Return of the Seattle SuperSonics
Pat Clark
Alex Dubov
Michael Ferrari
Rachael McConnell
SBUS 450
March 6, 2012
Microsoft
Table of Contents
Executive Summary……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….p.2
Background……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………p.3
Product Description…………………………………………………………………………………………………...p.3
Competitive Analysis………………………………………………………………………………………………….p.3
External Environmental Analysis………………………………………………………………………………..p.5
Customer Analysis……………………………………………………………………………………………………..p.6
Target Market Identification………………………………………………………………………………………p.7
SWOT Analysis……………………………………………………………………………………………………………p.8
Marketing Objectives……………………………………………………………………………………………………….……p.9
Objective #1……………………………………………………………………………………………………….……..p.9
Objective #2………………………………………………………………………………………………………………p.10
Objective #3………………………………………………………………………………………………………………p.11
Marketing Budget………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………..…p.14
Roll Out Plan for Tactics/Programs………………………………………………………….…………………p.14
Break-Even Analysis………………………………………………………………………………………………..…p.15
Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………………………………..……………..……p.16
Appendix………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………p.17
1
Executive Summary
The purpose of this marketing plan is to promote the new Seattle SuperSonics NBA
basketball team to people in the Seattle, Washington area. This new SuperSonics team will be
the product of the relocated Sacramento Kings franchise. Seattle has not had an NBA team
since 2008 but they still have a strong fan base that has been pushing for a team. Our objectives
include selling 11,000 season tickets for the start of the season by October 1st, 2013, having
500,000 “likes” on the official team Facebook page by April 20, 2014, and selling out 17 games
in the 2013-2014 season.
The Seattle SuperSonics will provide many benefits for customers. It provides fun,
entertainment, excitement, rivalries, competitiveness and a social outing for families, friends,
businesses, and organizations. The target market for this product is predominantly males,
including the dormant avid fan base left behind from the 2008 Sonics, and younger males. This
product will also be popular with families who have children that play sports.
We have a variety of promotional techniques planned to promote the new Seattle
SuperSonics. To sell season tickets, our main promotion will be an advertising campaign entitled
“I’ll Be There.” There will also be a season ticket fan picture campaign and prior season ticket
holders will have the first opportunity to purchase season tickets. To gain awareness on social
media, we will be active on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Facebook will be used to post
article links, pictures and team highlights. Twitter will host a fan photo contest and will be a
great platform to ask followers questions and have small contests and giveaways. On YouTube
we will have an Ultimate Sonics fan contest. All of these social media platforms will be used to
promote specific events and followers will benefit from special access and knowledge. In order
to reach our objective of 17 sell-out games, there will be promotional nights at select home
games, as well as an inner city youth basketball tournament.
There are many reasons why this plan should be implemented. The budget is an
affordable $13.5 million, with a large portion of that going towards the commercial campaigns
and billboards, as well as many promotional nights. The external competitive analysis also
supports the plan. There has been population growth in Seattle in the recent years and income
per capita has increased. Public transportation is plentiful and is located conveniently near
Microsoft Arena. Fans were devastated when their team left in 2008 and will be extremely
excited for a new team to return to their city. The many planned marketing promotions will
create a strong awareness of the new team and will promote the benefits and reasons to
become a fan.
2
Background
Product Description
The Seattle SuperSonics is an NBA basketball team located in Seattle, Washington. In
2008, the Sonics relocated to Oklahoma City, leaving many fans angry and without a team to
support anymore. Since the Sonics left, Seattle fans have been pushing for the return of a
basketball team to their city. The relocation of the Kings to Seattle will satisfy this need for an
NBA team in Seattle. This really is a combination of a new product, and an old product returning
to the city. Seattle had an NBA team for many years before 2008 so having an NBA team in the
area in not new. However, the team has relocated from a new area, so it is not necessarily the
players and coaches that the fans are used to rooting for. The name, colors and logo will stay
the same as the old, 2008 Seattle Sonics.
The Seattle Sonics will offer many benefits to fans and people in the Seattle area. It will
offer fun, entertainment, excitement, rivalries and competitiveness. Seattle Sonics games will
be a great social outing for friends and families and will provide a sense of connection for the
community and fans.
