Sample NCAA Championship Marketing Plan

Quick Facts

• 2005 NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Championship - December 2 & 4
• Marketing & Promotions Budget: $3,500
• Incorporate a "call to action" in all of the advertisements. Give the awareness message, but don't forget the main reason for the ad of selling more tickets.
• Timeframe to promote championship.
• Regular season - August through October
• Conference - mid-November
• Final push - late November

Goals

NCAA-Provided Promotional Materials

• Each NCAA championship preliminary and final site will receive a promotional package to help hosts create awareness of the championship in the local community. The basic package consists of:
• 1,000 11"x17" handbills
• 350 8.5"x11" flyers
• 1 4.5"x6" black and white camera ready print ad
• 2 52"x15' promotional banners
• 1 television ticket spot (BETA format)
• 1 radio ticket spot

NCAA Resources

• Championships Promotional Manual
• The NCAA Championships Promotional Manual is a Web-based document created to assist host institutions with promotions planning and has many good low-cost grassroots promotions and marketing ideas.
• Access at www.ncaa.org (Media & Events/NCAA Publications/Promotion & Program Materials/2005-06 NCAA Championship Promotional Manual)
• Official Championship Logo
• The NCAA national office will provide an official NCAA championship logo.
• All NCAA logos are available at http://www.ncaa.org/bbplogo/logo.cgi. Log on as a Member Institution and use the password "membership" to access the site. Follow the instructions on each screen and download any NCAA logo(s) that you require. Through use of this logo library, you will also receive a basic set of NCAA Identity Guidelines for reference in your designs.
• Optional Host Institution-Produced Materials
• Additional promotional items, subject to NCAA approval, may be created by the host institution/agency to help promote the championship. The NCAA must approve all artwork and copy before production begins.

Grassroots Efforts

• Men's and women's soccer coaches - have discussion to brainstorm ideas and find out how they can help promote.
• Cross promotions
• Logo, ticket and championship information displayed on video wall at football and men's and women's basketball home games.
• PA announcements at men's and women's soccer, field hockey, volleyball, men's and women's basketball home events.
• Distribute information at football StreetFest booth.
• Distribute information at marketing table at Olympic Sports home events.
• PA announcements at America East conference tournament and championship information included in tournament program.
• Place championship logo on athletics department's fax cover page.
• Generate awareness in the community
• Dave Patterson and the Orono Convention & Visitors Bureau will send information to all local businesses to promote the Championship on their marquees two weeks prior to the championship date.
• Soccer student-athletes to distribute NCAA championship handbills (posters) to local businesses in Orono and place around campus.
• Table tents for local businesses - produce in house.
• Work with local newspaper(s) to place information about the championship in the "Community Calendar", "What To Do", etc. section (free).
• Generate awareness on campus
• Post championship and ticket information at all ticket windows on campus.
• Regular season half-time promotions at four UM women's and two UM men's soccer home matches; 1 pair of tickets per half time.
• Target marketing
• Email blast to existing youth soccer database, local leagues and youth coaches.
• Direct mail to all high school and youth club soccer coaches in Maine and New Hampshire.
• Direct mail to all youth soccer players in a 3-hour radius.
• Convention & Visitors Bureau
• Provide information pages in the visitor's guides and Web site.
• Place editorial in corporate newsletters.
• Work through CVB's relationships with members to place table tent cards in hotel rooms, as well as posters and table tent cards in restaurants to promote the event.
• Distribute promotional pieces at monthly civic or community wide luncheons.
• Signage
• Hang one NCAA promotional banner outside entrance to Memorial Gym and second banner outside campus bookstore.

Mass Media

• Print
• Possible editorial article in Northern Soccer Scene Magazine.
• Generate human interest stories in local media outlets.
• Bangor Daily News; 6 4x6 ads to run November 24, 27 and December 1, 4, 7, 8.
• University of Maine Campus News ads; four 4x6 ads to run December 1, 4, 7, 8.
• Place championship information in women's soccer media guide and all regular season game day publications.
• Radio
• Mix FM $15 per spot; Purchase 100 spots; Run Time November 1-20
• WSJS - Live Reads (AM/Noon/PM - drive times) - November 8th through November 12th and November 15th through November 19th
• Television
• Cable TV $2 per commercial; Purchase 500 spots - CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, Weather Channel, ESPN, ESPN 2, Fox Sports; Run time November 1-20

Other

• Web site
• Links - U of Maine athletics, America East member schools and America East Conference
• E-mail blast to campus students, staff, faculty, alumni, youth groups and youth soccer camp lists
• Run NCAA television ticket spot on Web casts during regular season home games
• Outdoor
• Will begin one month before the start of the event; two billboard (6x12) on I-95.

Budget ($3,500)