1 / 60

How to Make $ on Athletic Events 2016 Compliance Seminar

Learn how to maximize income and minimize expenses at athletic events through effective ticketing, merchandising, concessions, media, and sponsorship strategies. Discover ways to improve fan experience and build a loyal customer base.

ethomson
Download Presentation

How to Make $ on Athletic Events 2016 Compliance Seminar

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. How to Make $ on Athletic Events2016 Compliance Seminar Linda D. Robertson Associate Executive Director for Business

  2. Turning a Profit Basic Business Maximizing Income Minimizing Expense Taking Control Florida High School Athletic Association

  3. 3 Basic Business Tenants • Have something to sell • Have customers willing to pay • Sell for more than it costs to produce Florida High School Athletic Association

  4. To have ongoing success: ……PLEASE THE CUSTOMER! Florida High School Athletic Association

  5. A satisfied customer is a repeat customer Ever gone to a free event and felt cheated? Florida High School Athletic Association

  6. How do you apply business to HS Athletics? Florida High School Athletic Association

  7. Let’s Hear From Audience: • Why do you think people pay to attend high school events? Florida High School Athletic Association

  8. Support their child • Support their school • Support their community • Love the sport • Entertainment – something to do • Pride by association – be a part of something Florida High School Athletic Association

  9. Let’s Hear From Audience: • Who are your customers? Florida High School Athletic Association

  10. Students • Parents/family of students • School staff/county staff • Community • Sports fans in general Florida High School Athletic Association

  11. Breaking Down the Business Components #1 - Maximizing Income • Building fan experience • Ticketing • Merchandizing • Concessions/parking • Media • Sponsors Florida High School Athletic Association

  12. Maximizing income Improving Fan Experience • Start with students – focus groups – opinion surveys – what would make them go to the event? • Create atmosphere of FUN • Band/Music • PA system • Dress the field/stadium/gym • You are selling the “sizzle” Florida High School Athletic Association

  13. Maximizing income Branding • No school spirit? No tradition? Worn out, or weak traditions? • Think about re-branding • Varsity brands project – Gibbs HS & Anclote HS Florida High School Athletic Association

  14. Florida High School Athletic Association

  15. Florida High School Athletic Association

  16. Florida High School Athletic Association

  17. Florida High School Athletic Association

  18. Sunshine State Spirit Showdown • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhGueaycDbQ&index=7&list=PLZjuFVQzKj_tOlNrwHBs9R1Eg9av2zjlv • River Ridge High School Florida High School Athletic Association

  19. Building a Fan Base Audience participation--- • Can anyone share a successful idea on how to build fan base, attract students or simply create excitement for your event? Florida High School Athletic Association

  20. Maximizing income Customer Service– • Use good judgement & empower staff/volunteers • Recognize the crowd is your CUSTOMER • Example: no exit & return policy (elderly man leaves to get umbrella) • Make sure staff know the reason behind rules & follow intent of the rule, but use discretion when warranted Florida High School Athletic Association

  21. Customer Service– • Avoid: • Long lines waiting to pay for anything • Grumpy or rude volunteers/workers Florida High School Athletic Association

  22. Customer Service– • Consider accepting credit cards • Consider e-ticketing BOTH of these are untapped areas of potential increased sales and customer service Florida High School Athletic Association

  23. Maximizing income Promote your event • Take advantage of free public service announcements • Newspaper • Radio • TV – PBS • School billboard Florida High School Athletic Association

  24. Maximizing income Admission Prices • Offer discounts to attract students & retirees • Compare to surrounding schools prices – keep up • Reduce/control use of “complimentary” tickets • Are you accepting coaches passes? Are you asking for ID? • Your first job is to create a fan base! May need to let in free or charge very little to “grow” a following and make events exciting and “worth” the price of admission Florida High School Athletic Association

  25. Maximizing income • Charge entry fees for tournaments • Research what others are doing • If sanction fee required (Classics) build it into the ticket price Florida High School Athletic Association

  26. Maximizing income Merchandizing • T-shirts & souvenirs should yield 20 to 25% royalty Florida High School Athletic Association

  27. Maximizing income Merchandizing • Start a tradition linked to merchandise (shakers, cow bells, unique hats) Florida High School Athletic Association

  28. Maximizing income Merchandizing • Other Ideas: • Offer free admission to students wearing SPORT or even specific T-shirt • Offer special seating (roped off area) for those wearing T-shirt • = Florida High School Athletic Association

  29. Maximizing income Media Rights – once you have established a following, don’t give media away for free! • Live streaming (NFHS Network) • Local radio • Local TV • National TV (seek help from FHSAA) Florida High School Athletic Association

  30. Maximizing income Parking & Concessions • Bring awareness and demand efficiency – THIS AREA CAN SURPASS TICKET SALES - and discuss fairness of profits to be split – without the event, no customers Florida High School Athletic Association