The regular season begins in the last week of October and ends in the middle of April.
Each season has 82 games, 41 home games and 41 away games. Ticket prices will range from
$30-$350 depending on the game and the level of seat. Season ticket prices will range from
$5,200 for the best lower level seats to $950 for season tickets located in the upper level
seating. The Sonics will play at their new Microsoft Arena, which seats 20,000 people. The
arena is a brand new facility, located in Seattle’s SoDo neighborhood, which is part of the
industrial district.
Although Seattle was without a team for a few years, the city has a large population and
a large fan base remains. The loss of the Sonics has stayed in the minds of fans throughout
these years, but bringing an existing team to be the Sonics may cause some problem for the
fans. The Sonics are a team with a lot of history and fans may be unhappy having a new team
come to their city that already has history from another city.
Competitive Analysis
These 3.5 million residents find entertainment options in concerts, museums, tourist
attractions, outdoor endeavors, theaters, and professional sports. With any major market in
professional sports there are likely to be competitors. Seattle is home to the Seahawks (NFL),
Mariners (MLB), Sounders (MLS), and Storm (WNBA). However, Seattle is the only top 20
designated media area (DMA) without an NBA team. The Seahawks’ season overlaps with the
NBA season, creating a competition for the ever-diminishing discretionary dollar. Even though
the Mariners, Sounders, and Storm play during the NBA offseason, they must be considered
competitors for season ticket dollars due to the fact that most fans make the choice to buy
season tickets to one team over another, as opposed to both.
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The Seattle Seahawks entered the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team. In the 37 years
since their inception, the Seahawks have made 11 playoff appearances and one Super Bowl
appearance, losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XL. The Seahawks host eight home
games per season at CenturyLink Field in south downtown Seattle. Seahawks fans are known as
the “12th Man” for their passionate support of their team. Thanks to that passionate fan base,
the team has sold out every home game since the second week of the 2003 season. Prices for
season tickets range from $55-376 per ticket per game. The second half of the Seahawks’
season overlaps the start of the NBA season, which means approximately four Sundays could
potentially see NFL and NBA games in Seattle.
The Seattle Mariners joined the American League of Major League Baseball in 1977. Since
then, they have won their division three times, but have failed to make a World Series
appearance. The Mariners play their home games at Safeco Field, located across the street
from CenturyLink Field. Season tickets for Mariners games range from $1,025 ($12/game) to
$3,240 ($40/game) for an 81-game home schedule. The Mariners play their games from April
until October, competing with the NBA during the end of the NBA season and the beginning of
the next season.
The Seattle Sounders joined the MLS ranks in 2009. They have made the playoffs each of
their three seasons, but have not won the MLS cup. Playing their home matches at CenturyLink
Field (shared with the Seahawks), the Sounders have set MLS league records for average
attendance and led the league in season ticket sales. Season tickets for the Sounders range
from $487 ($25/match) to $1,642 ($89/match). Similar to the Mariners, the Sounders compete
with the NBA at the end of the NBA season and the beginning of the next season.
The Seattle Storm of the WNBA, are the other professional basketball team in Seattle.
The Storm began operations in 2000, making playoff appearances eight of their eleven seasons,
and winning two championships in the process. Those are the only two professional sports
championships the city of Seattle has won besides the 1979 Sonics championship. The Storm
plays their games in Key Arena, but also will benefit from the construction of the new Sonics
facility. Season ticket prices range from $180 ($10/game) to $2,790 ($155/game).
Basketball enjoys a significant competitive advantage in Seattle because of the weather. In
Seattle, it is cloudy over 200 days per year, and it rains over 150 days per year. Many sports
fans are, especially casual fans, are less likely to attend outdoor events in poor weather
conditions. This is avoided in basketball by playing indoors, especially during a winter season.
Despite all of the professional sports options in Seattle, some sports fans are not
interested. They are called “displaced fans,” and they often times come from other regions
where they have strong allegiances to other professional franchises. They will usually only
attend Seattle sporting events when their favorite team is visiting. It would not be cost efficient
to try to convert them to Sonics fans because they have strong feelings toward their original
home team.
