‘Tis the season for “Fan Appreciation Day” across Minor League Baseball. I’ve been a part of many of these over the seasons for baseball, hockey and even a couple other sports. I can’t say I’ve ever really felt appreciated. But, what could they do? If you have ideas, leave them in the comments below and remain anonymous if you like–all will get approved. What do I suggest? I’m glad you asked:
Wait. Who Is This For?
First of all, let’s establish that this should be–as much as possible–for ALL fans. Season ticket holders should get appreciated on another level–and in some ways they are–but that’s a topic for another post. If you’re even going to bother having a game and the theme is “Fan Appreciation” it should be for all the fans who come out on that day. If you make it good enough, you’ll have more fans than you normally would on that day, and that will help cover some of the cost you might incur to truly show your appreciation.
First, What NOT To Do
- Drawings: “Random” drawing still leave most fans out in the cold. One team I can think of, the “winners” of the drawings were always folks you’ve never seen before in your life–like they’re at their first ever game. And that’s fine, but ALL of them? Feels really like you’re trying to gin up business for next season and “create new fans.”
- Sponsors: Fine to get your advertising partners involved, but you’ve got other days when you appreciate them–I know it because I was one once. So plastering logos on everything and making up a T-Shirt with 27 different sponsors is off-putting, and might be “something”– but it has nothing to do with “appreciation.”
- Nothing: Look, you don’t have to have this day at all, if you don’t want to. But if I show up for “fan appreciation” I’m expecting something more than a brief big screen mention. Just don’t bother with it if you’re not going to do lean into it.
- Throw A Bunch Of Sh!t Into The Crowd: Not everyone gets something, not every area of the stadium or arena is reachable by throws and drops, and the chaos level is still high.
Here’s What I Would Do
My aim would be to make all fans feel appreciated not just for coming that day, but for their support throughout the season–even if they only come to a couple games and don’t have a ticket plan. And yes, some of these things cost some money–or lost profit–but not only will you have a bigger crowd, tradition will hold that this day is so much fun, folks will come back again and again for this very promotion. And it doesn’t have to be the last game of the season, either. Just a game near the end when you want to really pump things up.
- Concessions are $1: Not the half-price seventh inning thing. This works best at the very end of the season as it will be “supplies last” and you can unload all the stuff that’s not going to last until the start of the next season (or, shouldn’t *ahem* stale rolls from the freezer). Exceptions: Keep drinks and alcohol at full price to recoup some profit. But everything else is $1 until it runs out. You’ll get folks buying stuff they don’t normally buy because it’s only a dollar and it’s all that’s left.
- Grab Bag Giveaway: Take all the leftover giveaways–and I know you have them because they resurface from time to time–and put them in bags and make sure every fan in attendance gets one. If you want, you could set up a “trading post” where for $1 donation (team charities) you can exchange your grab-bag giveaway for something else on the table or another bag.
- Other Free Stuff: Here’s where you can get your partners involved. They get a free table on the concourse to promote whatever, but they have to give something away for free. Bottle of water? Bottle openers? Stickers? Something. Bring enough to last through the fourth inning. This is for your partners who have already completed some significant sponsorship on the season.
- “Make A Wish”: This could be done a couple of ways, but have fans who are at the game submit a “wish” about the game presentation that you can then grant during the game. Wanna be the PA announcer for the inning? Wanna throw out a first pitch? Always wanted to dance with the dudes? Wanna ride on Ferrous’ ATV? Stuff like that for folks that just want a different experience in order to feel appreciated.
- The Big Stuff: OK, you want to give away season tickets or a plane trip or a new car? Here’s how you do it instead of the “random” drawing: A massive ball-throw or “chuck a puck” or whatever. Have plenty, but sell the balls or pucks for only $1 (charities) and give away the big stuff via the post-game contest–just on a much, much bigger scale than if you’re giving away hats or gift cards or whatever. This will keep folks around until the end of the game, to polish off those concessions. You know who won because of the contest, and it feels a bit more “random” than the drawing charade.
The downside, as stated, is that the organization has to forgo some profit in certain areas. There will be a modicum of chaos, for which you will need enough staffing to handle the shenanigans. But folks will remember it, and many will return for this promotion next season rather than ignore it as a ‘nothing’ game at the end of the schedule.
Fellow fans, what do you have? Please use the comment section below rather than social media, so that everyone here can see it. What would make you feel appreciated as a fan of the team? Remember, season ticket holders should be appreciated on a completely different level and aside from the regular game-day fans–although not excluded from the events of this day.
See you at the parks and the arenas…
@Kram207