Marketing Plan Los Angeles Clippers
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Marketing Plan
Los Angeles Clippers
Don Cheney, Alex Larsson, Tim Sticka, Steen Schulze
1|Page
Executive Summary…………………………………………………………………….. 3 Product Description…………………………………………………………………….. 4 Competitive Analysis…………………………………………………………………… 4 External Environment Analysis...……………………………………………………… 5 Consumer Analysis...…………………………………………………………………… 7 Target Market……...…………………………………………………………………… 8 SWOT Analysis…….…………………………………………………………………… 9 Marketing Objectives……………………………………………………………………10 Strategies………………………………………………………………………………… 10 Tactics……………….…………………………………………………………………… 10 Conclusion…………..…………………………………………………………………… 15 Sources…..…………..…………………………………………………………………… 16 2|Page
Executive Summary
The Clippers have provided a fun and affordable night out for their fans since its foundation in
1978. Since the franchise’s relocation to Los Angeles in 1984, the Clippers have been regarded
as the secondary NBA team in the Los Angeles area behind their star-studded rivals, the Lakers.
However, with the uprising of number one draft pick, Blake Griffin and recent acquisition of 5-
time All-Star point guard, Chris Paul, the Clippers are beginning to emerge as the dominant Los
Angeles NBA team.
Los Angeles is world-famous for its vast selection of entertainment and recreational activities,
from movie premieres to several other professional sport franchises. The Clippers are well
suited to compete against these activities though, as their relatively affordable ticket-pricing and
team improvements have already begun to draw in more fans.
The Clippers’ current fan base is of a low income bracket, probably young and from out of town,
does not want to be seen as a bandwagoner, prefers to avoid the mainstream teams and is hoping
the Clippers will write a Cinderella story. The Hispanic population in particular has a lot of
potential for growth as the census data show, nearly half of Los Angeles is of Hispanic or Latino
origin. Currently, Hispanics represent only 9.1% of the NBA fan base, which leaves major room
for growth in the market.
As both the largest and the fastest growing demographic, the Hispanic population can relate to
the “uprising” theme of the current LA Clippers, and its positioning in the low-income bracket
matches up favorably with the Clippers affordable ticket pricing.
After careful consideration of these internal and external factors, the following have been
established as the three main objectives to grow the LA Clippers fan base as a whole:
Increase consumer awareness in the Hispanic market by 20% by June 2013
Increase merchandise sales revenues by 5% by June 2013
Increase social media attention, measured by activity on Facebook and Twitter, by 20%
over the next five years.
The strategies towards successfully completing these objectives are as follows:
Launch a new, targeted advertising campaign to attract new fans
Build homes and basketball courts in the community to create interest and buzz
Develop a new stadium atmosphere cater to the target fans and increase sales
The Clippers have already seen significant growth in revenues due to their current success in
team management. With an effective marketing plan targeted at LA’s largest demographic, the
Clippers can continue to grow their fan base and revenue at for years to come. This plan will
result in sustainable increases in revenue by creating a new market segment that will generate
revenue for years to come.
3|Page
Background Product Description The Los Angeles Clippers have had a rough history in the NBA, having only three winning seasons in the last 20 years. Yet, over the last five years, the team has had an average home attendance of 16,000 to 18,000 fans and is averaging sell outs of 19,275 midway through the 2012 season.1 By offering good entertainment, the Clippers have kept fans coming to games over the years. They may not have the best basketball product, but a night at the Staples Center with the Clippers offers more than just basketball. The product offered by the Los Angeles Clippers is a fun-filled, exciting night out with family, friends, or colleagues. When watching a Clippers game, guests are not only exposed to the eye- popping highlights performed by newly acquired stars like Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, but also to an exciting, family-fun atmosphere of fans who are all excited to see what happens next. With each win, the Clippers solidify themselves as a dominant force in the NBA, and get one step closer towards gaining an upper hand on their biggest rival, the Los Angeles Lakers. Therefore, fans are not just watching an average everyday basketball game, but rather watching history being made at the highest level of play possible, as the LA Clippers fight their way from the trenches of basketball mediocrity towards overshadowing the team that has always felt entitled to their position as the dominant team of Los Angeles. Regardless of winning or losing, fans still are given the fun experience of spending a night out with other fans in the heart of Los Angeles at the historical Staples Center. So whether guests attend to spend time with their friends or family, looking to see a close rivalry shootout, a few Blake Griffin dunks, or maybe just to diverge from everyday life, Clippers basketball is a great solution. Competitive Analysis The Clippers have an advantage of being