Top promotions put to vote at Seminar
Friday morning was largely dedicated to "best of" finalist presentations. There were four categories of promotions (Green, In-Game, Theme Night and Non-Game Day), with five finalists in each category. Each finalist gave a roughly three-minute presentation, with attendees voting for their favorite in each category as well as best overall. Winners will be announced Saturday morning.
While it will be interesting to see who wins, it was more interesting simply to learn about the 20 standout promotions that were nominated. The presentation that garnered the most attention (and nervous laughter) came from the Lake Elsinore Storm. Assistant general manager Allan Benavides explained the team's "Subtle Butt" promotion, in which fans attending "All-You-Can-Eat" games received free flatulence neutralizers. The presentation included a video on how the product is used and, most memorably, a live product demonstration. It is probably best not to go into any more detail.
The Best In-Game Promotion category was stacked with powerful ideas, but none was more captivating than the Mobile BayBears' "Ninth Inning Rave." In the break leading to the game's final inning, those in the press box don neon glow sticks and other fanciful wardrobe items and dance wildly as strobe lights flicker and electronic music blares. The result is an eye-catching (and absurd) ballpark extravaganza.
The BayBears also were nominated for Best Non-Game Promotion for relocating Henry Aaron's childhood home to the stadium grounds. After an intense period of renovation and refurbishment, it will be open to the public as a museum on Opening Day 2010.
Be Prepared
That's the motto of the Boy Scouts, but it would be wise for Minor League teams to adopt it as well. The importance of being prepared was illustrated by Salt Lake Bees assistant general manager Brad Tammen, who gave a presentation with the intriguing title of "Saving the Bacon ... Crisis Management 15, 731."
Tammen told the harrowing tale of July 24. The Bees were notified in the morning that their sold-out game could not be played because the opposing Portland Beavers were quarantined in their hotel with flu-like symptoms. Springing into action, the club scheduled a local high-school All-Star game while offering a full slate of pre- and postgame entertainment (including a two-hour autograph session with Bees players).
Additionally, the team announced that all tickets to the postponed game would be good for two tickets to a future contest and also could be redeemed for a preseason Utah Jazz game as well as free admission to a motocross competition. As a result, only 94 fans (out of more than 15,000) asked for a refund.
A Special Guest
So far, every seminar speaker has been from the world of Minor League Baseball -- with one exception. Mike Stanfield, vice president of ticket and suite sales for the NFL's New Orleans Saints, gave a presentation in which he highlighted various strategies his team employs to collect all-important fan contact information. The man should know of what he speaks, as the Saints have sold out every game since Stanfield began working with the club in 2000.
And Round and Round and Round It Goes
Thursday and Friday afternoons were comprised of small group roundtable discussions that touched on a wide variety of topics. Among the highlights:
Going Green -- The Lake Elsinore Storm are considered the pioneers of the "Going Green" trend in the Minor Leagues, having implemented a wide variety of environmentally friendly measures at The Diamond. The State College Spikes play in the only LEED-certified ballpark in the country. Therefore, it only made sense that the "Going Green" roundtable was led by executives of both clubs -- Storm president Dave Oster and Spikes GM Jason Dambach.
No Game? No Problem -- Bowie Baysox assistant GM Phil Wrye and Ripken Baseball executive director Amy Venuto offered up a dizzying array of ways to use a ballpark in the offseason and while the team is on the road. A few of the suggestions: haunted houses, yard sales, career fairs, proms, graduations, reunions, concerts and adult men's league baseball games.
Desperate Times, Desperate Measures -- Fresno was hit hard by the economic downturn, with a regional unemployment rate of 17 percent. The Grizzlies, under the leadership of senior vice president of marketing Scott Carter, responded by offering the most unbeatable deal in town: on Mondays, $22 bought two tickets, two hot dogs, two sodas, two passes to a local water park and two rounds of miniature golf. That, in a hyphenated word, is recession-proof.
Benjamin Hill is a reporter for MLB.com.