Ideas tossed around at Promo Seminar

NEW ORLEANS, La. -- One of the main selling points of the annual Minor League Baseball Promotional Seminar is that "one idea is the worth the price of admission."

If that is the case, then everyone in attendance at this year's event already has gotten their money's worth. After opening remarks from emcee Dan Migala (a veteran sports marketing consultant and author), the seminar kicked off Thursday morning with a freewheeling exchange of ideas. Over the course of an hour, everyone in attendance shared what they considered to be their club's best promotion of 2009.

The range of responses served as an ample illustration of Minor League Baseball's diversity and, in many cases, irreverence. And since these teams collectively represent the whole of the United States, the responses also could be seen as a microcosm of 21st Century American culture. The following are a few of the innovations to which fans responded in 2009:

• Jason Dambach, general manager of the State College Spikes, was the first to make a point echoed by many: In a tough economy, teams need to go out of their way to "promote the value of Minor League Baseball." In the Spikes' case, this meant aggressively marketing recurring day-of-the-week specials (Half Price Wednesdays, Kids Eat Free Thursdays, Four for $44 Fridays, etc). The point was driven home most fervently by Jeff Griffin of the Missoula Osprey. His club staged discount nights succinctly titled "The Economy Sucks."

• The Lehigh Valley IronPigs received rave reviews for their ballpark wedding, which featured on-field nuptials and was punctuated by the tuxedo-theme jerseys worn by the players. The jerseys were auctioned off after the game, raising $50,000 for charity.

• Moving down one level on the Phillies' Minor League ladder, the Reading Phillies drew big crowds and bigger publicity for their questionably (albeit hilariously) titled Gluttony Night promotion (in which $12 bought a ticket AND unlimited concessions).

• The most popular touring performers to appear at a Wilmington Blue Rocks' game this season were the Cowboy Monkeys -- monkeys dressed as cowboys herding sheep while riding dogs. Clearly, an unbeatable combination.

• The most successful giveaway staged by the Myrtle Beach Pelicans in '09 was a Pelicans Webkinz doll. These coveted items (who knew?) drew lines outside the stadium hours before game time.

• Speaking of giveaways, the Harrisburg Senators took a "go hard or go home" approach to their nightly T-shirt tosses. The club gave away at least 100 each night, and on one memorable evening had an intern roam the stands while wearing 50 shirts.

• Death is always a tricky topic to handle, but the St. Lucie Mets were able to strike the right chord with their tributes to a pair of American icons: Michael Jackson and the Taco Bell Chihuahua.

• The Omaha Royals also successfully dealt with that most delicate of topics with their Four Weddings and a Funeral promotion. Four couples were married on the field prior to the game and, later in the evening, one lucky (?) fan won a funeral. Hugh Grant, what hath you wrought?

• Moving from death to the far more palatable topic of birth, the Brooklyn Cyclones' Bellies and Baseball paid homage to New York City's pregnant women in a wide variety of ways (including the singing of the "Seventh-Inning Stretch(marks)."

• High-concept promos often look better on paper than they do at the ballpark, but the Bowling Green Hot Rods were able to successfully execute What Could've Been Night. On this special evening, the Hot Rods imagined what could've been had "Cave Shrimp" won last season's "Name the Team" contest.

• Another high-concept affair could be found in Bowie, where visitors to the Baysox's website were systematically given clues as to where they could find the coveted Matt Wieters Golden Bobblehead.

• And, finally, sometimes less is more. The Chattanooga Lookouts this season introduced a half-size mascot, whose signature move is leading the crowd in the 3 1/2-inning stretch (during which exactly half of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" is sung).

Most of the above promos required a considerable amount of planning, but Katie Dannemiller of the Greensboro Grasshoppers reminded everyone that often "impromptu is best." And perhaps nothing was more impromptu than when Master Yogi Berra, the club's canine mascot, relieved himself on the field. The result was nationwide coverage and a moment of considerable levity during a year in which Americans needed all the laughs they could get.

Oh, certainly not to be forgotten amid the hubbub is this: The New Orleans Zephyrs (host of this year's seminar) revealed that "Mini-Kiss" (a little people Kiss cover band) were a huge hit at the ballpark. Expect these diminutive face-painted rockers to appear across the Minors in 2010.

You Gotta Make Sure You're Connected

Not surprisingly, social networking has emerged as a primary topic of conversation at this year's seminar. As the effectiveness of traditional media (print, radio and TV) continues to decline, it has become imperative for clubs to effectively harness the power of Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Durham Bulls assistant GM Jon Bishop gave a presentation on "eMarketing" in which he detailed his club's use of email and "new media." Later, social networking was touched upon in several afternoon roundtable discussions (more on the these Friday).

The importance of these tools was summed up in an introductory video shown by Bishop that included the prescient observation that "Social media isn't a fad, it's a fundamental shift in the way we communicate."

Saved By the Belding

Two clubs made note of the fact that Dennis Haskins (aka Mr. Belding from "Saved by the Bell") provides a tremendous bang for the buck. Fresno Grizzlies vice president of marketing Scott Carter reported that the noted thespian was the highlight of the team's "Mad Tight '90s Night Celebration." And West Virginia Power executive vice president Andy Milovich remarked that Haskins was "the most friendly and accessible celebrity guest" that the team has hosted. He went on to note that Haskins and Dora the Explorer were booked on the same day at the ballpark and the line for Haskins was three times as long.