Additionally, there are all of the aforementioned entertainment alternatives in the
greater Seattle area, many of which are less expensive than professional sporting events.
Professional basketball stacks up favorably when it comes to attendance numbers over the
course of an entire season. For starters, ticket packages are available that allow fans to pick
multiple games to attend without having to commit to a full season ticket package. Basketball
also is played indoors, eliminating concerns surrounding weather. According to SBRnet, the NBA
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has the highest percentage of fans attending 6+ events per season at 24.9%. Compare that to
20.2% (MLB), 9% (NFL), and 6.7% (MLS). This is because the NBA offers more potential home
games than the NFL and MLS. The market for season ticket holders exists strongly in the NBA,
particularly in Seattle. Based on the Sonics’ long-standing tradition in Seattle, and the desire for
professional basketball in the city, it’s clear that the Sonics compare favorably to the other
entertainment and sporting options in Seattle.
External Environmental Analysis
The external environment has several factors that influence the community and how it
is shaped in the city of Seattle. The greater Seattle metropolitan area is home to nearly 3.5
million people. There has been a 8% increase in the population from 2000 to 2010. The largest
male population is in the 25-29 year old range and is 5.6% of the total population. The majority
of the population is Caucasian at 69% with Asian in second at a total of 14%. These are
important numbers as they can allow you to tailor certain approaches to each customer. There
are several household types and the majority includes family households at 42% of the
population. Husband and wife households have close to 32% of the population. This can help
decide marketing and promotional factors by knowing who the customers are.
The stadium is located just south of Safeco Field and CenturyLink Field, where there is
ample space to support the fan base. There is a light-rail train and regular Amtrak train that has
a station just east of the stadium. There are also several bus lines that have routes to the
station just south of the stadium. There will also be a large parking structure available to the
arena that is just north and is used for Seahawks and Mariners games. The large supply of
public transportation and the great location of the stadium will make the sportscape a luxury
for the fan.
The estimated income per capita in 2009 was $40,703. It is down from 2000 where it
was $45,000. This is due to the economic recession that took place in the year 2008. Due to the
economic climate, fans have less income to spend on games and apparel. This is useful
information to determine how to gauge and entice fans to our events. The unemployment rate
as of December is 7.8%. This is still above the optimal number, which shows the continuing
struggles of the economy. The state of the economy usually determines the extent to which
fans are involved with their team such as the Sonics. But sometimes the home team serves as
an escape, or a rallying destination. Everyone that goes to Sonics games will have something in
common. They are big time fans and can leave the economic worries behind to enjoy the
hometown team.
Still, Seattle has a passionate basketball fan base that was left behind when the
SuperSonics moved to Oklahoma City and became the Thunder. While some of these fans
turned to alternative forms of entertainment, including other professional sports teams, many
of them dedicated their newfound free time to expressing their desire to return a professional
basketball team to Seattle. Films like SonicsGate and organizations like “Save Our Sonics”
illustrate the strong desire to return an NBA team to Seattle.
5
Customer Analysis
Our customers are unique with regards to the fact that they previously enjoyed the
benefits of an NBA team in Seattle and now have the opportunity to support a new team that
once again grants them representation. These are customers that seek sport appreciation and
social facilitation through a basketball identity. The newly built Microsoft Arena will depict a
lively atmosphere to encourage people to come out in a friendly environment complete with
contests, food, drinks, and of course basketball. Customers will find the chance to go watch
their team in their evoked set of opportunities and come out to see the results of all of the
hype. We plan to have customers from all social classes, from those purchasing corporate box
seats to those who can barely afford bleacher seats. People attending the games may at first be
casual fans due to the new presence of the team, but we also anticipate die-hard avid
supporters to return to relevance in Seattle. Casual fans desire an experience and to resonate
within the aura and spirit of the team. They most likely attend with their friends or family and
are emotionally reserved, but can still enjoy solid entertainment.