  31. Maximizing income Parking • Typical for some schools to “give” away to clubs, other • Know how much it is worth – discuss the big picture with school leaders – all funds raised are due to the event – make sure the split is fair • Even open fields can pull this off (Orlando Citrus Bowl) • $5 is common (figure 4 per car to estimate value) Potential value is $2.50 per person Florida High School Athletic Association

  32. Concessions • Important experience for customer – so even if athletics doesn’t get $, push for efficiency in that area as part of fan experience • Do you know how much they make? • PA advertise for them? Florida High School Athletic Association

  33. Maximizing income Concessions – good business practices • Get donated items or purchase in bulk • Use Soda machines vs cans • Souvenir cups & free refill • Always have efficient and ample volunteers so people don’t have to wait to pay! • Tap into community service groups to work or rotate among other sports and student groups for big events Average profit AFTER cost is $1.50 per customer Florida High School Athletic Association

  34. Maximizing income Concessions & Parking – the BIG picture - $$$ FHSAA Region Cheer events: For each $6 ticket sold in 2016 Average customer spent $10.25 $2.00 for food concessions $2.50 for parking $5.75 for souvenirs Florida High School Athletic Association

  35. Think about it… • Ticket sales on average are only 40% of event income • Do you only get the ticket revenue and pay 100% of the event cost? Florida High School Athletic Association

  36. Maximizing income Sponsors • Think about who else benefits from the crowd at your event • Restaurants • Hotels • Corner convenience store • Sell ticket back sponsorship • Offering discounts if they visit their business • Step beyond typical banners, program advertisements • Big event? Make it a special sponsorship Florida High School Athletic Association

  37. Breaking Down the Business Components #2 – Minimizing Expense Audience input – What are your largest event expenses? Florida High School Athletic Association

  38. Breaking Down the Business Components #2 – Minimizing Expense • Personnel costs • Professional services costs • Mandatory vs optional costs • Volunteers & Donated goods Florida High School Athletic Association

  39. Don’t overpay for services • Key to reducing costs is to understand what you are currently spending and why • Compare what you pay for services to what others pay • Don’t be shy about replacing a paid job with a skilled volunteer Florida High School Athletic Association

  40. Minimizing Expense Don’t overpay for services • Event managers • How many ticket sellers/takers do you need? • Do you really have to pay for score keeper, PA – or can you get a “quality” volunteer Florida High School Athletic Association

  41. Minimizing Expense Don’t splurge on non-essential items • Hospitality • Excessive signage • Excessive uniformed security • Elaborate trophies/awards for tournaments • Paying for services that volunteers can handle Florida High School Athletic Association

  42. Do you have to rent facility? • Talk about the rate with school leadership (if your school) • Talk about the rate with off campus sites – consider options – use a public school (rates may be lower) • Share the facility cost with everyone that is benefiting from sales at the event (concessions, parking) Florida High School Athletic Association

  43. Minimizing Expense Security costs eating you up? • Reassess the amount needed • Talk about the rate with school leadership • Seek parent volunteers that are in security/police careers • Share the security cost with everyone that is benefiting from sales at the event (concessions, parking) Florida High School Athletic Association

  44. Minimizing Expense Share costs with concessions/parking groups: • Any mandatory event cost that can’t be reduced • PA announcer – who helps advertise the concessions • Any event advertising costs • Keep thinking…many event costs help all groups that are making money at the event – not just athletics Florida High School Athletic Association

  45. Minimizing Expense Volunteers are KEY • Must have a coordinator of volunteers (booster) • Use parents talents (police officers, nurses, handyman, retail clerks, CPA, etc.) • Don’t overlook student clubs and community service organizations Florida High School Athletic Association

  46. Breaking Down the Business Components #3 – Take Control • Inventory & Cash • Entry points & passes • Atmosphere of control Florida High School Athletic Association

  47. Proper Controls Inventory & Cash • ALWAYS 2+ people • Inventory before and after and count cash • Get sales reports for EVERYTHING – not just tickets – ask for copies of concessions and parking reports –transparency– everyone involved should know how much $ is being made or not being made • Put uniformed officer or security by cash sales Florida High School Athletic Association

  48. Proper Controls Ticketing • Tickets = CASH • Pre-numbered tickets or bands • Inventory before and after • Put uniformed officer or security by cash sales • Atmosphere of control! Florida High School Athletic Association

  49. Proper Controls Entry Points • No freebies • Control the passes & credentials – check IDs, or sign in • Create and show atmosphere of control Florida High School Athletic Association

  50. Comparable Events – • Same sport/similar attendance – one makes money, the other doesn’t – real events (case studies) Florida High School Athletic Association

More Related