Marketing Plan RSU Hillcats

Marketing Plan RSU Hillcats

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Executive Summary Overview The RSU Marketing Management Spring 2008 class has been retained by the RSU Athletics Department to develop a marketing plan for school year 2008-2009. The class specifically is tasked with increasing student attendance at RSU athletic games during the 2008-2009 school year. Timeframe August 2008 through May 2009. Target Market Target customers include: University students, staff, and faculty Alumni Community members interested in university-level sports Donors This plan specifically addresses the first target customer - university students, staff, and faculty and includes suggestions regarding the other target customer groups. This customer group was selected as the primary target because strong student support will help build support and attendance among other target groups such as alumni and community members. Strategy The athletics program at RSU is relatively new. Initial messaging to target audiences announced the launch of the various sports and RSU teams. For example, the basketball program slogan was, Build it and communicated the concept of new men s and women s teams building a new basketball program at RSU. We believe that most people attend a university sports game for two reasons: To feel part of the university, meeting a need to belong To be entertained To recruit university students to attend sports events, a two-fold strategy will be used. The message will focus on a call to action for students. Students will be told that they are already an important part of the RSU student body and need to claim their seats at RSU sports events. In a fun and relevant way, students will be encouraged to identify themselves as a member of the student body and do their part in building the athletic traditions at RSU. A message will be developed to broadly identify Game Day so that all students understand when games are scheduled. For example, during basketball season, all games are on Thursday and Saturday nights, so that bit of information will be included in marketing communications used during that season. The message of Game Day will be used as a call to action for students regardless of the sporting event - and the entertainment aspect of Game Day will be stressed.

Value Proposition List characteristics that are unique to your company and which give your product or service a competitive advantage over other products and services or competitors.

Marketing Plan Product Definition RSU Athletics during the 2008-2009 school year. The product includes a series of sporting events including men s and women s basketball, baseball and softball, men s and women s soccer, and rodeo. RSU Athletics meets two primary needs for students: entertainment and a sense of pride, belonging, and ownership. Please see Appendix A for detailed information about current teams and sports. Market Summary Market Definition At least four groups of target customers attend RSU Athletic events: current students, staff, and faculty; alumni; community members; and donors. This plan has identified residential and traditional-age RSU students in the Claremore area as the primary target customer. Many of them work part-time or commute, so the plan will specifically target students and student groups who serve as opinion leaders, then will encourage them to lead the pack in attending RSU Athletics games. People attend RSU Athletic events for two reasons: to be entertained and to meet the need to belong or identify with a group. It is critically important that both needs be met at each game. Market Size, Growth, and Stability RSU is the state s fastest growing four-year university The Claremore campus population is rapidly growing and attracting an increasing number of residential students. The Athletics program has already achieved recognition in its conferences and many excellent marketing communications programs have been put in place including a website, good media relations, a donor sponsor program, and a mascot, logo, and school colors. The athletic programs at RSU are new and early results indicate successful teams with bright futures. Awareness among students and within the city of Claremore, however, is low primarily because the program is so young. Since inception, starting with baseball, attendance at RSU athletics games has been growing despite minimal advertising and limited awareness. There is little amount of revenue to be gained from sports such as baseball/softball and soccer but the basketball program has some promise for revenues. Current spectators are primarily players family members and students who enjoy athletics. As of Fall 2007, the men s basketball program has the highest attendance followed by soccer and then baseball and softball. Target Market General Market Size