Customer clientele involve families with children, avid fans, younger athletes, and casual
viewers that desire an entertainment outlet. Families would receive a safe, friendly
environment for their children to watch a show. They want excitement, safety, and universal
fun for every member of the family. It is a much more intense venue than the typical movie
theatre or playground. If the team is losing, families fall back on the high paced thrills and
entertainment including music, contests, and performers. Should the team win, it only adds
more anticipation for the next game. The new franchise would reinvigorate the passion for the
team the city lost years ago and allow the greater area of 3.5 million people another solid
mainstream sport. Through grass roots marketing the new team will create a movement of
younger fans who will grow up cheering for Seattle’s NBA team. Player shoot-arounds,
interviews, collector cards, and endorsements would connect with younger fans aged 7-17 that
participate in the sport. In 2010 alone, 20.6% of all boys 7-11 participated actively in basketball,
whether it was in school leagues or at recreation centers. Kids aged 12-17 participated even
more at 23.9%.These fans seek contact with the athletes and want to connect the athletes as
much as they can. Younger boys for instance want apparel such as shoes and jerseys endorsed
or signed by the athletes. The players are their role models, and younger generations look to
the franchise for their representation in the NBA in addition to being like the athletes.
The biggest reason why members of the Seattle populous would purchase tickets to
their new NBA team would be to play an active role in the NBA fan base. Our clientele would
purchase tickets and become supporters because they have longed for the chance to bask in
the reflected glory that their team once gave them. Currently the Northwest’s only basketball
team is the Portland Blazers and the bitter Supersonic fan base would rise to compete once
again in that I-5 rivalry. The fact that Seattle SuperSonic blogs still exist to this day analyzing the
moves of David Stern suggest that the avid fan base is still intact, only dormant. Fans would buy
tickets, blog, purchase merchandise, and come out to experience the beautiful aesthetics in
Microsoft Arena and to support their new team. Avid fans compete amongst one another via
owning the most gear and having the most knowledge about the team and its players. They
would come to every game possible expecting wins, but would stand by their team regardless.
As depicted in the previously mentioned film Sonicsgate and the organization “Save Our
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Sonics”, fans will embrace this new franchise do to the fear of losing their team as they once did
in the past. The chance to once again associate their identity with their cities basketball team is
a key motivational factor in sustaining the newly acquired franchise.
Target Market Identification
Our target marketing is specifically geared towards the dormant avid fan base that still
bear the wounds from when their previous franchise left to Oklahoma. We believe that
reigniting that fire amongst the bloggers and basketball die-hards would be extremely
advantageous to gain an instant avid fan base. These fans will buy merchandise, recruit others,
and light up social media about the presence of their new team. Marketing the I-5 Rivalry and
possibly a new rivalry with Oklahoma would quickly galvanize support for the team
representing Seattle. Representation in festivities like the Dunk Competition and All-Star
Weekend would greatly satisfy that avid fans that once again will find meaning all things NBA.
These fans are typically white males aged 18-40 that may have switched their support to other
teams such as the Seahawks or the Mariners. We are confident that a relocated franchise
arriving in Seattle would entice these fans to resume their fanhood.
Males aged fourteen to twenty five that are outside of the dormant die-hard fan base
would also be specifically targeted due to the fact that college and high school already promote
unity through sports victory. This segment is very familiar with sports association and the
chance to bask in reflected glory, using terms like “we” won, instead of “they” won. This
segment has also most likely competed in some level of athletics and can appreciate the
immense ability the Supersonic’s athletes’ display at Microsoft Arena. Our marketing would
seek to have them become active attendees and familiarize them with the new program in their
city. Members of this fan base may have friends and family in the die-hard segment, and we
have surmised that the combination of old team spirit with the fresh market will be a success.
Our grass roots initiative would target younger children as well. Giving kids a chance to
meet the players and shoot around with them would go a long ways in terms of establishing a
strong base for future generations. The fact that Seattle basketball has programs already
established for elementary schools and intercity youth helps promote younger athletes
associate with the professionals that represent their city. Males are the primary target since
they are generally much more engaged by sports. Males aged 7-11 was 14.1% in 2010, with
ages 12-17 enjoying 17.1% of participation. Our roll out plan signifies when players will make
routine appearances at tournaments and parks to motivate children to participate in the sport
even more. In our eyes, these high percentages of participants are an investment for an avid
fan base of the future.
