Every year around this time MLB and MiLB roll out their season long promotion schedules; chock full of bobbleheads, gnomes, beach towels, caps and hundreds of others (Maury Brown had a good summary of MLB promos here). The overwhelming number are always geared towards families and kids, with the idea of getting the unit to turn out and enjoy a day at the diamond. It is not dissimilar from other sports, all looking to get young and build fans for life.
However time and again, the demo that is increasingly digital savvy, knows how to aggregate groups, has disposable income, has time on its hands and understands the history of sport, is overlooked as a key demo, even as age expectancy continues to climb. Seniors, or at least those over 50.
So it came as a very pleasant surprise last week to get an email from innovative Atlantic League Somerset (New Jersey) Patriots, who are offering a “Silver Club” to fans 55 and over. The package includes tickets to all 14 Wednesday Games (Same seat for each game) all at varied start times from morning to traditional evening, a 25% Discount Card for the Team Store, a Patriots Silver Club Cap, food vouchers and yes, offers to play Baseball Bingo and Win Prizes. They will also build in other promotions during the day targeted at an older demo; music, nostalgia and other elements.
Now it’s not the perfect pitch to those a little older, but it is a great start, and is one that teams in various sports with distressed inventory can start to work on.
As someone just north of 50, I love reading AARP Magazine. It has the largest circulation of any publication in North America. Not an edition goes by where I am not learning something from those older: Christopher Walken and Bruce Springsteen, Morgan Freeman and Christie Brinkley. On and on and on. Smart short, sensible points from a life full of experience.
While there is no doubt that every sport wants to grab younger folks and engage more with every medium possible with its fans, the fact is that we as a society are staying more active than ever before. Now you cannot watch a game without ads for Pharma, so they realize that older fans are embracing sport like never before. The older audience is what has held live theater together; it is embraced by movies, yet sports seems to stay away…time for a re-think on how to engage more over 21 in promotions, while in no way slacking off on engaging the younger audience as well.
Older fans influence spending habits, young people, voting patterns and public policy. New fans used to mean younger, however with an aging and more active population, it is probably time for those engaging in brand building to start courting the audience more.
How about wearables and data collection as well? Active seniors will stick with brands and properties that stick with them, so building older influencers programs also makes great sense; their word of mouth can be just as impactful, and more cross generational, than those younger.
No one should abandon the elusive young demo. Certainly the thought of arenas filled with those over 50 may not be that visually appealing, even to those over 50. But a savvy mix for a dedicated age group that is not going anywhere and wants to engage and enjoy everything from NASCAR to MLS should also be a part of the marketing mix.
The Patriots have taken a stand with a sponsorable promotion that can grow. Let’s see who else gives it a shot, we aren’t getting any younger you know.
