Sports Event Management and Marketing Playbook

FRANK SUPOVITZ has organized hundreds of major international live and televised sports and entertainment events. For more than two decades combined, he was the senior event executive for the National Football League and National Hockey League. He is the founder and president of Fast Traffic Events & Entertainment and an adjunct professor at Adelphi University. ROBERT GOLDWATER has managed and marketed thousands of sports, entertainment and special events during his 24 years at Madison Square Garden, as the first general manager of Staples Center, as the chief executive of the DC Sports and Entertainment Commission and with The Goldwater Group consulting firm. He is on the faculty of Georgetown University's Sports Industry Management master's program.

• Preface xiAcknowledgments xvIntroduction 1The Power of Sports Event Marketing 1The Evolution of Sports Event Marketing 3The Sports Event Golden Rule—Understanding Stakeholders’ Objectives (U.S.O.) 4Current Trends in Sports Event Management and Marketing 6Play 1 Defining and Developing Objectives, Strategies, and Tactics 9Introduction 10The P-A-P-E-R Test 11Sports Events as Business Solutions 19Post-play Analysis 20Coach’s Clipboard 20PLAY 2 Identifying Costs 21Introduction 21Facility Costs 22Player- and Game-Related Expenses 27Event Operations Expenses 28Marketing and Promotion Expenses 29Sponsor Fulfillment Expenses 31Guest Management and Hospitality Expenses 32Event Presentation Expenses 32Capital Investment and Amortization 33Miscellaneous Expenses and Contingency Allowances 34Reforecasts 35Post-play Analysis 35Coach’s Clipboard 35PLAY 3 Identifying Revenue Streams 37Introduction 37Ticket Sales 38Sponsorship and Advertising 43Merchandise 45Concessions and Food and Beverage Sales 47Broadcasting 47Tournament and Participation Fees 48Grants and Donations 49Miscellaneous Revenues 49Balancing the Books 49Reforecasts 51Post-play Analysis 53Coach’s Clipboard 53Play 4 Soliciting and Selecting Host Cities and Venues 54Introduction 54What Host Cities Really Want from Sports Events 55Economic Impact 56Room Nights and Other Factors 59What Sports Events Really Want from Host Cities 60What Event Venues Really Want from Sports Events 67What Sports Event Organizers Want from Event Facilities 69Selecting a Facility 73Post-play Analysis 73Coach’s Clipboard 74Play 5 Starting the Clock on the Sports Event Planning Process 75Introduction 75Identify and Analyze Management Tasks 76Keeping Your Project on Track 79Build a Support Organization 84Find the Right People 88Manage Your Support Organization 91Post-play Analysis 93Coach’s Clipboard 94Play 6 Understanding the Sports Event–Sponsor Relationship 95Introduction 95The Evolution of Sports Event Sponsorship 96What Sports Event Organizers Really Want from Sponsors 98What Sponsors Really Want from Sports Events 102Know Your Sponsors’ Needs 113Know Your Fans 117Post-play Analysis 118Coach’s Clipboard 118PLAY 7 Teaming with Sponsors 120Introduction 120Scaling and Pricing Sponsorship Packages 120The Sales Process 127Dynamic Customization 135The Decision-Making Process 144The Sponsor’s Point of View 145Finalizing the Deal 147Now, Service Your Sponsors! 149Post-play Analysis 149Coach’s Clipboard 149Play 8 Maximizing and Servicing the Media Partnership 151Introduction 151The Two Faces of the Media 152What the Editorial Side Really Wants from Sports Events 154The Campaign for Attention 161Servicing the Media at the Event Site 165Media Center Facilities 168A Note about Talking to the Media 173Media Coverage and Media Partners 174Post-play Analysis 174Coach’s Clipboard 175Play 9 Activating the Sports Event Marketing Plan 176Introduction 176What Media Partners Want from a Sports Event Relationship 177What Sports Event Organizers Want from a Media Partner 179Selecting Media Partners 181Sports Event Promotions 184Effective Sports Event Advertising 191Event Marketing 195Social Media 196Post-play Analysis 197Coach’s Clipboard 197PLAY 10 Engaging the Community 199Introduction 199Identifying the Gatekeepers 201Impacting the Local Environment 208Focusing and Managing Community Enthusiasm 209Moving Forward 215Post-play Analysis 215Coach’s Clipboard 215PLAY 11 Accommodating and Managing Guests 217Introduction 217Selling Tickets 218Losing Sleep 101—What to Do if Tickets Are Not Selling 224Guest Management 227Hotel Management 232Post-play Analysis 238Coach’s Clipboard 239PLAY 12 Presenting Your Event 240Introduction 240Ceremonies and Entertainment Elements 241Production Planning 245Scheduling Rehearsals 252Technical Tools of Sports Event Production 258Pyrotechnics & Flame Effects 263Supovitz’s Theory of Event Flow 265Post-play Analysis 265Coach’s Clipboard 266PLAY 13 Working with Broadcasters 267Introduction 267What Broadcasters Want from Sports Events 268What Sports Events Organizers Want from Broadcasters 272Broadcaster–Sports Event Business Relationships 273Working with Broadcast Producers 274“One Event—One Audience” 277Post-play Analysis 278Coach’s Clipboard 279PLAY 14 Managing for the Unexpected 280Introduction 280Contingency Planning 281Risk Assessment and Management 282Analyzing Risk Exposure and Possible Outcomes 282Health, Safety, and Security 282Remedying and Responding to Risk Exposure 286Preparing for the Unknown 293Building an Empowered Team 294Acknowledging the World Condition 298Tie Down the Details 298Post-Mortems and After-Action Reports 299Post-play Analysis 299Coach’s Clipboard 299Appendix 1: Event Expense Budget Worksheet 301Appendix 2: Event Revenue Budget Worksheet 307Appendix 3: Sample Host City Request for Proposal 309Appendix 4: Request for Proposal Evaluation Form 321Appendix 5: Sample Facility Event License Agreement 323Appendix 6: Facility Selection Survey Form (Simplified) 329Appendix 7: Sample Sports Event Sponsorship Deck 332Appendix 8: Sample Sponsorship Agreement 340Appendix 9: Sports Event Participant Release 344Appendix 10: Sample Sports Event Run of Show (Pre-event) 346Appendix 11: Sample Event Pocket Guide (or Link) 349Appendix 12: Simple Accreditation Plan 351Appendix 13: Checklist of Public Address Announcements 352Appendix 14: Sample Event Day Checklist 354Index 357