7
SWOT Analysis
Strengths




Opportunities

Rich tradition and basketball history in
Seattle
Dormant avid fan base
Seattle has a large population
Famous past players & commentators
for support



Weaknesses



Gain new prospective NBA fans in the
region
Sponsorships and branding partners
Renew rivalries with Blazers &
Thunder through strong story lines
Reinvigorate the old avid fan base
Threats


Team has been gone for 5 years
Fans may not see this team as their
Sonics
Because this is a relocated team, the
team will probably not be very good


8
Down Economy
Competition from other Sports
Franchises in the area
Buyer’s remorse, not delivering a
strong product
Losing season
Sales/Marketing Objectives



Have 11,000 season tickets sold for the start of the season by October 1st, 2013.
Have 500,000 “Likes” on Facebook by April 20, 2014.
Sell-out 17 games in the 2013-2014 season.
Objective #1: Have 11,000 season tickets sold for the start of the season by
October 1st 2013.
As stated, our goal is to secure 11,000 season ticket holders by October 1st, 2013. Our
main strategy in doing so is to make the season ticket holders feel like they are an instrumental
part in bringing the Sonics back to Seattle. Associating them with the return of the team makes
them feel like they are part of the team, which is the strongest bond a fan can have with a
franchise. We are implanting several tactics that will build a strong bond between season ticket
holders and the franchise.
To generate awareness about the return of the team we will be implementing a print
and commercial campaign called “We’re Back!” The campaign will feature current players of
the new Sonics telling fans that the team is back and that they’re ready to represent Seattle.
This will ensure that fans of the former Sonics are aware that the team is returning and will
prepare them to purchase tickets.
Initially, fans that were season ticket holders during the Sonics final season in Seattle in
2008 will have the first opportunity to purchase season tickets. We want to reward those fans
for being loyal to the team during tough times and in the face of abandonment. We will be loyal
to them because they were loyal to the team. These fans will have the opportunity to come
down to the new arena between June 1st-3rd for a season ticket purchase event. Fans will be
invited in order based on how many years they held season tickets. At the event they will
become familiar with the arena and team, enjoy arena catering, and be able to purchase
merchandise from the team store. Once the deadline has passed for them purchase season
tickets we will open up the sale of tickets to all fans. New season ticket holders will also
experience the same event; they just will have to wait until the deadline has passed for original
season ticket holders. Their window will be from July 1st-3rd. Fans that become season ticket
holders in our inaugural season will receive extra benefits and incentives. There will be a wall in
the concourse of the new arena that lists the names of all season ticket holders from the
inaugural season. This will be a permanent fixture of the arena. Additionally, fans that purchase
their season tickets before September 1st, 2013, will be invited to come to the team store and
take their picture on a Sonics themed backdrop. All the pictures will be voted on and the top
vote earners will be transformed into billboards around the city of Seattle.
We are going to implement an advertising campaign that features Seattle greats like Gary
Payton, Shawn Kemp, and George Karl. They will be asked to go to local events to promote the
team, especially among avid Sonics fans. Establishing a personal connection between fans and
the franchise will create an emotional attachment for the fans and make them want to buy
9
season tickets. These Sonics legends will also be featured in a commercial and print campaign
that we are calling “I’ll Be There.” The campaign will include Sonics players and coaches, Seattle
politicians, business people, and community members that have an impact in the Seattle area.
They will all be talking about their fan connection to the team and their favorite Sonics
memories. The last line for each of them will be them saying “I’ll be there,” and will show the
date and opponent for the next game, as well as a phone number fans can call for tickets.
One market we are going to target for season tickets are local Seattle area bars. Bars will
be encouraged to purchase season tickets and either give the tickets to employees as a reward
or give them away to customers in contests. Bars that purchase season tickets will be listed as
“Official Viewing Locations” for Sonics road games. Additionally, each bar that purchases at
least 4 season tickets will be entered into a bar only 5-on-5 basketball tournament. The
tournament will be hosted at the arena on Saturday, January 25th.
