The professional team season can be a long when when things don’t go right and expectations fall short. Especially in a distressed economy, the battle for discretionary income can be a tough one for teams that struggle on the field and consequently at the box office. Even the most loyal of fans in a busy fall or spring, may be hard pressed to use tickets purchased for a team gone south. Yes you can always sell the future and the game experience, but becoming an afterthought can happen very quickly in today's world where a 120 pct satisfaction is not just expected but almost has to be guaranteed.
One team that has found a way to keep it going in the toughest of environments is the Detroit Tigers, and all their collective efforts were put together in a nice summary piece recently in the Detroit News. The Tigers have continued to find ways to reinforce their brand each and every day on and off the field and keep fans interested and engaged in the community and at the game. It is not hoaky or gimmicky, it is an enriched experience for a loyal fan that they are rewarding. They understand the tough times the community is having and their sponsor partners are going through and the Tigers have found ways to give added value, reward that loyalty and make people see value in the team as the fabric of the community. Detroit needs the Tigers and the Tigers need Detroit is a very strong message that is constantly sent, from ownership on down and it has worked with people continuing to show up in droves for a team way out of the pennant race. Now is part of that the halp effect from the excitement of past years, when the Tigers were in the race until the last few day.? Yes. next years sales will probably be a better barometer of how deeply ingrained the discretionary dollar is. However the Tigers, unlike many other teams in good year, never took anything for granted with their fans, and the result is a bind that lasts well beyond wins and losses. They are a public trust as much as a sports brand, and have played all the cards right to bridge the gap of a disappointing season. Nice job in administering the product and great job of communicating those brand values to a large audience.
[…] Favorito says despite being out of the pennant race, the Detroit Tigers are finding ways to branch out into the community and extend their […]