in such a densely populated region of California, in the heart of downtown Los Angeles, so attracting a large fan base in theory should not be difficult. However, the Clippers face a massive amount of competition for time spent pursuing recreational entertainment activities. With several other sports franchises, Hollywood, and a massive night life; competing forms of entertainment are a major threat to the success of the Clippers. The Staples Center of downtown Los Angeles is the versatile home of the Clippers as well as their rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers, and other sports franchises such as the LA Kings (NHL) and the LA Sparks (WNBA). LA is also home to the Dodgers, Angels and Galaxy, three more major sport franchises that are all competing for the recreational dollars of LA’s residents. The Staples Center is not only a sports venue it is also home of LA Live. L.A. Live is a sports and entertainment district surrounding the Staples Center. Inside LA Live are music venues, night clubs, restaurants, a bowling alley, museum and movie theaters, LA Live has positioned itself as the place to go in LA for live entertainment. Competing with the Lakers is no small task, but one way the Clippers have had success is 1 http://espn.go.com/nba/attendance 4|Page
through price. Price is a major factor determining fan support. Clippers tickets are substantially cheaper than those of the Lakers. Fans can sit on the 300 level for as little as $15 or spend up to $150 to sit in the 100 level seats. The Lakers, also playing in LA’s Staples Center, charge $30 for the same 300 level seat and 100 level seats reach up to $282.2 For LA basketball fans, ticket pricing can determine team loyalty. Those who cannot afford the Lakers’ prices, but still want to attend a game, have the Clippers as an alternative. Although competing sports franchises are all viable threats towards Clippers ticket and merchandise sales, they are just a small portion of the Clippers competitors. The product offered, being a fun, exciting night out with friends, family, or colleagues is not difficult to find in Los Angeles. People can spend their time in a variety of bars or clubs, they can see movie premieres in Hollywood, any number of concerts, or just about anything else they could imagine. The possibilities are endless in terms of recreational alternatives to a Clippers game, but the Clippers do stand out as an attractive option regardless, thanks to Los Angeles’ strong community support behind their professional sports organizations and the Clippers uprising into the elite ranks of the NBA. Ticket prices are relatively cheap in most sections and there are only 41 home games in a season of limited duration in which fans can see a franchise make history, beating teams that considered them a joke in the past. All of this, accompanied by those extra factors of entertainment thrown into games such as halftime shows and LA Live create a truly unique experience that stands out even amongst Los Angeles’ vast selection of entertainment options. External Environmental Analysis Over the last decade environmental factors such as shifts in demographics as well as in the economic and sociocultural climates in Los Angeles have made it difficult for any business to thrive, particularly those in the Sports and Entertainment industry. These external forces must be considered when attempting to grow the Clippers fan base, improve the brand image, and increase financial earnings. Since the beginning of the economic downturn following 9/11/2001 California as a whole and Los Angeles specifically have been especially slow to recover. During deepest point in the recession, from 2006-2010, the median household income was $49,138. Currently, 77.7% of L.A residents earn less than $75,000 per year, with 62.18% earning less than $50,000. In terms of 2 ticketmaster.com 5|Page
household income by race, White and Multiracial Americans had the highest median incomes with $56,570 and $55,093; while Hispanic and Black households had the lowest median incomes with $38,868 and $34,708 respectively.3 Since 2000 the population of Los Angeles County has grown by 3.1% to almost 10 million people.4 Consequently, population density has also increased near the downtown portion of the city where the Los Angeles Clippers play their home games. In addition to the increased population, there has also been a large shift in the racial demographics of the city with the continued growth of the Hispanic population. The 2010 Census states that an estimated 48.5% of the Los Angeles County population is of Hispanic or Latino origin while the white population makes up only 27.8%.5 The city remains about evenly distributed in terms of sex 49.3% male and 50.7% female with an average age of 34 years old. However, 44.2% of people are under the age of 34 and 30% are between the ages of 5 and 25.6 In 2011, Los Angeles experienced its first growth in employment in the last 3 years, with a 1% increase; however, underemployment still affected nearly 25% of the county population. 7 In addition, the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation’s 2011-12 “Economic Forecast and Industry Outlook” predicts job growth this year and next, but expects that the jobless rate will stay around 12%.8 The sociocultural climate in L.A. is one of fashion, lifestyle, and above all entertainment. In 3 http://www.city-data.com/income/income-Los-Angeles-California.html 4 http://2010.census.gov/news/releases/operations/cb11-cn68.html 5 http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/0644000.html 6 http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=bkmk 7 http://www.frbsf.org/community/resources/2011/0621-Los-Angeles-CRA-Bankers- Roundtable/fdic_presentation.pdf 8 http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2011/02/16/report-la-unemployment-painfully-high-through- 2012/ 6|Page
