1

NC State Marketing Plan for the 2014 Season

Created by: Tyler Younger

2

Table of Contents Executive Summary……………………………………………………………………………...3 Mission Statement ……………………………………………………………………………….4 Background………………………………………………………………………………………4 Situational Analysis……………………………………………………………………………...5 Marketing Goals………………………………………………………………………………..14 Marketing Strategy…………………………………………………………………………….15 Marketing Tactics……………………………………………………………………………...16 Implementation…………………………………………………………………………………24 Evaluation………………………………………………………………………………………29 Appendix………………………………………………………………………………………..30

3

Executive Summary The purpose of this marketing plan is to increase average attendance at NC State baseball games by 10% for the 2014 season. The baseball program has used the general public as a target market in the past and this is simply too large of a group. This particular marketing plan will focus its efforts on three target markets: NC State students, NC State faculty/staff, and the West Raleigh Baseball Association. The NC State baseball program believes, with the right marketing strategies and tactics, that these three target markets can help them reach their goal of increasing average attendance by 10%. This plan focuses its efforts on enhancing awareness of games, making the game day product more entertaining, and building personal relationships with the players, coaches, parents, and fans of the West Raleigh Baseball Association. Enhancing awareness of games on campus through flyers, emails, signs, and radio announcements will keep students and faculty/staff mindful of when games are being played. We will have promotional days and promotions during games that are aimed at our target markets and will make the game day product more entertaining. The NC State baseball coaches and players will make appearances and participate in instructional camps at the West Raleigh Baseball Association’s facility. This will allow the NC State players and coaches to build positive relationships with the players, coaches, parents, and fans of the youth baseball organization. We believe that these ideas are a great way to connect with our target markets and spark their interest to attend NC State baseball games. The team will begin the season nationally ranked in 2014 and it is our goal to fill the stands and produce an incredible atmosphere for the players and the fans so that all goals and expectations can be met. We believe that this marketing plan is very capable of meeting its goal of increasing average attendance during the upcoming season and could be a stepping stone to increasing attendance for years to come.

4

Mission Statement The mission of the NC State baseball program is to prepare student-athletes to compete at the highest level and to inspire them to be leaders now and for the future by providing the best environment to achieve their athletic, academic, and personal aspirations as well as providing support for the professional development of our coaches and staff, all within the role of the greater institutional relationships to the University. The team aims to bring enjoyment to all those in attendance by putting hard-working student-athletes, who take pride in their university, on the field. The NC State baseball program places excelling in the classroom and being actively engaged in the community as top priorities, along with excelling on the field. Background The NC State baseball program had a phenomenal year in 2013 on and off the field. The team broke numerous records on its way to a memorable season. The team won 50 games for the first time in school history and went to the College World Series for the first time since 1968. The program also shattered the attendance record by averaging 1,884 fans per home game. This includes maxing out ticket sales within just a few hours after tickets went on sale when the team took on Rice in the Super Regionals. All of these are remarkable feats, but the program looks to build off of last year’s success and have even more success this year. In the past, the baseball program’s target markets have been the youth in the Triangle and the general public. Both of these are very broad target markets. I think that targeting specific markets such as the NC State students, NC State faculty/staff, and the West Raleigh Baseball Association would help the program to bring in more fans than in previous years. The team has also used radio advertisements in the past to market the team. The radio advertisements did not pertain to a specific target market, it was intended for the general public to hear. Baseball is one of the seven ticketed sports at NC State. It is not considered a revenue sport like and football, therefore, the revenue gained from ticket sales is an added bonus for the program. Since revenue from ticket sales is not for financial gain and will not make or break the baseball program, the focus of this project will be to increase attendance. The objective of this marketing plan will be to fill up the stands at Doak Field using well thought out marketing strategies and tactics. We want to pack the stands with fans every time the Wolfpack baseball team hits the field, whether it be with paying or non-paying spectators. The ticket prices for the 2014 season will be as followed:  Adults- $10  Senior Citizens- $7  17 & under- $7  Students- Free  Faculty/Staff- Free This marketing plan will be focusing on three target markets: NC State students, NC State faculty/staff, and the West Raleigh Baseball Association. Being able to market to these three groups and convince them to attend NC State baseball games would help the program achieve its 5 goal of increasing attendance. The philosophy of the NC State baseball program is to create a fun filled, family-friendly environment by providing entertainment for people of all ages and putting a fine tuned product on the field. Situational Analysis Internal Analysis 1. Strengths  Facility- Doak Field at Dail Park is where the NC State baseball team calls home. Doak Field creates an electric atmosphere on game days as its maximum capacity allows for up to 3,051 screaming fans. Renovations were finished in 2004 that added a grandstand, field house, and indoor batting cages. When the renovations were all said and done, Doak Field featured approximately 2,200 chair back seats, modern and spacious restrooms, new concession stands, a ticket office, and a 1,200-square-foot press box, complete with radio and TV booths as well as an area for print media. The baseball field house includes a 1,300-square-foot player’s locker room with direct access to the first-base dugout, a coaches locker room, players’ lounge, training room, equipment room, umpires locker room, coaches offices and a reception area. Doak Field is in a convenient location on campus that makes it easily accessible.  Performance- The 2013 NC State baseball team exceeded all expectations and made their first trip to the College World Series since 1968. The team’s performance gave them the opportunity to host a Regional and Super-Regional at Doak Field which sold out within a few hours of tickets going on sale. The Wolfpack finished the season with a 50-16 record and broke the school’s previous record of 49 wins in a season. The team finished the season ranked #6 in the nation.  Attendance- 2013 was a memorable year for the Wolfpack baseball team. Several records were shattered throughout the season, with the attendance record being one of them. The previous record for average attendance in a season was 1,362 in 2012. They broke that record by averaging 1,884 fans in 37 games at Doak Field. The team hopes to once again break the average attendance record in 2014.  Conference- The NC State baseball team competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference, which is considered to be one of the toughest conferences in college baseball. The conference began the season with four teams ranked in the top 25. Two of those teams (UNC, NC State) were in the top 10. At seasons end, the conference had five teams in the top 25. Two of those teams (UNC, NC State) were ranked in the top six.  Recruiting- The state of is full of top level baseball talent. The Raleigh area has been known to produce good talent. Major League Baseball stars Josh Hamilton (Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim) and Chris Archer (Tampa Bay Rays) are both from the Raleigh area. Head Coach Elliot Avent has a good rapport with coaches and players around the state that allows him to convince 6

