SPMA 3P95

Feb 7th
Section 1
Week 6: Sport Promotions
Readings:

 https://www.mlb.com/news/each-team-s-best-promotional-giveaway-in-2020
 https://nerdsthatgeek.com/sports/the-best-major-league-baseball-giveaways-of-2022
 Duff. “Mr. Giveaway!”
 Bartkowiak, Kiuchi. “Bobbleheads & the bottom…” (pg.26-41)
 Miller, Shaad, Burch, Turner. “Promotions” (pg. 92-107)
Duff (1989) Mr. Giveaway
Rules for MLB team stadium giveaways (SGA’s)
- Don’t bother with mid-week games when school are in session – families can’t come to
the park.
- Lots of early season promotions make attendance a habit.
- Giveaway only quality items or risk perception of junk.
- SGA’s that are worn are walking billboards for the team.
- Hokey promos (funny nose and glasses night) will only work in unsophisticated markets
(Seattle vs Detroit).
- Do these rules hold up today?
Bartkowiak and Kiuchi (2012)
Why have giveaway promotions anyway?
- The game might be a dud. A cool giveaway is a guarantee.
- If a fan makes an emotional connection to a team because of a cool giveaway, that
strengthens fan identification.
- Tickets can be pricey. A promotion is “value-added” that helps fans accept the price of
admission.
- A sponsored giveaway literally has a shelf life – companies pay big $ to have their logo
displayed in customers’ homes.
- The release of a team’s promo. Schedule is an off-season conversation starter for fans
and media. Free publicity.
- Helps sell ticket mini-plans if SGA games are packaged together.
Prof. Hyatt adds another reason…
 - Giveaways often are limited to first X# of fans. People line up early, enter early, and get
hungry/thirsty earlier than otherwise. Big bump to per caps.
SGA logistics from a fan perspective
- Limited numbers mean lining-up hours early… (hot sun? no restrooms? Exhausted by
the game start?)
- A cherished item needs to be protected all game long… (Nacho cheese/spilled beer? Put
it down, it gets stolen?)
- Collectors in parking lots offer you cash for it? (Or you, an adult collector, paying kids for
kids – only SGA’s).
- What if you are fan #20,001 and only the first 20,000 get it? Ruin your day?
Where did this all start?
- Bill Veeck (MLB owner mi-20th c.)
- 1948 Joe Earley Night to celebrate avg Joes.
- Joe got livestock, a new car, appliances, furniture, etc.
- 100 other random fans were selected to win prizes from live rabbits to stepladders.
- Another game, one fan won 10000 cupcakes and another game… 1000 beers
But Veeck did non-giveaway attractions too
- Grandstand managers day
- A shower in the bleachers so fans could cool off.
- Exploding scoreboard after HR
o Emphasizes importance.
o Was worried that the side game was more important than the game itself.

3 key stakeholders  Team, Fan, Sponsor

Props:
Brewers cap  Basic but fits with all
Calgary Canons  Little more color but still fits with anything
Kernals  Nice logo, good colors
Buffalo Bisons 