SCC s 2015 Fantasy Football Classroom Challenge SPORTS MARKETING CHALLENGE #1 THE MARKETING PLAN (Corresponds with Unit 5 of SCC s textbook)
CHALLENGE #1 (THE FINE PRINT): The primary objective with the first challenge is to demonstrate the fundamental importance a marketing/business plan plays in the overall success of any sports or entertainment organization. The plan DOES NOT NEED TO BE overly detailed or contain any specific data, rather it should just demonstrate your franchise (students/class) has a plan in place to provide some direction for the season. No need to overthink anything, just instill the idea that creating a plan will provide a road map to success for your team this season. See unit 5 in your book for a few quick tips Also, PLEASE keep the feedback coming! This is the first time we ve launched a competition like this and want to create the best possible experience for both YOU and your students so let us know how things are going! SELECTING YOUR TEAM NAME, LOCATION, PLAYERS/ROSTER ETC: We have been fielding a number of questions relating to the selection of team names, locations, drafting players etc. You do NOT need to know anything about the NFL, NFL players OR fantasy football to participate. Simply use the player values sheet to help you fill out your roster sheet and have students help to set a weekly lineup. In fact, we really DON'T want this to be about the players. The objective here is to create a sense of fiscal responsibility (like saving money for free agents in case players get hurt etc and identifying a strategy of either spending big on all stars, spending all on medium level players or combination thereof). In the end, the player performance aspect won't be as much of as a factor anyway in the evaluations and how well your class performs in the competition. Think of it is an easy way to capture student s attention and keep the game fun while using it as a tool for providing a basic lesson on finance. Q: When it comes to the city, should the students think about another NFL team being there or should they pretend that they are the only franchise? A: It can be any city students choose...i'd advise against a market with an existing franchise from a competition standpoint but consideration of teams other than NFL should also be in play...some quick research online will provide any info you need. Also, we will address this topic in a little more detail in a later activity/challenge that focuses on understanding the market and your consumers. * PLEASE NOTE * Please use the guide at the bottom of this document as a general guide for league office expectations on what information each of you will want to submit!
CHALLENGE #1 OVERVIEW: The first sports marketing challenge in our inaugural fantasy football competition requires students to draft a team using pre-determined salaries to assemble a roster. The goal is to help foster an understanding of the budget process and importance of basic financial principles necessary for managing a sports franchise. The official roster sheet and player salaries are available for download on SCC s website. The second part of the challenge will require the development of a marketing plan overview the operative word here is overview. Provide the league office with a general synopsis of how you plan to market and promote your team throughout the season while keeping an eye on that financial bottom line! Remember, your team will earn points on a weekly basis not only based on how the players you draft perform, but also on responses to the sports marketing challenges so be creative, thorough and have fun! As a reminder, please be sure both you and your students are familiar with the league rules. You can access the rules from the downloads center on SCC s website. CHALLENGE #1 INSTRUCTIONS: Please submit ALL of the following documentation to the league office via email to chris@sportscareerconsulting.com by Thursday, October 1 st. Official roster sheet (please download from SCC s website) including: Team name / mascot (see the FFL rules sheet for an important consideration for determining team names Your school name General manager (teacher) name/email Draft day payroll with individual player salaries from the official SCC FFL player salary sheet (available for download online) Available salary cap space (if you don t exceed $300 with your draft) A Marketing Plan overview to include: Mission statement Executive summary Marketing goals / objectives Marketing strategies Draft day financial strategy (player payroll): Are you spending on big free agents or focusing on roster depth with value player selections? Are you saving some budget room for free agents? Why?
Identification of competitors within the market and description of your franchise competitive advantages Week 1 Lineup See rules sheet for lineup eligibility Once your roster sheet has been submitted, we will email the team s GM (teacher) with a link to the league website for you to enter your rosters and week one lineups. As a reminder, you will need to submit ALL of the following documentation to the league office via email to chris@sportscareerconsulting.com by Thursday, October 1 st : Official roster sheet Week 1 lineup Marketing plan overview GOOD LUCK!
Portland Reign Marketing Plan Mission statement: The Portland Reign proudly serves the community throughout the great state of Oregon. The organization s players, coaches and front office staff are involved in appearances, charitable donations and outreach programs with nonprofit and community groups. The team also strives to provide a positive image that reflects the core values associated with the wonderful city of Portland and the people who call it home. Executive summary: We named our franchise the Reign in a reference to Portland s climate. Because we want our team to be firmly entrenched within the community (and as a result supported by the community), many of our marketing branding strategies will be feature city and state themes. This strategy will help boost ticket sales, attract local sponsors and help generate positive television ratings throughout the state. Marketing goals / objectives: Our marketing initiatives are designed with four key objectives in mind: 1) Maximize ticket sales and corporate sponsors 2) Develop a brand that energizes merchandise sales 3) Create a positive image of the team within the community 4) Enhances the fan experience both at the stadium and at home Marketing strategies: This season, the Portland Reign will implement a number of marketing strategies that will enable the franchise to accomplish the marketing goals and objectives set by the team, including: Digital marketing that will include a virtual reality campaign, web video series and special features on the team website Social marketing to keep fans engaged Advertising to include TV, radio, print, billboard, a cutting edge drone campaign and a creative campaign that is guaranteed to build a lot of buzz with our fans (to be determined later) A community relations plan that will connect our franchise with local charities and events, involve our staff and players in the community and several cause marketing initiatives with our sponsors
Player Payroll / Budget Strategy: This season, the Reign invested primarily in wide receivers and running backs because the franchise believes those positions will likely generate the most points. The team also invested heavily in players from the Green Bay Packers with a belief that they are the most prolific offense in the NFL and, as a result, will provide our franchise with the most points. The franchise also left $42 in payroll for free agency to add any breakout stars this season or to replace players lost to injury. Competition: There are a number of direct and indirect competitors in the Portland market: Portland Trail Blazers Portland Timbers Portland Thorns Portland Winterhawks Hillsboro Hops Portland Thunder Portland State Vikings (NCAA) Portland Pilots (NCAA) Oregon State Beavers (NCAA) Oregon Ducks (NCAA) High school athletics Because they are affiliated with the most popular sports league in the US (NFL), the Reign have a distinct competitive advantage over other competitors in the marketplace. Portland Reign Week #1 Lineup: QB Aaron Rodgers RB Eddie Lacy RB Justin Forsett WR Randall Cobb WR Julio Jones FLEX Terrance Williams FLEX Devonte Adams FLEX Joseph Randle TE Charles Clay K Josh Brown D Houston Texans