future players that NC State is the place for them. The 2014 NC State baseball team features 21 players from the state of North Carolina.  Sport Popularity- Baseball is a popular sport in this part of the country. The sport itself is considered America’s pastime and it lives up to that in the Raleigh area. Baseball’s popularity in the Raleigh/Durham area has brought in two professional teams. The West Raleigh Baseball Association draws the attention of this area’s youth because it is considered to be one of the premier youth baseball programs in the state. 2. Weaknesses  Funding- The marketing budget for the baseball program is limited because it is not considered a revenue sport like football and basketball. The team tries to market at little or no cost and only spends money when it is necessary. This causes the program to be able to have very few television or print advertisements. After a very successful season last year, the program is expected to be able to do more advertising through television and radio this season.  Target Markets- The team limits itself by focusing their marketing toward the general public in the Raleigh area. There are around 24 high schools and 35 middle schools in Wake County and most of them have a baseball program. The NC State baseball program could place posters around the schools letting the students know when games and promotions are. The Wake County Baseball Association has tons of youth baseball players and would be a great place to market. The team could also market in the surrounding counties through print advertisements.  Market Expertise- The NC State baseball program lacks marketing expertise. Since baseball is not a revenue increasing sport, there is not a great deal of emphasis placed on marketing. The baseball program does not have a full-time marketing position. The team usually relies on an intern to handle the marketing responsibilities. Typically, interns are there for a year, therefore, the program has a different intern performing the marketing duties each year. As a result, there are no drastic marketing changes to try and get the Wolfpack baseball name out there.  Competitors- The Raleigh area is a sports rich area, therefore, the NC State baseball program has several competitors who are also trying to fill seats. The baseball program has to compete with the likes of the , , Carolina Mudcats, and UNC baseball. These are all great organizations who pride themselves on having a loyal fan base. On any given night throughout the season, the organizations mentioned will fill up the majority of their venues with fans. This makes marketing in the Triangle area more challenging.

7

Organizational Chart

Debbie Yow, Director of Athletics

Sherard Clinkscales, Senior Associate AD, Administrator for Baseball

Elliot Avent, Head Coach Tom Holliday, Adina Stock, Associate Team Head Coach Operations, Olympic Sports Cavan Fosnes, Assistant Athletics Communications Director

Thomas Lide, Marketing

8

External Environmental Analysis 1. Opportunities  Proximity to West Raleigh Baseball Association- The West Raleigh Baseball Association serves over 800 youth baseball players that are between the ages of 5 and 14 in spring and fall baseball programs. It is Raleigh’s premier program for youth baseball players. This would be a great place to market and inform the youth and their parents about the program. Flyers and posters could be placed around West Raleigh’s facilities to inform people of the team’s schedule. The team could also be active participants within West Raleigh’s program by making appearances and doing instructional camps. The team could also have “Field of Dreams” days where teams from West Raleigh’s league can onto the field with the Wolfpack’s starting lineup. Building a good relationship with the West Raleigh Baseball Association and making a good impression on the youth and their families would be very helpful when trying to achieve the goal of increasing attendance.  USA Baseball Complex- The USA baseball complex in Cary, NC hosts a plethora of baseball events throughout the year that draws good crowds. The complex hosts several events for the USA baseball program that includes the Tournament of Stars and the tryout for the collegiate national team. These two events host the nation’s top high school and collegiate talents making it enjoyable to watch for fans. The complex also hosts the D2 National Championship tournament which consists of the top division II teams in the nation. These events draw good support from local fans. The closeness of this facility creates an opportunity for the NC State baseball program to become acquainted with the marketing tactics that USA baseball’s staff uses to market these events. The team could enhance marketing efforts by using the customer information on those who purchased tickets for these events.  Facility- The significant increase in attendance over the past few years gives the NC State baseball program hopes of expanding its facility in the next few years. Expansions would include more seating and an indoor training facility. Both would be great marketing tools to help bring in fans and recruits. 2. Threats  Competitors- The other sports teams in the Triangle area pose a threat to the attendance numbers for the NC State baseball program. The Carolina Hurricanes, Durham Bulls, Carolina Mudcats, and UNC baseball team are all vying for fan support. The professional teams in the area are allowed to sell alcohol at their games which can be used as a big marketing tool. Beer specials have been known to lure people to the ballpark because some individuals like to be able to enjoy a beer while watching a sporting event. This makes it very important for the NC State baseball program to have a good marketing effort. 9

