More marketing discussion

So in a previous post, I brought up two ideas that I think Thrashers management could use to increase fan awareness, fan attendance, and most important, MORE REVENUE

Ok, so currently the average Atlantan doesn't care about the Thrashers. Let's face it, this town is currently a football/Braves town. People aren't even willing to give hockey a chance unless they goto a game. Well free tickets aren't enough to get someone interested in a team...if they have free tickets...they likely won't come down since its a long drive, parking, downtown, etc. etc. But I think the people who would buy tickets are very similar to the people who already have season tickets, thus using season ticket holders (STH) is the most logical solution.

Okay here is my current plan, which could always change, of course

I. Atlanta Spirit offers STH a chance to bring X friends to X amount of games (let's say they get 10 tickets to start...which can be used 10 times with 10 different people , 5 couples, 2 families, etc.)...and these tickets are at a discounted price and preferably be in close proximity to the STH
-->A. When STH sign up to use tickets, they goto a special website where they enter the contact information of the people who want to go.
---->1. This contact info will be used for marketing purposes and to restrict over usage/cheating
---->2. Contact info is used to email the friend and notify them that they can sign up for a special website geared towards new fans ("welcome to blueland", etc.) which will contain a message board, explanation of hockey rules, thrashers highlights, philips arena highlights, and team information ( and other info that may be deemed important to attract new fans)
II. When STH and friend arrive, both STH and Atlanta Spirit work together to make the experience a good one for the friend.
-->A. A bag of goodies can be given to the new fan (includes a program geared toward teaching, other thrasher giveaway stuff)
-->B. Tour of Philips Arena can be given
-->C. Use new fans as contestants on certain game shows
-->D. Others that makes it a once in a lifetime experience
III. After game, present new fan with a discount to tickets for another game AND the ticket packages and have them contact someone on the 'Welcome to Blueland' Website for any questions
-->A. If a package/tickets are bought, give incentives/rewards to STH responsible for sale
---->1. Give STH more 'friends passes'
---->2. Based on how many new tickets STH is responsible for, give rewards (cash or merchandise based)
---->3. For STH with the most 'points', have a good prize (Thrashers can pay for their playoff tickets)

I think that plan would be great to attract more fans through the season ticket holders and be relatively cheap to operate

Okay for the college situation, the plan would be to generate, foster, and support student organizations supporting the Thrashers. Again, to create a situation in which a similar demographic attracts the same demographic. The college student discount is an amazing discount but not enough students know about it, and although a print/advertising campaign is established, it falls at marketing towards new fans.

I. Contact fans who are willing to create and coordinate organizations for their colleges
-->A. Each organization runs a website, which encourages discussion and provides info targeted for the college student
-->B. Responsible for 2 things
---->1. Generate more fan interest through talking with friends, viral advertising, holding 'Thrasher viewing parties' and 'Thrashers game nights' (going to the game), and other strategies
---->2. Increase attendance (especially on weeknights) by increasing awareness of the discount, providing transportation/carpools, Thrashers game nights, and incentives for attendance (either who goes the most or a goal/reward strategy)...which would be tracked on the website

Other ideas for this:
1.On certain slow nights (weeknights), if a booth/party box is available, offer it to the student organizations
2.Have a certain section for just college students (upper rows of 301-304...where it gets very empty)...nasty nest is on one side...make it be a catchy theme on the other side for college students
3.Have incentives/competition between colleges...colleges with the highest attendance gets a booth for a game...or the players come to the college...etc.
I think the best way to do this would be to have the organizations market to the college students...and have college students contact their respective organizations for tickets...
4. On the website, the attendance records are kept(it could be in the form of every member of the organization has a profile (myspace/facebook style) and within that profile, the attendance stats are shown.

I think this would create a group of students that become really diehard fans that attract other students to the game.

NOTE: THIS COULD ALSO WORK FOR CERTAIN ORGANIZATIONS/CORPORATIONS!!

For the students...say with Georgia Tech, there are 30 students who are diehard Thrashers fans...20 find tickets on craigslist/ebay/scalp/use student discount/use blueland crew/get free tickets...and 10 don't go as much as they would like because they don't know about the discount or don't have friends who are as diehard as they are....This connects these 30 people in an organization that will goto games together, and attempt to attract more people to go (through friends who don't go as much or have never gone before.) The 15-20 people who go using multiple ways (some not even paying for tickets) turn into 50-60 people all buying straight from the Thrashers...which then turns into 100...and so forth.

The revenue generated from this would greatly exceed the expenses...here is a very low estimate based on GT students attendance:

currently: 20 people buy tickets every game for an average of 10 dollars a piece...spend 10 dollars at the game on food/merchandise/parking
20*20=400 dollars a game made on this market
400*41=16,400/year

Low projection: 60 students buy tickets for an average of 15 dollars...spend 15 dollars at the game on food/merchandise/parking (merchandise is increased due to the increase in new fans..which would buy more stuff)

60*30=1800/game
1800*41=73800/year

increase of 57400...just from an increase of 40 students/game/school!!!

This would be a continuing increase solely because of the chain reaction that would occur.

I really think these types of strategies would work perfectly in 1. Generate more fan interest which sells more tickets and gets more butts in the seats...and 2. Create a more dependable ticket sales on weeknights with the college students in close proximity to Philips Arena.

I could go on forever and ever but I think now would be a good stopping point