Marketing Plan Project Greensboro Swarm Michael Richardson / Andrew Gosselin Executive Summary The Greensboro Swarm are still in their infancy as the NBA Developmental League affiliate of the Charlotte Hornets. The Swarm face unique challenges such as inconvenient game times for fans, lack of roster continuity, and lack of tv time. They also face threats from cheap family shows in the same region as well elite college basketball programs. However we believe that passion for college basketball that runs so deep in North Carolina can be leveraged by the Swarm. In this Marketing Plan we’ll take a look at how exactly the Swarm can strategically garner attention, ticket sales, and acceptance into the Greensboro community over this coming year. Table of Contents Introduction / Mission Statement………………………………………………………………………..4 Background / Situational Analysis……………………………………………………………………....5 Internal Analysis………………………………………………………………………………………..6/7 Weaknesses………………………………………………………………………………………………7 External Environmental Analysis…………………………………………………….……………….8/9 Product Portfolio and Description……………………………………………………………………..10 Competitive Analysis…………………………………………………………………………………....11 Customer Analysis……………………………………………………………………..……………12/13 Target Market……………………………...…………………………………………………………….14 Marketing Goals / Marketing Strategy………………………………………………………………...15 Marketing Strategy / Marketing Tactics……………………………………………………………….16 Marketing Tactics……………………….…………………………………………………..……….17/18 Gantt Chart / Budget / Evaluation…..………………………………………………………………....19 Sources…………………………………………………………………………………………………..20 Introduction The Greensboro Swarm is an NBA Development league or D league basketball team in the Greensboro, NC area. They are the newest member of the Development League having their first season a year ago during the 2015-2016 season. The Swarm is intended to develop talented basketball players who have a contract with the Charlotte Hornets that are not quite skilled enough to currently play with the NBA affiliate Charlotte Hornets. As discussed a bit later in the marketing plan, the NBA Development league has been growing at an incredible rate. The Development League was created during the 2000-2001 basketball season. Originally there were only 8 teams which served as an opportunity for NBA teams to send some promising prospects that were not skilled or seasoned enough to help out their NBA affiliated teams. Early on with the D-League two or three NBA teams would all have the same D-League affiliate creating a rather interesting dynamic between players having to learn to play together at the D-League level only to compete against one another if they got called up to their respective NBA teams. Many NBA teams began to see a benefit and a luxury to having their own D-League affiliate and so the number of development teams began to increase slowly but surely and that trend is even still continuing today. After just 16 seasons, there are now twenty two NBA D-League teams with another five teams that have announced they are interested and have plans to create their own teams. The Greensboro Swarm were one of the many recent teams formed, bringing not only an opportunity for player development within the organization, but also a new sports organization to the Greensboro, NC area which has and will continue to make an impact economically as well as socially to increase interest in the game of basketball within the area. Mission Statement There was no given mission statement identified on the Greensboro Swarm website or identified through the interaction with Mr. Tony Furr who is the director of ticket sales for the Swarm and so we decided to create what we feel would be an entirely realistic and appropriate mission statement for the Swarm. To develop the skills, abilities, and professional growth of contracted players while providing an entertaining and customer oriented environment for community and fans to enjoy. Background Tony Furr, says that he can’t give us specific details about their marketing plan because they are privately owned. However he did say that due to a limited budget the Swarm focus on marketing efforts that are low cost or free for them to put together. Examples he included were carnivals, days in the park, and little league fields. Mr. Furr also explained how they focus much of their limited time and resources associated with marketing on attempting to reach families, particularly those families who include children who participate in youth basketball already. Other than only focusing on families Mr. Furr also explained how college students are also a desired target for marketing for the Greensboro Swarm’s marketing efforts. For both of these target markets the Swarm try to appeal with their strengths of fun, cheap, but quality basketball entertainment that offers a variety of ways in which consumer engagement occurs. Both families, who often have many financial commitments, and college students, who often have extremely limited discretionary funds, both are expected to be more receptive and appreciative of the relatively inexpensive cost of the tickets to view a Swarm game. But outside of just bringing in fans to the ballgames another main focus of the Swarm’s marketing efforts, according to Mr. Furr, is to increase the awareness of Greensboro Swarm within the Greensboro area. Situational Analysis Strengths Opportunities Location, Roster, MJ, Interactive D-League expanding, TV Nature Weaknesses Threats Game times, TV, Roster Direct- Other Family Events, UNCG continuity Basketball. Indirect- College Basketball Internal Analysis Strengths • The location of Greensboro itself be a strength. It is in the top five of population growth among North Carolina Cities and being currently the third largest city in North Carolina as it is there is tremendous ability to pull fans from nearby. As stated in lecture and research approximately 80% of spectators come from a 20 minute radius. For the Greensboro Swarm this should be very much a strength. • It seems those in charge of putting the team together must be well aware of North Carolina's passion for collegiate athletics. With Wake Forest University, University of North Carolina, Duke University, and North Carolina State University all relatively nearby and all major basketball school in the best basketball conference in the country, the Atlantic Coast Conference. It is no coincidence that in creating the team roster so many of the players are former players at the colleges mentioned. For example just now the Swarm can boast about having former NC State basketball standout Cat Barber, former Duke ballplayer Rasheed Sulaimon, and another former NC State guard Ralston Turner. While it is probably unreasonable to assume that those in charge of formulating team roster intentionally seek out former North Carolina college stars, it is reasonable to suggest that if there is a demand at a certain position and one of the most qualified players to fill that position happens to have played at one of the four colleges mentioned prior, that they pursue the North Carolina college player over another potential candidate as it would be a sound business decision. • Another strength is that Michael Jordan owns the team. Not many teams may have an owner as a strength but the Jordan brand has taken on an image and representation of being hip and successful. Just now we are starting to see major colleges such as the University of Michigan and University of North Carolina jump onto the Jordan branding train. Having Mr. Jordan associated with the Greensboro Swarm is certainly a positive for the organization. For example if families know ahead of time that Jordan will be in attendance or maybe even give a talk before or after the game that could be a major drawing point for attendance. In these ways Michael Jordan is certainly a strength for the organization. • The Greensboro Swarm pride themselves on providing an interactive experience for those who make a commitment both financially and through their time spent at Swarm games. The Swarm have various opportunities for interaction and engagement other than just watching the game itself. The Swarm offer opportunities such as a chance to sit on the bench with the players, anthem buddies, court of dreams, and various in game promotions to provide an exciting experience when watching the game that goes far beyond just viewership. Weaknesses • While not every game is inconveniently played, there are several instances where the Swarm may play games starting late morning or early afternoon on weekdays. Having a large percentage of spectators being families who often work during weekday business hours and of course their children who are often involved in traditional schooling which wouldn’t allow them to attend games during late morning or early weekday afternoons. With the target market of families and game start times that occasionally make family attendance difficult, for this reason game times can occasionally be a weakness for the Swarm. • With so many individuals consuming their choice of sport entertainment through television viewership the lack of available channels and options for Swarm fans or potential fans to view the games proves to be a weakness for the Swarm overall viewership and interest in the team. • Roster continuity is an issue not only for the Greensboro Swarm but really for all NBA Developmental League teams. The nature of the “D” league is to develop players to the point where they can contribute positively to their respective NBA affiliates. Because