becoming a resident of L.A. new comers are instantly immersed into a world of entertainment. Whether it is Hollywood, Fashion, or Sports; L.A. offers it all. This gives people a lot to choose from when they are considering what to do with their free time. First, Hollywood offers the movie entertainment business with everything from movie premiers to thousands of other events up and down Sunset strip. Secondly, next to New York, L.A is the largest fashion market in the United States and consistently brings in the best clothes, shopping, and fashion events on the West Coast. Finally, LA is home to a number of sport franchises that all compete for the attention of LA residents. Basketball and the NBA are not the only sports teams in town. In addition, the theme parks in the area also serve as a source of entertainment for almost every type of consumer in the region. To be successful, the Los Angeles Clippers must take into account these recent changes in both demographics as well as in the economic and sociocultural climates when considering their brand, strategy, and position within the marketplace. Consumer Analysis Even in the highly competitive environment of LA, the Clippers are still drawing substantial numbers of fans, which begs the question, who are the fans attending games? According to NBA data, white males are the primary NBA fans, with 86% of fans being white non-Hispanic and 63% being male.9 Hispanic NBA fans make up only 9.1% of the fan base which presents an opportunity for growth discussed in the Target Market section. The Clippers’ fan base has its own characteristics that draw fans. Ticket prices are a major factor in segmenting the Clippers’ fan base. With ticket prices notably lower than those of the Lakers, the Clippers are positioned for the NBA fan on a tight budget, who cannot afford the Laker price tag. Price is not an all encompassing determinant of the Clippers fan. There are a number of reasons people choose the Clippers, starting with being non-glommers. The non-glommers are a group of fans named by Keven Arnovitz of slate.com. The non- glommers are new comers to L.A. Whether they are children or have migrated from another part of the country or world, they do not have a long standing history in Los Angeles. Many Laker fans have a long history with the city and therefore are deeply connected to the longer established and more successful Lakers. The non-glommers are conscious of the persona associated with bandwagoning and want no part of the criticism that comes with supporting the established team upon arrival to the city. Therefore, they choose to support the Clippers instead of the Lakers. The non-glommers are also basketball fans first and cannot tolerate the drama swirling around the Lakers with criminal allegations and locker room squabbles and so choose the greater degree of sport purity found with the Clippers. Similar to the non-glommers is what Arnovitz calls the Hipster Factor. The Lakers are, by all accounts, the mainstream team. There exists a group of young, artsy basketball fans who view the Lakers as a representation of the evil mainstream and so support the Clippers like they do foreign films.10 These fans fly the Clippers’ colors, because other people do not and that is their 9 http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2010/06/Issue-185/The-Back-Of-The- Book/Fan-Demographics-Among-Major-North-American-Sports-Leagues.aspx 10 http://www.slate.com/articles/sports/sports_nut/2003/11/confessions_of_a_clippers_fan.html 7|Page
draw; to be a unique group supporting something that does not receive the same attention as its counterpart. Arnovitz’s description of Clippers fans was corroborated by Scott Fender of the Bleacher Report. Fender described being a Clippers fan as similar to being a member of a secret society. Fans are out there, but few of them are as loud and expressive as other fan bases. There is also an appreciation shared between fellow Clipper fans, an acknowledgement of a shared interest in an obscure team.11 Aside from choosing the Clippers based on cost or being unable to stomach the Lakers, Arnovitz mentions another reason fans support the Clippers. After all, the team is in Tinseltown, so Hollywood must have an impact on the team’s fan base. Fans love an underdog or Cinderella story team and for that reason, fans look to the Clippers. Supporting the team each year in the hopes that it will be the year the little brother rides to the NBA finals in a pumpkin carriage is a deciding factor for many fans to support the Clippers.12 The team has never shown much long term promise of success and it is painful to watch the team struggle over the years, but fans know it will be worth the pain when the team finally achieves success. Besides, losses at Wrigley Field do not echo around an empty stadium and Cubs fans have never seen a World Series ring in the teams 100+ years. Regardless, they continue to support the team in hopes