 Technology- A quarter or more of NC State’s baseball season is usually played in chilly weather. Technology, such as Twitter, ESPN 3, and live game casts, allows for people to sit in the comfort of their own home and still catch all the action. NC State baseball Twitter followers can read play-by-play tweets for every game played during the season. ESPN 3 has begun broadcasting more games than normal to allow fans to watch live game action on the computer or any hand held device. Live game casts creates another play-by-play option that includes box scores and other statistics that fans can view during the game. Technology is great for those who cannot attend games, but it can also hurt ticket sales and attendance. Competitive Analysis 1. Durham Bulls- The Durham Bulls are a Triple-A baseball team affiliated with the Tampa Bay Rays and they are located in nearby Durham, NC. The Bulls season begins in April and ends in September, as a result, there is overlap in April and May. The Bulls are one step below the major leagues and the top level talent draws particularly large crowds which can take away from NC State’s baseball attendance. Durham had approximately 498,735 fans attend their games in 2013, which is an average of 7,125 per game. The Bulls create a family friendly atmosphere by having the mascot, Wool E. Bull, go around during games and socialize with the fans. They also have a play area for children that is located inside of the stadium. Marketing efforts such as these target the youth. Alcohol sales allow the Bulls to target fans 21 and older. It is common for fans to enjoy a beer at a baseball game while socializing with family and friends. The Bulls are able to market that they can deliver a superior product since they are a professional sports organization. 2. Carolina Mudcats- The Carolina Mudcats are an advanced Class-A baseball team who is affiliated with the and is located in Zebulon, NC. The Mudcats season also runs from April through September creating an overlap in April and May. In 2013, the Mudcats drew 224,736 fans for an average of 3,354 per game. The Mudcats also target families by creating a family-friendly atmosphere. The team’s staff uses random fans who volunteer to create entertainment in between innings. The entertainment is designed for people of all ages to watch. The Mudcats also target the youth by having the mascot make its way around the stadium during games. The 21 and over crowd is targeted through alcohol sales throughout the year. The team usually has one night each week where they have beer specials. The Mudcats can also market that they deliver a superior product since they are a professional organization. 3. Carolina Hurricanes- The Carolina Hurricanes are a hockey team in the NHL that is located in Raleigh, NC. Although the Hurricanes are not a baseball team, they can still draw attention away from baseball fans who are also hockey fans. The Hurricanes season is from October through June if they win the Stanley Cup. This creates an overlap in February, March, April, and May. The game of hockey itself is a lot faster than baseball which can keep the fans’ attention longer. Hurricanes’ games 10

can also be more appealing to the 21 and older crowd because of alcohol sales. The social atmosphere can also be more appealing to the younger crowd. Tailgating has become a popular activity at Hurricanes’ games and this tends to attract younger people because of the opportunity to socialize. The Hurricanes create a family- friendly environment by having fun entertainment for all ages during television timeouts and intermissions. The team also has a mascot (Stormy) who goes around and entertains the youth and their families during games. 4. UNC Baseball- The UNC baseball team is a competitor to the NC State baseball team in many ways. Both programs are marketing competitors, as well as, competitors and rivals on the field. The UNC baseball team is in the Atlantic Coast Conference and is located in Chapel Hill, NC. UNC’s season is played during the same time as NC State’s, therefore, most of the games overlap. In 2013, UNC drew 66,088 fans to their home games which is an average of 1,652 per game. UNC has arguably had more success on the field than NC State in the past decade as they have made six trips to the College World Series, whereas NC State has only made it once. UNC targets families by creating a family-friendly environment during their games. The program targets the youth by having players go out into the community and make appearances at different youth events. The students are targeted through free tickets and the opportunity to sit in the student section, which is right beside the visitors’ dugout, and make life miserable for opposing teams. Customer Analysis 1. Customers NC State baseball serves  Students  Faculty/Staff  West Raleigh Baseball Association This marketing plan will be focusing on three target markets to help increase attendance numbers; NC State students, NC State faculty/staff, and the West Raleigh Baseball Association. These three targets have been or miss in the past when it comes to attending games. The goal is to have these three markets attend games on a regular basis to help give attendance numbers a jolt. Most tickets sold come from season ticket holders and adults in the general public. This is a broad range of people, therefore, for the purposes of this marketing plan this group will not be a specified target market. 2. Demographics I. Students A. Total population- 24,536 undergraduates

B. Sex  Males- 13,761 (56%)  Females- 10,775 (44%)

11

C. Race/Ethnicity

White American Indian/Alaskan Native Asian African American/Black Hispanic Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander Two or more races International Not Reported

D. Geography  North Carolina residents- 88%  Other U.S. states and territories- 10%  Other countries- 2%

E. Psychographics  The students want an atmosphere where they can show their school support by being loud and proud. The NC State baseball facility has a section for the students called “Avent’s Army” that is located directly beside the visiting team’s dugout. Students are allowed to get noisy in this section as long as are respectable.

12

F. Other Information  Building a loyal fan base through the students using a strategic marketing effort would potentially give us the increase in attendance numbers that we need to reach our goals.

II. Faculty/Staff A. Total Population- 8,169

B. Sex  Males- 4,388  Females- 3,831

C. Race/Ethnicity

White African American Native American Asian Hispanic Other

D. Psychographics i. Most faculty/staff who attend games have played baseball before or are simply fans of the game. While some attend to show support and cheer on the athletic program. E. Other Information ii. Faculty/Staff have the opportunity to attend games for free, as a result, it is hard to understand their reasoning for attending. 13

Hosting two faculty/staff appreciation nights during the season could help researchers get a better understanding for the market interest. The first 200 faculty/staff in the gate will be treated to hot dogs and hamburgers. There are thousands of faculty/staff at NC State, therefore, winning them over would give our attendance numbers an increase.

III. West Raleigh Baseball Association A. Total Population- Over 800 youth baseball players

B. Ages- 5-14 years old

C. Sex (based on U.S. baseball participation)  Males- 76.7%  Females- 23.3%

D. Geography  West Raleigh Baseball Association teams are all located in the western part of the city. Players are from all over the Triangle area, but all games are played at the West Raleigh Baseball Association facility.

E. Psychographics  A large percentage of youth baseball players enjoy watching baseball being played at a higher level. NC State has established themselves as one of the nation’s top baseball programs. This is a good incentive for youth players to come out and watch and learn from top level talent.

F. Other Information  West Raleigh Baseball Association has over 800 youth baseball players. With all the coaches, parents, and supporters added, this number goes up substantially. Targeting this league could potentially give attendance numbers a large increase and help us to reach our goals.

