1 K.H. Jones Communications · to NBA.com, and Jacque Vaughn was hired to be the newest Magic...
Transcript of 1 K.H. Jones Communications · to NBA.com, and Jacque Vaughn was hired to be the newest Magic...
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K.H. Jones Communications 4423 Tidewater Drive, Orlando FL, 32812
Strategic Communications Plan
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Table of Contents
Context………………………………………………………….……Page 3
Goals & Objectives……………………………………………..Page 7
Target Audience………………………………………………….Page 8
Message Platform……………………………………………..Page 10
Strategy & Tactics……………………………………………..Page 12
Implementation………………………………………………..Page 15
Evaluation…………………………………………………………Page 18
Bibliography……………………………………………………..Page 19
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Context
By being the only major professional sports franchise in a young city like
Orlando, there are tremendous opportunities available for the Orlando Magic. Over
the past 24 seasons that Magic have become a well-respected organization in the
Central Florida community, as a communications firm we are aiming to expand on
what is already a successful and prosperous franchise. Although the Magic have
deep roots in the Orlando-area, the team has yet to create a rabid and sustainable
fan base that will stick with the franchise through the peaks and valleys. This is
evident through decrease ticket sales and a sizeable reduction in TV viewership,
according to ESPN and Fox Sports. As a communications firm, our goal is to
uniquely target a largely untapped portion of the fan base in order build this
sustainable fan base that will grow with the young Magic roster for years to come.
In 2010, the Orlando Magic franchise and the city of Orlando completed the
construction of the $480 million Amway Center in downtown Orlando. This year,
the franchise was valued at $470 dollars by Forbes, meaning that there is a fairly
large amount of money that could potentially be available for this campaign. The
Magic are led by CEO Alex Martins, who acts not only in a management role but
also as the team’s primary spokesperson. Recently Rob Hennigan was hired to be
the next General Manager of the Magic, the youngest in league history according
to NBA.com, and Jacque Vaughn was hired to be the newest Magic coach.
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The Orlando Magic is entering its 25th year as a franchise in the National
Basketball Association. Over the past two and a half decades the Magic have had
great success on the court, winning two Eastern Conference titles and six division
championships, according to NBA.com. But this past season the team suffered,
after losing franchise centerpiece Dwight Howard, the Magic charted to the worst
record in the entire NBA. Not far removed from being a championship contender
for many years, the sudden downturn in on-court performance has certainly made
an impact in every aspect of the Orlando Magic organization. The team then traded
away the most liked player on the team in J.J. Redick, for a collection of players
that few recognized. The Magic played so poorly last year many members in the
national media and even in the local fan base accused the team of “tanking” -
deliberately losing in order to get the best possible draft selection. However, the
team has done everything in their power to stock up on young, talented players,
gearing up for a rebuilding period. New fan favorites are already emerging with the
likes of Tobias Harris, Victor Oladipo and Nikola Vucevic.
Recently another sports team has been scheduled to enter the sports scene in
Orlando. The Orlando City Lions Soccer Club was just announced as a new team
that will join Major League Soccer, the fifth largest sports leave in the United
States, in late 2015, according the MLS.com. While the Magic and Lions have
fully supported one another thus far, the excitement and buzz the Lions have
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created has taken some buzz away from the Magic. Although, the presence of
another professional sports franchise will likely bring more attention to the Central
Florida area, helping the Magic.
The primary social media platforms that the Orlando Magic make use of
have a significant amount of followers - the team’s official Twitter account has
over 1.1 million followers, the team has over 1.9 million fans on Facebook, over
125,000 “+1’s” on Google+ and they have over 33,000 Instagram followers. These
numbers place the Magic near the top in the league, even with the worst record in
the Association last year. With all this being noted, it is safe to say the Orlando
Magic have already gained a solid foothold in social media.
The Magic’s audience is creating a mass amount of content on their own.
There are a large amount of Orlando Magic bloggers constantly putting out media.
