MiLB gameday experience strong, study says

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- A nationwide study conducted by independent research company Turnkey Intelligence revealed Minor League Baseball fans are extremely satisfied with their at-event experience. More than 20,000 MiLB game attendees were surveyed and collectively gave the Minor League Baseball gameday experience a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 58, positioning the league on par with other highly recognizable brands, including the National Football League (NFL), Amazon.com, Westin Hotels & Resorts, Pandora Internet Radio and Discover Card.

NPS, introduced by Fred Reichheld, Bain & Company and Satmetrix in 2003, is a loyalty metric system that identifies customers as brand "promoters," "passives" and "detractors" based on their likelihood to recommend a particular brand. Scores range from -100 to 100, with higher scores indicating stronger brands.

Turnkey's Surveyor Network, officially launched in May 2014, was used to conduct this study, which focused on the experiences of both single-game and season ticket buyers. More than 150 collegiate and professional sports properties participated in the study, including teams from Major League Soccer (MLS), Major League Baseball (MLB) and NCAA FBS programs. More than 40 Minor League Baseball teams from eight of its 15 leagues participated in the study.    

"With comparative metrics in easy-to-read dashboards, this study was actionable for each participating MiLB club," said Len Perna, President and CEO of Turnkey Sports & Entertainment. "Our Surveyor Network is the only way to compare fan satisfaction metrics across multiple properties and leagues. It's the only way to really know where you stand with your customers." 

Further solidifying the results of the study and the Minor League Baseball experience, the league announced its overall attendance at 42.4 million in 2014, the third highest in the organization's 114-year history. The milestone also marked the 10th consecutive year the organization drew an excess of 41 million fans across its 176 teams and 15 leagues.  

"Our teams put tremendous effort into guaranteeing a fun, family-friendly experience at every single one of our games and events," said Michael Hand, Minor League Baseball Chief Marketing Officer and President of MiLB Enterprises. "It's gratifying to see that our efforts are being recognized by our fans."

About Minor League Baseball

Minor League Baseball, headquartered in St. Petersburg, Florida, is the governing body for all professional baseball teams in the United States, Canada, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic that are affiliated with Major League Baseball clubs through their farm systems. In 2014, Minor League Baseball attracted 42.4 million fans to its ballparks. Minor League Baseball has provided affordable family-friendly entertainment to people of all ages since its founding in 1901. For more information about Minor League Baseball, visit www.MiLB.com.

About Turnkey Sports & Entertainment

Turnkey Sports & Entertainment is the holding company that owns and operates Turnkey Search, the industry's leading executive search firm, and also Turnkey Intelligence, the industry's leading consumer intelligence firm. For more information about Turnkey Sports & Entertainment, visit www.TurnkeySE.com.