14

Marketing Goals and Objectives The primary goal of the NC State baseball team is to ultimately win the national championship in June. The program wants to become one of the nation’s elite. The team’s goals throughout the season include:  Winning 50 games  Finishing 1st in the ACC in the regular season  Winning the conference tournament  Winning Regional and Super Regional tournaments  Winning a national championship  Creating a fun and entertaining environment for spectators by placing a well-rounded product on the field  Have a team GPA of 3.0  Be involved in the community The primary goal of the marketing department is to increase attendance by targeting markets that will produce loyal fans that will create a family-friendly environment in order for people of all ages to enjoy NC State baseball games. The marketing department believes that through strategic marketing efforts they can help increase the baseball program’s fan base for years to come. With the NC State baseball program and marketing department working together, they can provide a great experience for both the fans and the student-athletes. Working together will help both parties to reach their goals. Short-term goals  Increase average attendance for the 2014 season  Create a bond between the target markets and coaches and players through community involvement  Provide a family-friendly environment for fans of all ages  Establish a partnership with the West Raleigh Baseball Association Long-term goals  Increase average attendance to 3,000 fans per game to place NC State in the top 20 nationally in attendance  Create a larger fan base by extending marketing efforts to new audiences  Force the program to expand their facility to compensate for continual large crowds  Create a loyal fan base through the students Value Proposition We provide our fans with cheap ticket prices, a variety of concession options, and the opportunity to enjoy a baseball game in a family-friendly environment where every seat is a good seat.

15

Marketing Strategy The purpose of the marketing strategies will be to increase attendance. All fans that attend NC State baseball games are important to the program and we hope everyone leaves the ballpark having had a positive experience. For the purpose of this project, I will be focusing on creating a loyal fan base and increasing attendance through three target markets: NC State students, NC State faculty/staff, and the West Raleigh Baseball Association. The first marketing strategy will be to increase average attendance by 10%. The team has increased its average attendance numbers in each of past three seasons. Increasing attendance by 10% will break the record for overall and average attendance that was previously broken last year. The second marketing strategy will be to make the game day product more entertaining through promotions. A survey will be placed inside of Doak Field on promotional days for fans to fill out. These surveys will give fans the opportunity to rate the quality of the promotions and give feedback on what can be done better. The surveys will determine if the promotion was a success. The third marketing strategy is to enhance awareness of when games are around campus through flyers and signs. Hashtags will be mentioned on each flyer and people will be asked to tweet using the hashtags or like NC State’s baseball page on Facebook. This strategy will show if people are recognizing the signs and if it is worth it to continue. The fourth marketing strategy is to get players and coaches involved with the West Raleigh Baseball Association in order to create a partnership. The goal of a partnership with the West Raleigh Baseball Association is to eventually gain a sponsorship through the youth league program.

16

Marketing Tactics The marketing tactics below are how the baseball program is going to accomplish its goals and strategies. These tactics are meant to maximize exposure to the NC State students, the NC State faculty/staff, and the West Raleigh Baseball Association. Students 1. Student Tailgate a) Students who come out to Doak Field for the March 19th game versus Elon and the April 23rd game versus UNC Wilmington will be treated to a tailgate. b) The tailgate will be located in the parking lot above the baseball field. c) 300 hot dogs and 300 hamburgers will be cooked and served until all food is gone d) Soft drinks and water will be served also e) Speakers will be set up playing music f) 10 corn hole boards will be set up for students to use g) The student tailgate is purposefully held before games against in-state opponents h) This is in hopes of creating an electric atmosphere for these games against rival in-state opponents i) The purpose of this tactic is to increase average attendance and to make the game day product more entertaining 2. Red Out Night a) The March 29th game versus Miami will be designated as a “Red Out” b) The first 200 students in the gate will receive a red t-shirt labeled “NC State Baseball Red Out 2014” c) All fans in attendance will also be encouraged to wear red so that the stands resemble a sea of red d) This promotion is purposefully held against a top opponent in hopes of attracting a large and rowdy crowd to give the Wolfpack baseball team an advantage during the game e) The purpose of this tactic is to increase average attendance and to make the game day product more entertaining 3. White Out Night a) The May 3rd game versus Coastal Carolina will be designated as a “White Out” b) The first 200 students in the gate will receive a white t-shirt labeled “NC State Baseball White Out 2014” c) All fans in attendance will also be encouraged to wear white so that the stands resemble a sea of white d) This promotion is purposefully held at the end of the season when students are finishing up with exams and heading home for the summer e) The promotion is in hopes of keeping the students around a few more days and filling up the stands f) The purpose of this tactic is to increase average attendance and to make the game day product more entertaining 17

4. Avent’s Army a) The grass hill located on the 3rd base side of the field is considered Avent’s Army b) Avent’s Army will be reserved for students during the 2014 regular season c) The grass hill is directly beside the visitors’ dugout to allow the students to get rowdy at the visiting teams expense d) Students will be encouraged to cheer for the Wolfpack loudly and proudly, but in a respectful manner e) The goal will be to discourage the opposing teams with a loud atmosphere f) The purpose of this tactic is to make the game day product more entertaining 5. Dizzy Bat Race a) Two students will be selected to compete in a dizzy bat race before the start of the 3rd inning during every home game b) The two students will be given a baseball bat and asked to bend over and place their forehead on the bat c) Then they will spin around in a circle while the announcer counts to 10 d) Once the announcer gets to 10, the students must sprint 20 yards and touch the hand of one of the volunteers e) The winner will receive an NC State baseball t-shirt f) The purpose of this tactic is to make the game day product more entertaining 6. Sumo Wrestling a) Two random students will be selected to participate in sumo wrestling before the 6th inning of each home game. b) The students will both be given sumo suits to wear c) A mat will be placed outside of the 1st base dugout for the students to compete on d) The students will then compete in a best out of 3 competition e) Whichever student is the last one standing after each round is the winner of the round f) The winner will receive a coupon for free queso dip at Moe’s Southwest Grill g) The purpose of this tactic is to make the game day product more entertaining 7. Dance Off a) Two random students will be selected to compete in a dance off before the 8th inning of each game b) The goal of this is to get the crowd active and excited for the final 2 innings of the baseball game c) One student will be placed on the home dugout and one student will be placed on the visitor’s dugout d) The students will have the chance to show off their best dance moves for 15 seconds of a song e) The crowd will be asked to cheer the loudest for who they thought pulled off the best dance moves f) The student that causes the loudest crowd noise wins g) The winner will receive a coupon for a free taco at Taco Bell h) The purpose of this tactic is to make the game day product more entertaining 18