Objective #2: Have 500,000 “likes” on Facebook by April 20, 2014.
This objective is to establish a presence on social media by having 500,000 “likes” on
Facebook by the end of the 2013/2014 season. Our aim is to make people more aware of the
Sonics return to Seattle and to get people excited about it. One way we will do this is through
social media, mainly Facebook and Twitter. Social media will be a major way that we talk to
fans, gain new fans and make people excited about the return of the Sonics. Our main social
media presence will be on Twitter and Facebook, with some presence on YouTube as well. The
majority of the tactics used on social media sites will be very inexpensive but will have a wide
reach in audience.
On any promotional materials that we use to promote the Sonics, we will be sure to
mention Twitter and Facebook. This includes billboards, flyers, commercials and other
advertisements. It could be as simple as just listing our Twitter name or Facebook URL to direct
traffic to these sites. These mentions of our social media sites will have a large reach and will
drive a lot of traffic to our social media sites. By doing this, we hope to have a 10% increase in
traffic to the Sonics Twitter and Facebook pages, and a slightly smaller increase to the YouTube
page.
Twitter will be the best way to communicate and keep fans updated on what’s going on with
the Sonics. We will post pictures from practices, behind-the-scenes and community
appearances to keep fans updated and interested in what the Sonics are up to. To make things
more interactive, we will ask followers questions, have fan photo contests and promote
exclusive contest and sweepstakes. For the fan photo contest, fans can win a jersey
autographed by their favorite player by posting a picture of them at a game, wearing Sonics
gear or doing something Sonics related. The winning picture will also be featured as a billboard.
We expect to have a minimum of 750 people participate in our fan photo contest. Once regular
season games begin, we will use Twitter promotions such as featuring live tweets from fans on
the scoreboard, linking to our site to buy tickets and promoting ticket sale specials, posting
post-game quotes and links to post-game interviews with players. Each time we post links to
buy tickets, we want to have at least 200 people click on the link.
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Our players and coaches will have a very important presence on Twitter. We will have
players encourage fans to come out and support the team, post pictures of themselves and
their teammates at community appearances and tweet post-game. Every once in a while, we
will have players do giveaways of items such as a jersey or ball that they have autographed.
In terms of Facebook, we will post links to articles, pictures and highlights about the
team and/or games. Every once in a while we will also post links to Sonics fans blogs when they
have written articles relating to the team. We hope to get at least 500 likes for each picture and
article link that we post to the Facebook page by five days after the date of posting.
YouTube will be used to post highlight videos from the games, clips of exciting plays, as
well as, behind the scenes footage of players and interviews with players and coaches. For
interviews with key players on the team, we hope to have at least 3,000 views by two weeks
after it is posted. We will host a video contest where fans will have to submit a video showing
why they are the ultimate Sonics fan. The winner will get two courtside seats to their pick of a
Sonics game and two locker room passes to visit with the players after the game. We hope to
have at least 250 participants in the YouTube Sonics ultimate fan video contest. Beginning right
after the season begins, a new video will be posted once a week featuring a player from the
team, talking about what’s new with the team, how he feels about upcoming games and other
relevant information for Sonics fans.
Twitter and Facebook will be used to promote specific events that will happen with the
Sonics. These social media sites will be a great place for fans to find out about promotional
game nights and community events. Fans will find out about our Sonics FanFest, featuring
introductions of the players, a scrimmage game, Q&A with the players after the game,
cheerleader performance and free entrance with two items of canned food benefiting the Food
Bank of Seattle. We will promote our Boy Scouts night, Toys for Tots Christmas Day Promotion,
Military Appreciation Night, Singles Night, Heritage Night, and all other promotional nights. Our
inner city basketball tournament will be heavily mentioned on our social media outlets. Certain
bars will be official viewing locations for games and these bars will be mentioned on social
media. Benefits of following the Sonics on Facebook and Twitter includes that these fans will
often find out about events, contests and ticket discounts before non-followers.