The general market includes anyone interested in RSU sports events. These individuals live in the Claremore area, may have a tie with RSU (as an alumni, student, or student family member) or may seek university-quality, value-priced sports entertainment. Customer segments include: current students, faculty, and staff; alumni; community members; and donors. The media is also a segment but is not addressed in this plan because an effective media relations program is already in place. If student attendance can be built at the games, excitement and entertainment levels will increase, increasing RSU s appeal to local donors and sponsors. Target Market Analysis The target customer is traditional-age and residential students at RSU s Claremore campus. By targeting opinion leaders within this target segment, the plan will efficiently increase attendance at the home games. Market Requirements List first target customer segment Traditional-age, residential student on the Claremore campus Faculty and staff at RSU; students at the Pryor and Bartlesville campuses Strategic Positioning Market Analysis SWOT Analysis Your product s or company s strengths compared to the competition Good leadership in the Athletics department Good performance and conference results in first few years Ability to start own traditions Athletics website and SID in place RSU tv and radio stations and production skills on campus Opportunities for your product or company Good location to bring in legit athletes High enrollment can = high attendance Build tradition Students can develop marketing plan Feedback drop box Improve entertainment at games with produced or scheduled entertainment at breaks (so music, cheerleaders, and band don t compete) including Hillcat sound Your product s or company s weaknesses compared to the competition New program Lack of awareness No fight songs What is a Hillcat? Young, inexperienced band Bad event production Unfinished sporting fields Threats by the competition to your product or company Competition with good local high school sports Competitors have better awareness Competing events Lack of communication about Game Day Lack of messaging channels

effect, fight song, series of RSU-focused chants that everyone learns and repeats (not just the cheerleaders) Marketing communications materials to expand reach of Blue Up campaign including ringtones, screensavers, t-shirts Name the Hillcat, have Hillcat at more events, Hillcat more entertaining like Crazy Bull at Chicago Bulls, San Diego Chicken Tailgate parties Alumni association events at the games Opponent themed food Positioning Portfolio Perspective The portfolio of athletics includes men s and women s basketball, men s and women s soccer, baseball and softball, and men s and women s rodeo. Product Perspective RSU Athletics will be positioned as a packaged, any-sport opportunity for entertainment and belonging. A global brand will be developed to support all athletics teams in the program so that people attend any RSU athletics event beyond specific sports interests. Product Road Map Existing Features/Functionality Soccer field located on campus Renovation and rental of expo Developing baseball/softball fields Rodeo complex located off campus Renovated athletic department offices Hillcat mascot and logos developed Athletics website launched Games on RSU tv and radio Contacts made with some retailers to distribute schedules Near-term Enhancements The baseball and softball fields now have lights which makes night games a possibility. Development plans for baseball/softball fields and soccer fields in future. Also a new athletic field house in plans. Value Proposition End-User Value Proposition

For RSU students, prospective students, and fans who have a need for entertainment, belonging, and identity with the university... The RSU Hillcats Athletics is a collegiate sports entity that offers a variety of men s and women s sports, entertainment, and excitement... Unlike other events such as TV, movies, bowling, restaurants, gambling, and high school activities, our service/entertainment is free or very low cost. It is also a new, higher level and quality of play, provides opportunities to identify with and belong to their school in a new way, make memories/student life, socialize with peers. Entertainment is conveniently located at home arenas/fields during the school year. Packaging Describe how the product or service will be packaged or delivered to customers. Pricing As of now basketball is the only program charging for sports. If any revenue is to be made it will be from concessions and other merchandise. Messaging To encourage students to claim their seat at the games, claim their role as an important member of the student body, a specific slogan has been developed as a call to action. The slogan is: Blue Up! The meaning is for students to wear RSU t-shirts, attend the sports event, and sit in the student section to be part of the student body supporting their team. Communication Methods Internal Website RSU television and radio RSU Student Email Hillcat Hub Metal signs announcing game day Orientation classes Faculty announcements Team members supporting other teams events Student organizations Bookmarks with schedules at bookstore Blue Up! T-shirts available for $5 at RSU bookstore, games, online External Schedules Posters Team paraphernalia at local restaurants Facebook and Myspace pages

Free game tickets distributed through local merchants to attract community members Public Relations Describe the public relations plan designed to support this product. Include a calendar of editorial opportunities anticipated throughout the year. Advertising Describe the advertising plan designed to support this product. Include a calendar of editorial opportunities anticipated throughout the year. Additional Opportunities Hillcat kids club Camps and clinics Distribution Games are available in person or on RSU tv and radio. Success Metrics Success will have been achieved if the number of students attending games in 2008-2009 increases over the total student attendance at games during 2007-2008. A secondary indicator of success will be the number of students who wear Blue Up! t-shirts to the games.