8. Game day flyers posted throughout campus a) Flyers will be posted throughout campus for every home mid-week game and every weekend series b) Students will be asked to like the NC State Baseball page on Facebook and tweet using “#Pack9” c) See appendix for sample flyers d) The purpose of this tactic is to enhance awareness about game days 9. $1 Hot Dog Night a) Hot dogs will be sold for $1 for the April 22nd game versus Campbell b) The promotion is for all fans but it is common knowledge that many college students are financially unstable, therefore, we hope to have a great turnout from the students c) The purpose of this tactic is to increase average attendance

Faculty/Staff 1. Faculty/Staff Appreciation Nights a) The March 5th game versus North Carolina A&T and the May 7th game versus Richmond will be deemed Faculty/Staff Appreciation Nights b) All faculty/staff with a valid ID will be allowed to choose food from several different Chick-fil-a trays c) The trays will include chicken minis, chicken nuggets, and an assortment of fruit. d) Faculty/Staff will be able to eat until all food is gone e) The faculty/staff will also have the opportunity to compete with the students during the dizzy bat race, sumo wrestling, and dance off. f) Instead of two random students competing, it will be a random student and a random faculty/staff member competing against one another. g) These two nights are purposefully held during mid-week games because the faculty/staff attendance and all attendance in general is usually lower for these games. h) The purpose of this tactic is to increase average attendance and make the game day product more entertaining 2. Email notifications for every home game a) Faculty/staff members will be sent e-mail notifications from the Director of Baseball Operations before every mid-week home game and home weekend series b) The emails will keep faculty/staff up to date with all upcoming games and opponents c) The emails will also inform the student athletes’ professors about when the student athletes will be missing class for games d) The emails will remind the faculty/staff that their admission to games are free with a valid ID card 19

e) See appendix for example email. f) The purpose of this tactic is to enhance awareness of when games are being played 3. Faculty/Staff Bring a Friend Night a) All faculty/staff will be allowed to bring 1 person with them to the February 26th game versus Davidson b) Faculty/staff must have a valid ID c) The person attending the game with a member of the faculty/staff must be directly behind the staff member in line d) This promotion is purposefully placed at the beginning of the season so that the faculty/staff and their guests can be exposed to a game early in the season in hopes that they will want to attend more games in the future e) The purpose of this tactic is to increase average attendance

West Raleigh Baseball Association 1. Kids can run the bases after every Sunday home game a) Kids will be allowed to run the bases after every Sunday home game throughout the 2014 season b) All participants must stay in the dirt area while running the bases c) Parents will be asked to wait for their child in a designated area along the first base side of the field d) The purpose of this tactic is to increase average attendance by encouraging kids and their parents to attend Sunday games and making the game day product more entertaining 2. Field of Dreams a) A random team will be selected from the West Raleigh Baseball Association to run on to the field before the game with the Wolfpack starters. b) Field of Dreams will occur for every Saturday home game throughout the season c) The coaches of the West Raleigh Baseball Association will need to contact the Director of Baseball Operations to make their team eligible d) The random drawing will be done on Mondays prior to a Saturday home game. e) The coach of the team selected with then be notified and expected to get in touch with his players prior to the game f) The youth players will be allowed to run onto the field with the Wolfpack starters and stand with them until the “National Anthem” is done playing g) The youth players will be allowed to get one autograph from the player they are standing with before exiting the field h) The purpose of this tactic is to create a partnership with the West Raleigh Baseball Association and make the game day product more entertaining

20

3. Autograph session a) The players and coaches of the NC State baseball team will hold an autograph session at the West Raleigh baseball facility on a Saturday during the fall semester b) The session will last 90 minutes c) West Raleigh Baseball Association is home to over 800 youth baseball players and this would allow these players to meet the Wolfpack players and get something signed d) All players, coaches, and parents associated with West Raleigh Baseball Association will be allowed to bring items to be signed e) There will be a two item limit for each person in attendance f) This event gives everyone involved the opportunity to build positive relationships g) The purpose of this tactic is to create a partnership with the West Raleigh Baseball Association and enhance awareness of the NC State baseball program through community involvement. 4. Free admission Sundays for West Raleigh Baseball Association players a) All youth players wearing a uniform associated with the West Raleigh Baseball Association to any Sunday home game will be admitted for free b) The gate workers will have a list of all the teams in the West Raleigh Baseball Association c) The name on the front of the uniform must match a name on the list for a player to be admitted for free d) This would be a great opportunity for the youth players to watch a top level baseball game and then run the bases afterwards e) The purpose of this tactic is to increase average attendance and create a partnership with the West Raleigh Baseball Association that eventually turns into a sponsorship with the league 5. Instructional camps a) The Wolfpack coaches and players will hold two instructional camps for the youth players in the West Raleigh Baseball Association b) The camps will consist of a hitting camp and a defensive camp c) The hitting camp will be geared toward teaching the youth players how to hit correctly d) The defensive camp will be geared toward teaching the youth players the proper fundamentals of defense e) All coaches and players will be in attendance during these camps to help with instruction and supervising different groups during the camps. f) Different groups will be set up where the youth players can work on toning their skills with the supervision of NC State’s coaches and players g) These camps will give the youth players the opportunity to learn the game of baseball and create relationships with the players and coaches h) The camps will be scheduled for two different Saturdays during the fall. 21