Followers of our social media sites will also have special access to some events. We will
have live chats with coaches and players of the Sonics that only followers can attend. There will
also be contests that will only be mentioned on social media, so followers will have an
advantage.
Objective #3: Sell-out 17 games in the 2013-2014 season.
This objective is to have 17 sell-outs in the 41 home game season in the Sonics home
arena. This will help create a great atmosphere that fans will want to be a part of, by
experiencing the loud environment. By showing games on television, and illustrating the
interactive and exciting fan environment, we will attract more fans. We will contract with a
television station to broadcast all the Sonics home games to the state of Washington. This will
create the awareness and build up the buzz of the Sonics to their fan base.
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The Sonics will host promotional nights for select home games to increase the
attendance. There will be certain games that have Boy Scouts night, which tailor to all local boy
scouts. This will include a buy one get one free night for all Boy Scout members. There will be a
Boy Scout half court challenge that will have select scouts take the court. They will be eligible
by submitting their troop numbers to the Sonics website prior to the game. They will be picked
at random by Sonics executives.
There will be a heritage night, to promote the awareness of the strong Asian community
in Seattle. This will sponsor ethnic Asian food that will be available at the game. For this game,
fans who buy at least 3 tickets will get one ticket free, and will also get 4 food coupons. There
will be a traditional dance at halftime. There will also be promotional coupons to local Asian
restaurants.
There will also be a military appreciation night. This will allow all current men and
women serving in the military and veterans to gain access for free to the game. There will be
an entire section that will be devoted to the military. The team will honor and show support to
all the people who protect us here at home. The first 5,000 fans who attend this game will
receive a commemorative Sonics poster, featuring the team and service members.
The singles night is a very popular event and will happen at one home game. There will
be a speed-dating event 1 hour prior to the tip off. There will be a 100 person limit. All singles
will have an opportunity in this speed dating in two of the luxury suites. This will help all singles
in the community meet one another and come closer together as a city. There will be a
promotional code distributed through the radio 1 week prior to this game. The advertisements
will be between 3 and 5pm for the Singles promotional code. The code will allow for 25% off
tickets.
The Sonics will also have a promotional night for the I-5 rivalry against the Portland
Trailblazers. There will be commemorative Sonics T-shirts distributed to all fans who attend the
game. It will be a yellow out, which means all fans will be asked to wear the yellow shirts on
their seat backs. There will also be a special night for the Oklahoma City game. Most Seattle
fans are against the Thunder because they basically took the Sonics away from Seattle. The
first 2,000 fans will receive snap-back Sonics hats.
There will be a family night where kids under 10 get into the game for free. These
tickets will be allocated to sections in the upper 300 level seating areas. There will be a max of
2,000 tickets available for this promotional event.
There will be a commercial that will air two months before and throughout the Sonics
season. It will be a 30 second commercial that will be broadcast at prime time. It will be
broadcast on ESPN during the evenings between 5 and 7pm. They will go on for four months
and be broadcast 5 days a week. This commercial will show retired Sonics players and
important people in Seattle. They will all say, “We are going to the game and you should go
to!” We want home games to be the place to be in Seattle on the night of the games.
There will also be a promotional inner city event at a basketball court in downtown
Seattle. The Sonics will host this event and a few players from the team will attend. There will
be a basketball tournament for ages 10-14 and all participants will receive vouchers to attend
the next home game. The vouchers will allow one free ticket for the participant, but they must
be accompanied by an adult.
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These events will help promote the awareness of the Sonics and show that they are
back in full force in Seattle.