of being a part of long overdue accolades. Considering each of these factors, the Clipper fan is of a low income bracket, probably young and from out of town, does not want to be seen as a bandwagoner, prefers to avoid the mainstream teams and is hoping the Clippers will write a Cinderella story. The implications of this fan type have benefited the Clippers over the years. The Clipper fan base does not expect the team to win and therefore attend games regardless of the performance on the court, resulting in the Staples Center being at least 85% full over the past five years. That is not to say that winning has not had a positive impact on the team. Plenty of fair-weather fans migrated to the Clippers’ fan base following recent success. Their presence is evident in the increases in ticket and merchandise sales that have occurred alongside the current upswing. Games are sold out in 2012 and when Blake Griffin brought his star power to L.A., his $205 home jerseys sold out on the Clippers website13 The Clippers have a solid fan base and it is swelling with the recent success. The key now is to determine what actions will result in long term success for the team. Target Market The Clippers already have a large fan base. However, it can and needs to be expanded. A tremendous opportunity exists with the size of LA’s Hispanic population for the Clippers to acquire new fans. The NBA began targeting Hispanic fans in 2009 with “enebea”, the Spanish pronunciation of NBA to expand the Hispanic portion of the NBA fan base, it is time the Clippers do the same. The Hispanic market is especially important for the Clippers, as the lesser of two teams in the city with the largest Hispanic population in the United States. Hispanic fans already fit neatly into much of the existing fan base. Hispanics are in the lower income brackets, with a median household income of $38,000 compared to $56,000 for white 11 http://bleacherreport.com/articles/68405-being-a-clippers-fan-what-does-it-mean 12 http://www.slate.com/articles/sports/sports_nut/2003/11/confessions_of_a_clippers_fan.html 13 http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/news/story?id=6120324 8|Page
Americans. Lower ticket prices make the Clippers the more affordable and more appealing
option for NBA attendance among Hispanic fans. The non-glommers group, comprised largely
of LA new comers also describes much of the Hispanic population, coming to the United States
within last couple generations. Their recent arrival means that they are less likely to have
existing ties to the Lakers and are available to join the ranks of the Clippers’ fan base. The
Clippers have struggled for a long time and are finally approaching success, which will resonate
with Hispanic fans who have immigrated to the United States in search of prosperity. Marketing
to the Hispanic fans based around price and the American Dream will be key strategies that
attract them to the Clippers.
The objective of this marketing plan will, predominantly, be to target males, between the ages of
5 and 25. Within the male 5 to 25 segment, the primary group of interest for building the
Clippers’ fan base is Hispanics. Growth potential, however, does exist in other areas, non-
glommers have a high growth potential; groups like young artists and non-conformists are also
areas of interest in the market. Therefore marketing will be designed to target young Hispanic
males first, but also planned to appeal to the non-glommers and Cinderella Story Hopefuls on
values they share with the Hispanic market.
In targeting this market, access will be a major factor to consider. Marketing efforts must be
consistent with lower-middle class wants, needs, and habits. Because the vast majority of LA
residents make less than $75,000 per year and only 30% have had some form of collegiate
education, the methods of communication will need to be strategic. It will be critical to focus
communication strategies on platforms the target market not only understands on linguistic and
technological levels, but also uses regularly, in large numbers. Therefore, promotional activity
will be focused on targeted television ads and high impression outdoor advertisements.
SWOT Analysis
SWOT
Strengths Weaknesses
The team is a underdog in a town that The owner is not respected by his peers
loves underdog stories or players league wide
Exciting young players Management team has a very poor track
The team is now winning record
Good promotional team The head coach is considered mediocre
High demand for tickets at best by NBA experts
Opportunities Threats
Lakers are struggling this season Other discretionary spending options in
Clippers play one the most exciting LA such as movie premiers, clubs,
styles of basketball in the NBA this fashion events, and live theater.
season The economic downturn has left people
Clippers tickets are cheaper than Laker with less discretionary income
tickets Other sports team in LA including the
Lakers, Kings, Angels, Dodgers
Marketing Objectives
9|PageSince the goal is to be the dominant basketball team in the LA market, meeting the following
objectives will position the Clippers as a real rival to the Lakers:
Increase consumer awareness in the Hispanic market by 20% by June 2013
Increase merchandise sales revenues by 5% by June 2013
Increase social media attention, measured by the quantity of postings on Facebook and
Twitter, by 20% over the next five years.
