It’s professional sports. Everyone’s got an opinion, from the hot dog vendor to the honchos in the front office. The Tribune asked three people who get paid for their sports acumen — a team owner, an educator/researcher and a sports marketing executive — to offer advice on how the Ricketts family should make the most of its $800 million investment.
Rocky Wirtz
Chairman, Chicago Blackhawks
What’s important to remember: “You’ve got to give the fans the best customer service you can. You’re really in the entertainment business, which happens to be a sport.”
The “to do” list: Go into the community, be accessible, state a goal and back that up with the team’s behavior. The team isn’t owned by a corporation anymore, and after so many months of uncertainty it’s time for fans to get a feel for the personalities and the perspectives of the Ricketts family. “Go out there and talk to people. The fans need to know the owner. The fans all feel they have a piece of that team because they’ve been so loyal to it.”
What to steer clear of: Don’t raise ticket prices across the board. Particularly in the current economic climate, a team needs to make it possible for an average family to attend a game. Instead, come up with a pricing structure that only raises some ticket prices. “You’ve got to be able to raise prices and not give anyone shock therapy.”
Paul Swangard,
Managing director, University of Oregon’s Warsaw Sports Marketing Center
What’s important to remember: “Ownership can set the tone for the operation. Fans do care that the owners are, in essence, committed to the same thing that they are. If you went out into the bleachers on a sunny afternoon, it’s all about ‘Do we have more runs in those nine columns at the end of the game?'”
The “to do” list: Take a page from the owners of the Boston Red Sox, another fabled team, and extend the company’s reach into concert and event marketing and consulting. “The crown jewel is the baseball franchise, but there will be other ways to monetize the operation that won’t require tripling the ticket price. There’s a strong belief that the business model can be replicated in Chicago. Fans are expecting that they won’t be the ones that ultimately are paying off the price.”
What to steer clear of: “Don’t make quick wholesale changes. Learn the business and the customer base and use the rest of the year to get the right plan in place for 2010.”
David Abrutyn
Head of IMG Global Consulting
What’s important to remember: Any changes should be undertaken with a “fan first” mentality. “It’s a community trust. They have to be mindful of what it is to be a Cub and what it is to be a Cubs fan in Chicago and what it is to be in the Cubbie nation.”
The “to do” list: Borrow some of the best ideas undertaken by the Yankees, Red Sox and Dodgers organizations, but understand the DNA of the Cubs brand first and adapt them for the local market. “You’re not going to be able to fool a Cubs fan. There’s too much history there.”
What to steer clear of: Don’t raise ticket prices unless it’s directly tied to something that shows the team’s commitment to winning, like signing a star player. Don’t come up with a catchy marketing campaign unless you’ve got the goods to back it up. “The educated Cubs fan knows their commitment to winning and the decisions on the field are more important than a slogan.”
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mepodmolik@tribune.com