i) Both camps will be held at the West Raleigh baseball facility and will be open to all youth players within the West Raleigh Baseball Association j) The camps will each cost $10 per child k) These camps will be held in order for the NC State baseball players and coaches to build positive relationships with the youth coaches and players l) This means that the youth players and coaches will be more apt to attend games in the spring m) The purpose of this tactic is to create a partnership with the West Raleigh Baseball Association that eventually turns into a sponsorship with the league 6. Team appearances at West Raleigh Baseball Association events a) The NC State baseball team will be required to make four team appearances during West Raleigh Baseball Association’s fall season b) The team will attend games on four different nights throughout the league’s fall season c) This will allow the NC State coaches and players to meet and build positive relationships with the players, coaches, and parents/fans of the West Raleigh Baseball Association d) The purpose of this tactic is for the team to build good relationships with the people of West Raleigh’s league in order to increase average attendance, to build a partnership with West Raleigh Baseball Association, and to eventually create a sponsorship with the league 7. Game schedule with promotional information a) A large poster with the NC State baseball team’s game schedule will be placed on the concession stand at the West Raleigh baseball facility b) We believe that this is an area where everyone will see the schedule since the concession stand is a hot spot during youth games c) The schedule will list all games and when promotional nights associated with the West Raleigh Baseball Association are being held d) The large schedule will be a reminder to all players, coaches, parents, and fans of the league about the Field of Dream days during every Saturday home game, the free admission for West Raleigh youth players in uniform, and the Kids Run the Bases after the game promotion e) See appendix for game schedule example f) The purpose of this tactic is to increase average attendance and create a partnership with the West Raleigh Baseball Association that will eventually lead to a sponsorship. Advertising 1. Flyers a) Flyers will be placed in various locations around campus where large congregations of people hang out the day before games b) The flyers will mention game times, opponents, location, Facebook, and Twitter information 22

c) See appendix for example 2. Radio a) Game schedules and information will be sent to WKNC 88.1 FM, which is the home of NC State baseball’s play-by-play broadcast, and 99.9 FM “The Fan” b) The radio stations will mention upcoming games and promotional events at the beginning of the week c) The stations will also mention game information and promotional events on game days also. d) Below is a sample advertisement that would be used for the week of February 17th -23rd  Come out and show your support for the NC State Wolfpack baseball team on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday as they welcome Appalachian State to town for a 3-game series. Games will be played on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at Doak Field located on the campus of NC State. Friday’s game is scheduled for 3 p.m. while the Saturday and Sunday games are set to start at 1 p.m. Saturday’s game kicks off the Field of Dreams promotion that will be done throughout the year where one lucky team from the West Raleigh Baseball Association will be allowed to take the field with the Wolfpack starters. Any youth baseball player with a West Raleigh Baseball Association uniform on will receive free admission to Sunday’s game and also kids can run the bases after the game. We hope to see you there. 3. Twitter a) NC State has a Twitter page that is updated frequently b) Each game will be mentioned the day before and the day of a game c) Tweets will give everyone who is following a heads up of game times and locations, as well as, promotional events d) Followers will be asked to mention NC State baseball in their tweets using “#Pack9” e) The NC State baseball Twitter page currently has 18,904 followers and the goal is to reach 20,000 by season’s end f) Below is an example tweet  Come out and support the Wolfpack as they take on App. St. tomorrow afternoon at 3 p.m. at Doak Field. #Pack9 4. Facebook a) NC State baseball operates and maintains a Facebook page b) The page currently has 4,570 likes and the goals is to reach 6,000 by season’s end c) The Facebook page will give game information the day before a game is to be played d) Below is an example Facebook status  NC State will take on Davidson tomorrow afternoon at 3 p.m. at Doak Field. Cap off your work or school day just right by coming out and showing your support for the Wolfpack baseball team. 23

5. Sandwich boards a) Sandwich boards will be located at 4 high-traffic locations around campus b) The boards will be put up on game days c) Will display the event and the start time  The boards have been a success the past few years for baseball and other sports, therefore, we have decided to continue this form of advertisement 6. Gopack.com a) Game previews will be posted before every mid-week game and weekend series by the Sports Information Director  The previews will consist of records of both teams, past records against each other, and information about recent game results for each team b) Game schedule can be found on the baseball page 7. Giant schedule with promotional dates at the West Raleigh baseball facility a) The poster will be placed on the concession stand at the West Raleigh baseball facility b) Will contain the complete game schedule with information about all promotional events that pertain to the West Raleigh Baseball Association c) See appendix for example

24

Implementation and Control

Action Plan 1. January a) Design and order t-shirts for “Red Out” and “White Out” nights b) Design game day flyers c) Design giant poster schedule through Raleigh Poster Printing and send to the West Raleigh Baseball Association that is to be posted on the concession stand d) Gather a group of student volunteers who are willing to help with game day promotions 2. Game week a) Director of Baseball Operations will email the faculty and staff and inform them about the week’s upcoming games b) Print game flyers for the week and have student volunteers post them around campus c) Send game information to the radio stations d) Have the sports information director post game previews on gopack.com e) Post game information on Facebook and Twitter 3. Game day a) Place sandwich boards with event information in high traffic areas b) Student volunteers will select two random students for each between inning promotion c) Student volunteers will execute promotions in between innings  Dizzy bat race- 3rd inning  Sumo wrestling- 6th inning  Dance-off- 8th inning 4. February a) Select teams from the West Raleigh Baseball Association to participate in the “Field of Dreams” promotion that will be done for every Saturday home game b) Contact coaches of the selected teams and inform them of the dates they will be participating and when to have their team at Doak Field 5. February 22nd a) West Raleigh Baseball Association Field of Dreams Day b) The youth team will gather near the outdoor batting cages at Doak Field 15 minutes prior to the Wolfpack taking the field c) The youth team will then go into the Wolfpack dugout 5 minutes prior to the Wolfpack taking the field d) The youth team members will run onto the field with the Wolfpack starter that plays the same position e) For instance, the youth will run onto the field with the Wolfpack first baseman 25