Most of the discussion between the Magic’s audiences is good-natured and serves
as a way that the team can bring attention to themselves. The brand does actively
interact with fans in a positive way, often retweeting or commenting at fans that
make positive comments about upcoming events or boost the brand, but could
afford to do much more. Below is an example of their fan interaction.
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Some interesting information that will also likely have an effect on our
audience is that about 25 percent of the almost 100,000 households in the Orlando
area have children under the age of 18, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. This
leaves our initiative with roughly 25,000 families to target in the area.
Furthermore, This past seasons ticket highlights were as follows: 2,500 seats
priced at $20 or less, 8,000 seats priced at $40 or less and 10,000 seats priced at
$50 or less, according to orlandomagic.com.
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Goal and Objectives
The overarching goal of our entire Strategic Communications Plan is to
create a sustainable and vibrant fan base for the Orlando Magic.
I. The initial objective of the campaign is to restore the Orlando Magic to a
listed average of 18,846 fans per game, 100% of the Amway Center filled per
home game, by the 2014-2015 season. By working towards accomplishing this
objective, we can constantly track a conclusive indicator of the progression or
regression of the fan base. Plus, we have access to attendance reports of each home
game immediately following the contests on NBA.com.
II. Another objective our communications plan is aiming to achieve is to
restore Central Florida TV ratings back to where they were during the 2010-2011
season by the end of the 2014-2015 season. An average of 15,500 people, who
have the channel in their cable lineup, in the Central Florida area were viewing
Magic games last season, we would like that number to return to over 33,000 by
the end of next season. Aside from actual game attendance, TV ratings are the
most direct way we can get a read on the size Magic’s current fan base. These
figures can be accessed throughout the year on sportsbusinessdaily.com, allowing
us to easily track progress.
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III. The final objective for our Communications Plan is to increase the
proportion of Magic merchandise sold that are children sizes, both online and at
the game. By tracking this objective we can get a better idea of the demographic
that is attending the games and how many children’s items are being sold on the
OrlandoMagic.com store. By the end of the 2014-2015 we expect a 15% increase
in kid’s items sold both at the game and online. We can track this statistic by
taking inventory after every home game and constantly recording data from the
team’s website.
Target Audience
The primary audience that our communications plan will be targeting is
young families in the Central Florida area. Primarily, local families who have kids
that are currently in grade school. This audience is consists of a very young unit of
potential fans as well as parents. By appealing a brand new generation we can
create a young fan base that is designed to last and grow over the ebbs and flows of
the team. Especially with younger fans that are less aware to the quality of play on
the court and are more likely to attend and participate in sports based on other
factors. When Michigan State University asked boys and girls ages 10 to 13 why
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they played sports none of the top five reasons given had to do with winning,
according to activeforlife.com. This is very advantageous for the Magic as the
study shows winning in sports is of little importance to younger fans.
We want the children to push their parents to attend Magic games, watch the
games on TV and to buy Magic merchandise. Kids crave having fun, thus we want
to demonstrate how much fun a Magic game can be. Because over 18% of the
population in Orlando is made up of kids under the age of 14, according to
AreaConnect, there is a significant portion of the community that will be receptive.
In addition, parents are more likely to act if we provide them cost-saving ways to
enjoy Magic games. We also are providing parents an opportunity for the family to
spend time together.
In order to best impact our target audience we want to take ideas from
another brand that already engages our target crowd - Disney. Walt Disney World
has been marketing effectively towards families since its inception in 1971. Based
on Disney’s communications strategies, we must focus on convincing families that
Magic games are a memorable family event that can entice the whole family. By
making this known to our target audience we can sway them to participate in a
Magic game.
