professional Soccer League
(NPSL). The Silverbacks remained in the National Professional Soccer League for three seasons until 1998.
Cincinnati Kings: Professional indoor soccer team that competed in the PASL for the 2010, 2011 seasons at the
Cincinnati Gardens. The team no longer competes in the PASL and dropped down a division for 2012.

11. You Be the GM
Your decisions in 15 minutes with one credible
source for each decision.
Name of the team
Colors/Mascot
Indoor/Outdoor
League
Venue
# of Games to be Played

12. Audience Development
• Determine primary and secondary targeted fan
base and qualify/quantify it with a minimum of
three sources
• Develop a ticketing plan based on capacity
(single ticket sales, group sales, community
tickets)
• Develop a paid media buy plan to reach the
target audiences

13. Communications
• Develop a strategic communications plan for
announcing the team
• Develop an editorial schedule of when team
information will be released to media
throughout the season
• Develop an editorial schedule for social media
platforms used to promote the team to fans

14. Community Relations
• Develop mission statement for community
relations efforts
• Identify a minimum of three non-profits with
whom to strategically partner to build
community loyalty
• Determine six community events that players
and team representatives will participate

15. Game-Day Promotions/
Sponsorship
• Develop a timeline for the game-day
experience (pre-game to post-game)
• Develop a game-day promotional schedule for
the season
• Develop a sponsorship sales plan to support
the game-day promotions with concept, cost
and expectations for results)

16. Budgets
• Revenue Goal: $200,000
• Ticket sales/sponsorships/other
• Marketing Budget: $50,000
• Player Payroll: $75,000
• Venue/League Expenses: $50,000
• Game Day Promotions: $20,000
• Community Relations: $5,000

17. Group Project Discussion

18. September 24
• Read and analyze Sports Business Journal
article
• Summary of the article
• Your opinion on how a Cincinnati soccer team
could use a similar approach for success with
three key ideas
• Future of Media in Sports
• Guest: Jamie Smith, publisher of the
Business Courier