Strategies
Launch a new, targeted advertising campaign to attract new fans
Build homes and basketball courts in the community to create interest and buzz
Develop a new stadium atmosphere cater to the target fans and increase sales
Tactics
Advertising Campaign
To raise awareness and drive fan avidity, the Clippers will launch an advertising campaign to
reach out to new fans. The new campaign will have two different ad themes, “From the
Shadows” and “Little Brother has Grown Up.” The design and placement of these ads will be
focused upon reaching the target market.
From the Shadows
“From the Shadows” refers to the rise of the Clippers from obscurity into the NBA spotlight. The
ads will show a basketball with the Clippers’ logo rising dramatically through darkness to be
dunked in a hoop. As the arm and ball move towards the hoop in slow motion, the slogan will
appear, one word at a time in a misty version of the Clippers’ script. The ad can be used both in
video and print, either showing the movement or a snapshot of the video for print with the
slogan. Both the print and video versions of the ad will direct fans to the team website and social
media platforms to learn more about the team or make purchases.
Little Brother has Grown Up
“Little Brother has Grown Up” will deliver a similar message in both print and video
applications. The video version of the ads will begin with clips of the Clippers struggling in the
past with a narrator saying “it is not easy being the little brother.” The ad will then transition to
recent highlights of the Clippers’ success, at the end of the highlights, the narrator will say “but,
little brother has grown up” at which point, the Clippers logo along with the slogan and ticketing
information will appear on the screen.
Message and Impact
“From the Shadows” and “Little Brother has Grown Up,” seek to deliver similar messages to the
Los Angeles community. The message is that the Clippers have long been the second class team
in the market, but they are rising up from obscurity to prosperity and success. The ads will also
be designed to appear dramatic, to position the product as exciting and unpredictable. As
evidenced by the incredible support for the dramatic TV soap opera among the Hispanic
population, appealing to the exciting and awe inspiring aspects of the product will generate a
10 | P a g epositive response. The ads also play to an underdog story and as discussed in the consumer analysis there are a great number of people especially in Hollywood, who like the tale of the underdog. More important, is the impact on the target market. This campaign is meant to target the Hispanic population that has come to the LA in the last generation or two of their family in the hopes of building a life of prosperity in the United States. The rise from the shadows of the little brother NBA team will resonate with the target market, because as a minority group they have been overshadowed in their efforts to achieve prosperity. By targeting the shared struggle for success, the Clippers in pursuit of the NBA dream and LA new comers the American Dream, these ads will create a bond with the target market that will be translated into increases in fan support. Promotional Extension To increase the direct response to advertisements, they will have a promotional extension. At the end of each ad and on all print ads, will be a promotional code. The promotional code will provide its users with a 10% discount on either their next ticket or merchandise purchase. The promotion will be easy to track and will supply significant data to evaluate the impact of the advertising campaign. Placement Ad placement will be key to the success of the advertising campaign. Fortunately, highly concentrated targeting opportunities exist in LA. The ads will be run predominantly on Telemundo and Univision during the airing of soccer matches and prime time programming. Univision and Telemundo draw incredible audiences for their broadcasts. Univision alone attracted some 50 million viewers to watch the World Cup in 2006 and has audiences ranging from 750,000 to 3.3 million for regular season soccer matches.14 Prime time advertisements are another area to focus on for advertising with Telemundo averaging approximately 1.5 million viewers during week night prime time programming.15 Advertising during prime time and 14 http://www.latinomarketingpro.com/articles/soccer-scores-by-reaching-latinos.html 15 http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2011/12/07/telemundo-continues-november-momentum- marking-ratings-high-in-week-1-of-december/112980/ 11 | P a g e
soccer programming will aim at the heart of the target 5-25 age range, primarily capturing those 12 years and up. By placing advertisements on Telemundo and Univision, the Clippers will certainly gain exposure among the target market. The ads will also be used in print form, which will require a different platform from the video advertisements. The focus of print ad placement will be public transportation. Snapshots from the video ads along with the corresponding slogan and team logo will be placed on city buses. With close to 4 million people in Los Angeles and 11.2% of them using public transportation, moving billboards will be seen by thousands of people each day.16 To further expand the static versions of the advertisements, they will be placed on the Clippers’ website to reinforce the brand message. Broader Reach While this advertising campaign is targeted