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Adults are the target audience that we are aiming to effect, and over three-
fourths of them are actively using social media. In social media, stratification of
age has remained relatively the same for the past 8 years; there has been
significantly higher usage by adults from the age of 18-29. But for the first
recorded time in December 2012, this demographics’ overall social media usage
rate decreased from 92% to 83%. This has become a trend as every demographic
dropped its social media usage at the end of last year except for one, 30-49 year
olds, who increased from 73% to 77%, according to Pew Research Center. With a
fine-tuned strategy we can seamlessly communicate with a majority of our target
audience.
Message Platform
Attending an Orlando Magic game is the most invaluable activity a family
can partake in around the Central Florida area.
Few events bring people together like sports, the Orlando Magic are
offering Central Florida families a chance to pursue a common goal and share a
sense of belief in a team. When I was younger, my father and I would attend about
30 Magic games a year. Our experiences strengthened our relationship like no
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other activity could, as we continuously got to partake in a changing narrative.
Sports serve as a way that families can collectively create life-long memories.
Orlando Magic basketball also appeals to all members of the family in a
variety of ways. Many activities that families commonly partake in satisfy either
the kids or the adults, but rarely both. With professional basketball, both the
parents and the children can gain something unique and satisfying from the
experience. For adults, they get to experience the many amenities of coming to the
hyper-advanced Amway Center. Children get to marvel at superhero-like men as
they participate in the activity they are exceptional at. Magic games are different
from most Orlando attractions as they provide total family satisfaction.
A report by the American College of Sports Medicine showed that students
who exercised “vigorously” tended to be more successful in school. Additionally,
the report stated that the majority of “vigorous” activity takes place outside of
school, by playing team sports such as basketball. These sports also “improve
motor skills, increase self-esteem and foster cooperation and teamwork.” With the
litany of obvious benefits seen by this study, parents, concerned with the health of
their children, need to encourage their kids to generate a love of basketball and
exercise by believing in their hometown team.
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Young families in the Central Florida area should develop and amass a sense
of pride in their one and only professional sports franchise, through attending and
viewing Magic games.
Strategy and Tactics
In order to build a sustainable and loyal fan base in the Central Florida area,
the project will be geared to directly impacting young families in the community,
by creating lasting bonds with the children and providing cost-efficient offers to
adults.
I. In order to directly impact younger students, the Orlando Magic will
partner with a local construction company to build basketball courts for selected
public schools across the area. With the help of volunteers, a few Magic staff and
the experience of the construction company, these courts will be built efficiently.
While the Magic already is in the community building playgrounds in less
fortunate areas, we want to target the middle class schools. With the thinking that
these students have parents that are more likely to attend games. The courts would
be decorated with Magic logos and colors, so to serve as both an advertisement and
functional play area for kids. With the building of these courts we would be able to
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have the Magic logo seen by kids of that particular school for years. Additionally,
we would advertise this project as yet another way that the Orlando Magic give
back to the Central Florida community.
II. In order to attract kids currently in school we will send two Magic
players, Stuff the mascot and the relevant liaison staff, to qualified schools across
the area, schools qualify based on FCAT scores and application. Kids in that
school that have an exceptionally high GPA or perfect attendance will be given a
chance to have lunch and enjoy recess with the Magic players. The event would be
about an hour long and would consist of the Magic players hosting a basketball
clinic on the new basketball court. By doing this we would aim to instill a very
young group of kids with a sense of pride for the team or specific players, as they
would now know at least two players at the game or on TV. Even if the team isn’t
playing well the kids would still recognize and feel a sense of possession over one
or two players.
III. The third tactic is to target the adults in each of these families by
offering expanded Orlando Magic Family Nights. While there is already is a
Family Night offered by the Magic, we would look to revamp them. For 10
weeknight games, against some of the lower tier NBA teams, we will offer one
child ticket (obtained with a grade school ID) free with the purchase of a full-price
adult ticket. This is would offer an affordable way for families to take their kids to
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the game, and also allow the Magic organization to press for a sell out in games
that often have low attendance. While the families would not get the greatest seats
in the Amway Center, they would give their children a chance to experience all the
amenities that come with attending a live game at the arena. This is a radical idea
that the Magic have never attempted, it would breathe new life in the concept of a
family night and would be a more effective approach than just offering two
discounted tickets.