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Marketing Budget
Tactics/Programs Roll Out Plan
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Newspaper print campaign, May 1st: $1 million
Commercial campaign “We’re Back” picks up, May 1st, $5 million
Season ticket holders of the 2008 season have the opportunity to purchase season
tickets for the 2013/2014, Events June 1-3: $15,000
Season tickets available for all purchasers, July 1-3: $15,000
Commercial campaign “I’ll Be There” picks up, August 17th: $5 million
Billboards campaign begin, September 14th: 30 billboards put up for 4 months for $2
million
Fan Fest October 5th: $100,000
Radio Give Away October 12th: $10,000
Team shoot around with city youth October 13th: $15,000
NBA Season begins, home game versus the Blazers, October 26th
Start launch of weekly YouTube videos interviewing players/coaches/commentators
about the Sonics return, October 30th: $20,000
Twitter Photo Contest, November 8th - 11th: $5,000
Oklahoma City Home Game, Snapback hats November 20th: $30,000
Team Shoot around with city youth, December 1st: $15,000
Ultimate Fan video contest, December 8th - 18th: $5,000
Home Game versus the Thunder Christmas Day, December 25th: $0
Half Court shot for $100,000, January 6th: $100,000 paid by sponsor
Free Giveaway for Twitter/Facebook fans, January 16th: $5,000
Boys Night Out, January 21st: $20,000
Bar Tournament, January 25th: $20,000
Blazers Home Game, Yellow out January 29th: $100,000
Half Court Free Throw competition for a Windows Phone, February 6th: $0
Kevin Calabro interview, February 10th: $0
Singles Night, February 23rd: Dinner for 2 with limo service $40,000 total
Blazers Away Game, February 26th
Girl Scouts Night, March 1st: $20,000
Asian Heritage Night, March 13th: $25,000
Boy Scouts Night, March 16th: $20,000
Oklahoma City Away Game March 25th
Girls Night Out, April 10th: $20,000
Military Appreciation Night, April 13th: $50,000
Total Cost: $13,550,000
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Break-Even Analysis
The revenue generated from the 11,000 season tickets is $33,825,000. The average
price of season tickets is $3,075 per seat. The revenue from selling out 17 games is
$43,095,000. The total revenue from the Sonics marketing objectives is $62,895,000. This
combines the revenue from the 17 sell out games and the revenue from the 11,000 season
tickets sold. The cost of the marketing objectives is $13,550,000. The net income for the
marketing objectives is $49,345,000. The break-even analysis for the Sonics is 4407 season
tickets sold. This was derived by taking the marketing objectives cost of $13,550,000 and
dividing it by the average season ticket price of $3,075.
17 Sell Outs
Single Game Seats
$29,070,000.00
Season Tickets
$14,025,000.00
Revenue
$43,095,000.00
Season Tickets Remaining 24 Home Games
$19,800,000.00
Total Revenue for Marketing Objectives
$62,895,000.00
Cost of Marketing Tactics
$13,550,000.00
Net Income for Marketing Objectives
$49,345,000.00
Total Season Ticket Revenue
$33,825,000.00
Break Even
$13,550,000/$3075
4407 season tickets
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Conclusion
The return of an NBA basketball team to Seattle, Washington has a large number of
benefits for the city of Seattle and basketball fans in the area. This marketing plan will create
awareness of those benefits for the target market and the people of Seattle, which will in turn
create desire for the product. Our analysis has shown that the plan is not only affordable, but
will earn much more revenue than it costs. The success of our three objectives will ensure that
the Seattle SuperSonics are mentioned in all types of media and extend a large reach in Seattle
and the surrounding areas. The SuperSonics will have a presence on television, billboards, social
media and in the local community.
By beginning to promote in early May 2013 before the inaugural season begins, fans and
community members will have several months to connect to their new team and start moving
up the ladder of casual to avid fans. Events and contests will allow fans to become involved
with the Seattle SuperSonics before the NBA regular season even begins. The rise of the
dormant avid fan base coupled with the newly energized casual fans will sustain Seattle’s new
franchise for years to come.
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Appendix
Works Cited
"Participation." Sports Business Research Network. 2012. Web. 6 Mar. 2012.
<http://sbrnet.com/research.asp?subRID=598>.
"Seattle Population & Demographics: Overview." Seattle.gov Home Page. Web. 06 Mar. 2012.
<http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/Research/Population_Demographics/Overview/default.asp>.
"Seattle Population and Demographics (Seattle, WA)." Seattle Yellow Pages and Seattle WA
Guide. Web. 06 Mar. 2012. <http://seattle.areaconnect.com/statistics.htm>.
Roll Out Calendar
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