It has been tried before, bringing the bringing the mountain to Muhammad idea, sports business version. NASCAR, LPGA, INDY CAR, USOC have all done it, finding a strategic time in the calendar to bring their elite athletes, the stories, their personalities to New York as a group, sometimes tied to a mega-sponsored promotion, to drum up casual interest, especially TV and brand awareness, in advance of a big event or the start of a season or even a season-ending championship race or event. Sometimes it works really well; sometimes it becomes a cash drain and a law of diminishing returns that goes away after a time. After all, most of the sports that take the caravan idea to New York do it because they never play or engage fans in the area…lack of courses, lack of tracks, lack of opportunities…so coming to New York as the one off event gives them, it is thought, ample face time to remind people they are viable media sources worthy of coverage. Another reason is the massive tours come and go with the medium we live in today…hyper local, highly digital engagement, where that “personal” touch can be offset in the minds of many by Skype, video streaming, and any other way to have a virtual tour or relationship with decision makers. Many groups also have massive pressure from promoters and media who need to access to hype their events locally and regionally as well, so the governing body needs to decide…worth bringing everyone to Gotham or is it better to do one off events where an almost immediate ROI can be felt in ticket sales and promotion for the next tour stop?
One thing is for sure, when decisions on budgets and time are being made on the business at hand today vs. the long term, taking the local road is safer than the less traveled national one which runs own Madison Avenue.
However now you have Major League Soccer, and the sport itself. There is little question that the sport from the grassroots to the highest levels of play, has taken hold with fans in the States. MLS has had its own steady growth as well, and with a World Cup now on the horizon should get an even bigger halo effect than it ever as before in terms of visibility and market viability. Still for all the growth of the sport, the greatest global names, even some of the most visible American stars, play elsewhere for most of the year, coming to the States for “friendlies” or for USA National matches. They are not here every day. That does not mean MLS does not have its share of vibrant personalities and good stories, they just sometimes get lost in the shuffle on the elite team sport mix in the States. That has changed in recent years, with more TV coverage, greater sponsor involvement and a stronger marketing push by clubs, but it still has a ways to go. Part of the answer for this year? Bring the guys here now.
This week MLS brought a trove of its talent from its teams, from young faces to veterans, to New York for two days of diverse media coverage, brand building and storytelling. They will engage with fans from New Jersey to Long Island, they will spend time playing video games and chatting up interested parties, some may cross paths in Fashion Week, however they can be, visibility to what they seek. It will be the first of a series of loud statements MLS is going to make far and wide in the next few weeks, from player appearances to new jersey rollouts, to try and up the ante for a season less than a month away…a start which usually gets lost amongst the start of baseball, March Madness, the climax of the NBA and NHL seasons and even the roar of Daytona. There is never an easy place to break through, but MLS sometimes has the hardest start because of the loud voices of others during March.
So why is this massive blitz of New York different or better than other leagues? Well better is hard to say, as it doesn’t have the roar of engines travelling around Times Square, or the frolicking of bulls or even beach volleyball players for people to stop and take notice of. It’s cold in New York this week, and even with the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue unveiling (maybe there will be an MLS face or two there as well!) getting any sports fan to stop and take notice will have its issues amidst the slush.
This is different for the reason that MLS plays in the area…just across the river in New Jersey at Red Bull Arena, as easy a place to reach by public transportation or to watch an event as there is in the area. Media won’t have to travel to far outposts on busy weekends to follow up on the players they meet during the tour…they just need to check the schedules an head over…the MLS schedule is also not the daunting game every night of say, baseball…there is some down time for follow-up interaction. While other sports come here for their tour because they don’t play here, MLS has a distinct advantage, and it’s one that should bring the athletes back top of mind once the season starts.
Is it a game changer overnight? No way. It will take time still to keep growing the affinity with the players, the teams and the markets. It is a great and a smart next step for the league and for the sport, and is hopefully one which those around today will see value in, and those marketing the game as we move closer to another world stage in 2014 and beyond will get to see as a must have, even when the league grows beyond the audience of loyal followers and casual fans it has today.
Grabbing The Quietest Weekend In Sports…