towards the Hispanic market, it is also anticipated to have a broader reach. The message of rising up to success is one with which many people can relate. The non-glommers and Hollywood Hopefuls are examples of the consumers outside of the target market that are also expected to respond positively to advertising campaign. Fair-weather fans are also expected to respond well to the new campaign as long as the team maintains its recent success. Fair-weather fans support when the team is doing well and by launching a campaign that promotes the recent success of the team, more fair-weather fans are likely to take notice and attend games. Community Outreach It is no secret that more fans usually leads to more ticket and merchandise sales, and one of the best ways to grow any fan base is to get the team involved with the city in which they play. Involvement in the LA community through building homes and basketball courts, visiting children in need, or just spending time playing basketball with fans will help grow the Clippers’ fan base in both size and avidity. The following are some of the tactics suggested towards the strategy of increasing community outreach to grow the Clippers’ fan base. Habitat for Humanity The NBA and many of its teams are already involved in the non-profit, Christian organization, Habitat for Humanity, which operates under the belief that every man, woman, and child should have a decent, safe, and affordable place to live. Since 1976, Habitat for Humanity has helped over 2 million people build 500,000 homes for people all around the world regardless of race or religion with the help of countless donations and volunteered labor hours. NBA players are frequent participants in the Habitat for Humanity operation not only because of the positive effect on their community, but because of the positive press it generates. By volunteering their time to build houses in the Los Angeles area for those in need, the Clippers organization as well as its players show compassion and maturity as well as a sense of belonging to the community for both players and fans. The players love it because they are having fun with 16 http://www.ersys.com/usa/06/0644000/ethnic.htm http://transportation-modes-city.findthedata.org/q/248/1033/How-many-people-use-public- transportation-to-commute-in-Los-Angeles-California 12 | P a g e
each other and helping people who really need it, and the fans love it because they are seeing their role models outside their element making their city a better place. This can potentially foster a personal connection with a team or players of the team for fans, and as a result grow their fan base as a whole. Spreading the Sport of Basketball One of the simplest ways to grow a fan base is by growing the sport itself. People who play a sport are more likely to become fans of professional sports. If the Clippers can be the team to introduce or spread the sport of basketball to members of the Los Angeles community, there is a good chance these people will find a connection with the team and join its fan base. The beauty of basketball is that only a ball and hoop are needed to play, unfortunately not everyone has access to these. Children need a place to play just as they need a place to live, and the Clippers can help them by building paved, outdoor basketball courts in popular but run down public areas in Los Angeles. Children then can learn and practice the sport of basketball and achieve that connection with it, which will lead to a greater appreciation and admiration for those who play it at the NBA level. Since the court was built by the Clippers with their money, it makes sense to put the Clippers’ logo on a few things such as the court, backboards, and benches, to establish the team as a name synonymous with the sport through the grassroots fans that are developed through playing on their courts. People who were already familiar with the sport will still see the Clippers’ contribution to their neighborhood and are more likely to view them positively and become fans as a result. Clippers sponsored basketball tournaments in which fans can play one another in the spotlight of their community and a few of the Clippers players is also an excellent way of growing a fan base through the spread of basketball as a sport. Involvement in donating funds to schools and clubs that need funding for physical education or recreational activities could also benefit both the city of Los Angeles and the Clippers organization for the same reasons. Results By being involved in the Hispanic community, interest and dialog will be generated. By creating an ongoing conversation about the Clippers’ involvement in the community, buzz will spread and the team will be able to measure much of that conversation by looking at the number of postings on Facebook and twitter. Both platforms provide analytical tools to view activity, which will be used to determine the success of marketing objectives. Location To have the greatest impact on the target market, these activities will be focused in locations most dense in Hispanic residents. The North and South-Eastern portions of LA are most densely populated with people of Hispanic ethnicity. The community outreach program will focus on these areas to most effectively make impressions on the target market. 13 | P a g e