f) Once the national anthem is done, the youth players will exit the field through the gate on the first base side of the field 6. February 23rd a) Kids run the bases after the game  Student volunteers will gather children near the outdoor batting cages before the 9th inning  Once the game is over and everyone is off the field the children will be escorted to home plate where they will be allowed to run the bases b) Free admission to all West Raleigh Baseball Association youth players wearing a West Raleigh baseball uniform 7. February 26th a) Faculty/Staff Bring a Friend Night 8. March a) Purchase hot dogs, hamburgers, and drinks for the student tailgates b) Make arrangements with Chick-fil-a to pick up food for Faculty/Staff Appreciation Nights c) Organize “red out night” t-shirts by sizes to make them easier to pass out d) Borrow grill and coolers from NCSU dining services 9. March 5th a) Faculty/Staff Appreciation Night 10. March 8th a) West Raleigh Baseball Association Field of Dreams Day 11. March 9th a) Kids run the bases after the game b) Free admission to all West Raleigh Baseball Association youth players wearing a West Raleigh baseball uniform 12. March 19th a) Student Tailgate  The tailgate will begin 2 hours before the start of the game  Will be located in parking lot above the baseball field 13. March 29th a) West Raleigh Baseball Association Field of Dreams Day b) Red Out Night  Red t-shirts will be passed out an hour before the game to the first 200 students to walk in the gate 14. March 30th a) Kids run the bases after the game b) Free admission to all West Raleigh Baseball Association youth players wearing a West Raleigh baseball uniform 15. April 19th a) West Raleigh Baseball Association Field of Dreams Day 16. April 20th a) Kids run the bases after the game 26

b) Free admission to all West Raleigh Baseball Association youth players wearing a West Raleigh baseball uniform 17. April 22nd a) $1 Hot Dog Night 18. April 26th a) West Raleigh Baseball Association Field of Dreams Day 19. April 27th a) Kids run the bases after the game b) Free admission to all West Raleigh Baseball Association youth players wearing a West Raleigh baseball uniform 20. May a) Organize “white out night” t-shirts by sizes to make them easier to pass out b) Make arrangements with Chick-fil-a to pick up food for Faculty/Staff Appreciation Night 21. May 3rd a) West Raleigh Baseball Association Field of Dreams Day b) White Out Night  White t-shirts will be passed out an hour before the game to the first 200 students to walk in the gate 22. May 4th a) Kids run the bases after the game b) Free admission to all West Raleigh Baseball Association youth players wearing a West Raleigh baseball uniform 23. May 7th a) Faculty/Staff Appreciation Night 24. May 10th a) West Raleigh Baseball Association Field of Dreams Day 25. May 11th a) Kids run the bases after the game b) Free admission to all West Raleigh Baseball Association youth players wearing a West Raleigh baseball uniform 26. September a) Execute the hitting camp at the West Raleigh baseball facility  All coaches and players will be in attendance helping run the camp b) Coaches and players begin making appearances at West Raleigh events 27. October a) Execute the defensive camp at the West Raleigh baseball facility  All coaches and players will be in attendance b) Coaches and players will continue making appearances at West Raleigh events 28. November a) Players and coaches will hold an autograph session at the West Raleigh baseball facility on the first Saturday in November 27

 West Raleigh Baseball Association players, coaches, parents, and fans will be allowed to bring up to 2 items to be signed  The autograph session will last 90 minutes

28

Budget

Item Vendor Cost

Giant poster schedule Raleigh Poster Printing $940

600 hot dogs Sam’s Club $179.84

600 hamburgers Sam’s Club $399.68

600 hot dog buns Sam’s Club $152.49

600 hamburger buns Sam’s Club $152.49

Chick-fil-a trays Chick-fil-a $732

Soft drinks for student Sam’s Club $329.46 tailgates and faculty/staff appreciation nights Water for student tailgates Sam’s Club $52.92 and faculty/staff appreciation nights Red Out t-shirts (200 shirts x NC Tees $1,190 $5.95 each)

White Out t-shirts (200 shirts NC Tees $1,190 x $5.95 each)

Flyers (15 x $0.60 each) Wolf Xpress $9

Promotional Coupons $0

Total $5,327.88

*All other expenses already contained in inventory

29

Evaluation This marketing plan will be evaluated based on whether or not average attendance increased throughout the year. The main goal for the 2014 baseball season is to increase average attendance 10%. A 10% increase would break the school record for average attendance and bring average attendance numbers to over 2,000 fans per game. The previous record was set in 2013 when the program averaged 1,884 fans per game. If numbers increase by 10% then the 2014 season will be labeled a success for the marketing department. If the program does not reach its main goal in 2014, then revisions will be done to provide better strategies and tactics for upcoming seasons. Another form of evaluation for the 2014 season will be to hand out surveys to fans after special events such as, student tailgates, Faculty/Staff Appreciation Nights, White Out Night, Red Out Night, Field of Dreams, etc. The survey will be asking fans to rate their overall satisfaction with the promotions. A survey will be sent out via mass email to students and faculty/staff asking them to rate the overall effectiveness of the flyers and sandwich boards located throughout campus. Also, there will be a survey handed out to fans after the last regular season home game that will give them the opportunity to rate the marketing effort for the 2014 season. The surveys will allow fans to give their opinions on what went well, what did not go well, and what can be done to make NC State baseball games more enjoyable. This evaluation process will help give the marketing department an idea of what needs to stay the same and what needs to be changed for upcoming seasons. A student volunteer will also be asked to keep up with the demographics of fans attending NC State baseball games. The volunteer will keep track of fans’ gender, race/ethnicity, and age range. There is limited research on the demographics of college baseball fans, therefore, this will give the NC State marketing department an upper hand by evaluating who is attending the games. This process will also help establish future target markets.