IV. Another tactic to directly impact adults with children will be to increase
advertising in specific areas that adults with kids regularly pass through. This
would require billboards put up in areas around grocery stores and school zones.
All of these billboards will solicit the upcoming Magic Family Nights in order to
quickly educate our target audience on the new program we are installing. Also,
use 30 original commercials to be aired during Magic games promoting Magic
Family Night.
V. A final tactic will be to partner with Walt Disney World and offer special
ticket packages. Disney has long made an effort to attract local residents to
purchase tickets for their parks in Central Florida, as seen by their discounted
Florida resident prices. Disney also provides a reputable that the Magic can pair up
with to boost its reputation with young families. This pairing makes Orlando
Magic games seem like a more of a viable option for young families seeking
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entertainment. The Magic can provide Disney with an easy way to increase local
attendance by constructing a package that consists of two Disney tickets and two
Magic tickets for a discounted rate to Orlando-area customers.
Implementation
This project is a two-season, 18-month plan that would start on November 1,
2013 and conclude on May 1, 2015.
November 2013:
Select the first six schools that will receive basketball courts and host a
clinic.
Build the first basketball court at local area school and host player meet
and greet
Family Nights: Milwaukee Bucks, Nov. 13; Phoenix Suns, Nov. 24;
Philadelphia 76ers, Nov. 27
Design and rent 4 “Magic Family Night” billboards throughout town.
Start Disney ticket package campaign
December 2013
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Build basketball court and host player meet and greet
Family Nights: Utah Jazz, Dec. 18; Atlanta Hawks, Dec. 29
January 2014
Build basketball court and host player meet and greet
Family Night: Charlotte Bobcats, Jan. 17
February 2014
Build basketball court and host player meet and greet
Family Night: Detroit Pistons, Feb. 5
March 2014
Build basketball court and host player meet and greet
Family Night: Portland Trailblazers, March 25
April 2014
Select next six schools that will receive a basketball court
Build basketball court and host player meet and greet
Family Night: Cleveland Cavaliers, April 2; Washington Wizards, April
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May 2014 – April 2015
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Build new basketball court monthly, select six final schools to receive
courts
Host 10 more family nights during the 2014-2015 season
Conclude Disney ticket plan
Take down Magic billboards
18 basketball courts………………………………………………….…….$180,000
$3,000 for two hoops $5,000 for concrete $2,000 for labor
4 Magic Family Night billboards up for 18 months…………….……….….$72,000
Cost of reduced ticket price during “Family Night”……………………….$100,000
Loss of $5/ ticket estimate 20,000 tickets sold over 20 games
20 Magic Family Night commercials…………………………………..….$150,000
TOTAL……………………………………………………………….…$502,000
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Evaluation
After the Orlando Magic complete the 2014-2015 we will conduct the final
evaluation of our entire Strategic Communications Plan. First off we will take a
look what the average attendance was for the 2014-2015 season, if the team
reached an average of 100% attendance for the last half of the season then we can
deem that portion of our objectives to be satisfied.
Secondly, we will take a look at where the local TV viewership stands for
Magic games and how it ranks with the rest of the NBA’s teams. If the average
number of viewers exceed 33,000 for at least the second half of the 2014-2015
season then this objective will have been accomplished.
Lastly, by using inventory records and the history of transactions on the
Orlando Magic website, we can track the change in kid’s Magic merchandise that
has been sold over the 2014-2015 season. If merchandise sales go up by at least
15% then this objective will also have been met.
In the scenario that these objectives are met but our larger goal is not
significantly accomplished, but are closed to being satisfied then we will ramp up
our efforts over the course of the next season to meet the objectives – meaning
more courts built, additional advertisements and cheaper ticket discounts. If the
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objectives are not close to being satisfied then we will target a different portion of
the Orlando Magic fan base, such as young adult males.
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