Stadium Atmosphere Even though both the Clippers and the Lakers share the Staples Center it is a very different atmosphere depending on who is the hometown team. The Clippers present the game in a way that is very fan friendly with entertainment for those who are not basketball fans. The Lakers on the other hand present the game in a way that puts the focus on the game with the lights around the lower section off to draw attention to the court. With a retooled marketing plan to attract Hispanic fans and also community outreach in Hispanic neighborhoods will do a lot to create more Hispanic fans but it isn't enough. The Clippers also need to alter the stadium atmosphere to make it meet the Hispanic community’s needs when they do attend a game in order to keep them as fans. Merchandise and Programs Simple and small changes to the merchandise and programs sold at games would a go a long way towards showing the Hispanic community the Clippers value them as patrons. Selling bilingual programs would be a huge step in the right direction. For anyone who is attending a game for the first time or does not follow the team closely the program is crucial to understanding the game. That is why it is crucial to have programs written in Spanish for Hispanic fans. The NBA has made an effort the last few years to promote the game within the Hispanic demographic. One of the ways that they have done this is through Spanish jerseys. The Clippers jersey says Los Clippers on it but currently the Clippers do not sell these jerseys in their team store. In the team store the Clippers should create a Hispanic section with a variety of different items featuring the Los Clippers name including hats, sweatshirts, jerseys, and t-shirts. This way Hispanic fans can take pride in their heritage and also their favorite team. Heritage Nights Another great way to create a relationship between Hispanic fans, their culture, and the Clippers 14 | P a g e
is to hold heritage nights. The NBA does 11 Latin heritage nights during the season, but the Clippers do not host a single one. During a Latin heritage night the league describes the festivities as the home team hosting in arena Latin themed activities such as music, performances, and giveaways. A night like this would do a great job of creating Hispanic Clippers fans out of those who attend the event. Results By retooling the stadium atmosphere to cater better to the Hispanic fan, the Clippers can expect to see increases in merchandise revenue. Providing Hispanic fans with products that allow them to celebrate both their interest in the Clippers and their culture will drive merchandise sales and success in increasing revenue. Conclusion The Clippers are currently enjoying a great deal of success and with it a full stadium. However, the full stadium is a result of that success and is not sustainable without taking actions to build the fan base for the long term. The Clippers have a tremendous opportunity, the product on the court is exciting and well priced to compete with the various entertainment choices in LA. The economic conditions also benefit the relatively low ticket prices when competing with the Lakers. The goal of this plan is to capitalize on the underrepresented Hispanic market. By reaching out to them through advertising, community relations, and stadium atmosphere, the Clippers can create a stable long term fan base. With a solid fan base, the Clippers will be able to enjoy financial success for years to come. 15 | P a g e
SOURCES (1) http://espn.go.com/nba/attendance (2) http://www.slate.com/articles/sports/sports_nut/2003/11/confessions_of_a_clippers_fan.html (3) http://bleacherreport.com/articles/68405-being-a-clippers-fan-what-does-it-mean (3) (4) ticketmaster.com (5) http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/news/story?id=6120324 (6) http://www.forbes.com/sites/sportsmoney/2011/02/19/blake-griffins-finanical-impact-on- the-clippers-more-than-just-l-a-glitz/2/ http://www.ersys.com/usa/06/0644000/ethnic.htm (8) http://www.iamagm.com/news/2011/12/21/study.9.all.americans.are.avid.nba.fans.top.local.mark et.san.antonio http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704094304575029424136299794.html (9) http://www.nba.com/2009/news/10/18/nba.hispanic.ap/index.html (10) http://espn.go.com/mediakit/research/demographics.html (11) http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2010/06/Issue-185/The-Back-Of-The- Book/Fan-Demographics-Among-Major-North-American-Sports-Leagues.aspx (12) http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/0644000.html (13)http://www.city-data.com/income/income-Los-Angeles-California.html (14) http://www.adweek.com/upfronts-blog/telemundo-upfront-focuses-demographic-shift- 131732 (15) http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/univision-world-cup-soccer-telemundo-257715 (16) http://www.latinomarketingpro.com/articles/soccer-scores-by-reaching-latinos.html (17) http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2011/12/07/telemundo-continues-november-momentum- marking-ratings-high-in-week-1-of-december/112980/ (18)http://transportation-modes-city.findthedata.org/q/248/1033/How-many-people-use-public- transportation-to-commute-in-Los-Angeles-California (19) http://2010.census.gov/news/releases/operations/cb11-cn68.html (20) http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=bkmk (21) http://www.frbsf.org/community/resources/2011/0621-Los-Angeles-CRA-Bankers- Roundtable/fdic_presentation.pdf (22) http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2011/02/16/report-la-unemployment-painfully-high-through- 2012/ 16 | P a g e
You can also read
