We’re excited to announce and happy to begin a year-long partnership with the Bowl Season as a corporate sponsor. Our partnership kicked off during the association’s annual meeting, which took place in Orlando, Fla., April 12-14.
Over 400 industry professionals convened to share best practices in areas ranging from ticketing and sponsorships to sustainability and fan experience. We were honored to be part of the panel “Maximizing The Gameday Experience” with colleagues from Tailgreeter, Digital Seat and Tappit.
The discussion centered around a few areas, including utilizing new technology to engage and generate new revenue streams. Bowl Games or any other sporting event, need to look at these opportunities as investments that when done properly will both improve the experience and pay for themselves with new sources of revenue.
Presently, we work with three bowl associations (and four bowl games) across the country. It was great to finally meet some of our fantastic partners in person. After two solid days of idea sharing and enjoying time together, our team concluded that beyond economic impact, there are three key areas where Bowl games make an impact in communities where they reside.
Local Community
A consistent conversation at the conference and on the panel revolved around how to compete for the entertainment dollar in each bowl’s city. Bowl games need to sell tickets before they even know which teams are playing so the experience can’t just be focused on football. Each game must create a reputation for hosting an entertaining event no matter what happens on the field. It’s important to build a community with the city residents throughout the year. Each bowl game is like that city’s Super Bowl and needs to be promoted and produced as such. Making the community proud of the event (i.e. Extra Yard for Teachers) and the good it does in the community all year will lead to consistent success.
Competing Entertainment Dollars
Now, more than ever, fans have a plethora of entertainment options to choose from and innumerable ways to spend their discretionary income. Bowl administrators recognize this and know the experience needs to focus on more than just the game itself.
New Technology and Revenue Streams
In working with our partners, we often ask, “If current resources were not a constraint, what would you most want to improve about your gameday experience? ” Once the objectives are clearly defined, it’s about identifying the right tools to be successful. When we work with our partners, we evaluate their existing resources and often help them identify ways to use them more effectively and efficiently. All of this to improve the fan experience and create new revenue.
We are proud to be part of the Bowl Season community and look forward to a productive and successful year ahead!