This week's Atlanta Journal Constitution took a look at Georgia Tech's efforts to try and increase ticket sales for football in a market, like South Florida, the traditionally has been slow to respond t.athletic onfield perfromance, especially at the professional level. However, in the football-rich Southeast, the Business of College Football blog went one step further and examined all the programs in Georgia, their ticket costs, and the potential ROI that lower prices and even promotions could have on a fan base. The result…success breeds success, where even in a downturn economy the highly successful Georgia Bulldogs, with a quality product and a high level of football, continue to turn away volumes of potential ticketholders.The result is an interesting one for college marketers who often battle with larger athletic departments who do not put a dollar spend into brand building, with the belief that success and tradition will offset any incremental dollars spent to bring in the casual fan. However the issue rests with those casual fans in markets where competition is high for the dollar and the team is not among the elite…will promotions lead to more sale.about the overall experience of a gameday. So in a slow economy, will the casual fan show up at a premium pric.for the experinc.? Georgia Tech is finding the fans slow to react.which will make it a story worth following into the fall as the University looks for ways to stir interest.
Some other good reads…The Economist did an outstanding job on the business of sport and produced a series of pieces worth reading…one on the business of media as it relates to sport,.one on the value of local heros,.and another on the globa.opportunities still growing in the sports business…all three are worth bookmarking and sharing, especially on the college side….Adrian Wojnarski on Yahoo Sports has a great look at the resurgence of Russian basketball…and the San Diego Union Tribune has a good look at golf great Phil Mickelson and his emphasis on education in math and science with kids..?