30

Appendix Sample flyer

#Pack9 @NCStateBaseball

Like our “North Carolina State Baseball” fan page

31

Sample email sent to faculty/staff

Hello all, The NC State baseball program is super excited about the start of the 2014 baseball season. And we are looking forward to seeing the smiling faces of our faculty and staff in attendance at our games. The baseball team plays its first home games of the season February 21st-23rd as they welcome the Appalachian State Mountaineers to Raleigh for a three game series. If you are unable to attend a game, you can still follow all the action on Twitter (@NCStateBaseball) or through live stats on gopack.com. The NC State baseball program plans to honor and show our appreciation for the faculty and staff several times throughout the year. Mark your calendars for February 26th, March 5th, and May 7th. February 26th will be Faculty/Staff bring a friend night as members of the NCSU faculty and staff will be able to admit one friend into the game for free. March 5th and May 7th are Faculty/Staff Appreciation Nights where all faculty and staff in attendance will be served food and drinks and have the opportunity to compete against students during in-game promotions such as, the dizzy bat race, sumo wrestling, and the dance off. This is our way of saying thank you for all you do to make our university great. As always, faculty and staff are admitted into games free of charge. We are hoping for continued success on and off the field in 2014 and we hope that you all are planning to join and support us through the process. Hope to see you soon,

Andrew Ciencin Director of Baseball Operations NC State University

32

2013 Poster Schedule There will be a 2014 poster schedule similar to this placed on the concession stand at the West Raleigh baseball facility

33

2014 NC State baseball schedule

Date Opponent / Event Location Time / Result

02/14/14 at UC Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, Calif. 5:00 p.m. ET 02/15/14 at UC Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, Calif. 5:00 p.m. ET 02/16/14 at UC Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, Calif. 4:00 p.m. ET 02/18/14 at Elon Elon, N.C. 3:00 p.m. ET 02/21/14 vs. Appalachian State Raleigh, N.C. 3:00 p.m. ET 02/22/14 vs. Appalachian State Raleigh, N.C. 1:00 p.m. ET 02/23/14 vs. Appalachian State Raleigh, N.C. 1:00 p.m. ET 02/26/14 vs. Davidson Raleigh, N.C. 3:00 p.m. ET 02/28/14 vs. Michigan Raleigh, N.C. 3:00 p.m. ET 03/01/14 vs. UCLA USA Baseball Complex 6:30 p.m. ET 03/02/14 vs. Youngstown State Raleigh, N.C. 1:00 p.m. ET 03/05/14 vs. North Carolina A&T Raleigh, N.C. 3:00 p.m. ET 03/07/14 vs. Notre Dame * Raleigh, N.C. 3:00 p.m. ET 03/08/14 vs. Notre Dame * Raleigh, N.C. 4:00 p.m. ET 03/09/14 vs. Notre Dame * Raleigh, N.C. 1:00 p.m. ET 03/11/14 at Stetson DeLand, Fla. 6:30 p.m. ET 03/14/14 at Florida State * Tallahassee, Fla. 6:00 p.m. ET 03/15/14 at Florida State * Tallahassee, Fla. 6:00 p.m. ET 03/16/14 at Florida State * Tallahassee, Fla. 1:00 p.m. ET 03/19/14 vs. Elon Raleigh, N.C. 3:00 p.m. ET 03/21/14 at Maryland * College Park, Md. 6:00 p.m. ET 03/22/14 at Maryland * College Park, Md. 1:30 p.m. ET 03/23/14 at Maryland * College Park, Md. 1:00 p.m. ET 03/25/14 at Campbell Buies Creek, N.C. 6:00 p.m. ET 03/26/14 at UNC-Wilmington Wilmington, N.C. 6:00 p.m. ET 03/28/14 vs. Miami * Raleigh, N.C. 6:00 p.m. ET 03/29/14 vs. Miami * Raleigh, N.C. 6:00 p.m. ET 03/30/14 vs. Miami * Raleigh, N.C. 1:00 p.m. ET 04/02/14 vs. East Carolina Raleigh, N.C. 6:00 p.m. ET 04/05/14 at Clemson * Clemson, S.C. 6:30 p.m. ET 04/06/14 at Clemson * Clemson, S.C. 3:00 p.m. ET 04/07/14 at Clemson * Clemson, S.C. 7:00 p.m. ET 04/09/14 at East Carolina Greenville, N.C. 6:00 p.m. ET 04/11/14 at Duke * Durham Bulls Athletic Park 6:00 p.m. ET 04/12/14 at Duke * Durham Bulls Athletic Park 6:00 p.m. ET 04/13/14 at Duke * Durham Bulls Athletic Park 1:00 p.m. ET 04/15/14 vs. North Carolina Durham Bulls Athletic Park 7:00 p.m. ET 04/18/14 vs. Boston College * Raleigh, N.C. 6:30 p.m. ET 04/19/14 vs. Boston College * Raleigh, N.C. 6:30 p.m. ET 04/20/14 vs. Boston College * Raleigh, N.C. 1:00 p.m. ET 04/22/14 vs. Campbell Raleigh, N.C. 6:00 p.m. ET 04/23/14 vs. UNC-Wilmington Raleigh, N.C. 6:00 p.m. ET 04/25/14 vs. Georgia Tech * Raleigh, N.C. 6:30 p.m. ET 04/26/14 vs. Georgia Tech * Raleigh, N.C. 6:30 p.m. ET 04/27/14 vs. Georgia Tech * Raleigh, N.C. 1:00 p.m. ET 05/02/14 vs. Coastal Carolina Raleigh, N.C. 6:30 p.m. ET 05/03/14 vs. Coastal Carolina Raleigh, N.C. 6:30 p.m. ET 05/04/14 vs. Coastal Carolina Raleigh, N.C. 1:00 p.m. ET 05/07/14 vs. Richmond Raleigh, N.C. 6:00 p.m. ET 05/09/14 vs. Wake Forest * Raleigh, N.C. 6:30 p.m. ET 05/10/14 vs. Wake Forest * Raleigh, N.C. 6:30 p.m. ET 05/12/14 vs. Wake Forest * Raleigh, N.C. 7:00 p.m. ET 05/13/14 at Radford Radford, Va. 6:00 p.m. ET 05/15/14 at Virginia Tech * Blacksburg, Va. 5:30 p.m. ET 05/16/14 at Virginia Tech * Blacksburg, Va. 2:00 p.m. ET 05/17/14 at Virginia Tech * Blacksburg, Va. 1:00 p.m. ET 34