Rampart66
Juniors
- Messages
- 149
I'm Glenn Csonka and I'm the marketing guy for the Pittsburgh Vipers. I got involved with the Vipers a few weeks before the start of the season. Truth is, I really didn't know much about rugby league. However, in a football mad town such as Pittsburgh, I felt that rugby could catch on here and be pretty popular since the sport has a reputation of being tough and hard hitting. Part of what sold me into working with the Vipers was the AMNRL redesign that I had seen on a sports logo website. It convinced me that the league was serious about it's image and could be on the brink of a huge breakthrough.
After a few weeks, I now know that not all clubs are equal. I don't mean in terms of talent, but the way each club markets itself from the website to it's venue. Not all clubs play in venues with seating, let alone charge admission to the games. For a sport that relies on sponsors and out of pocket funding, this is a important source of potential revenue. I know some teams play at community parks or other feilds that don't offer much in the way of seating. Jacksonville plays at the University of North Florida. It would be nice if every club had a nice grass field with plenty of seats and ample parking in their neighborhood.
So, some questions for the teams out there. Does your venue inhibit your ability to market your team? What would happen if your team was so popular 5000 or more fans showed up? Would there be room for everyone? Would there be parking? How important is grass compared to an artificial surface? It seems that a high school stadium would be perfect, but more and more are getting rid of grass in favor of turf. What about the pitch measurements? Is the 100m x 68m strictly followed? Could we use the markings for American football or is the width too short?
Jacksonville and Philadelphia seem to do a great job in getting the word out and being part of their communities. I'd like to get a discussion going that involves best practices from the clubs. Things like advice on getting and maintaining sponsorships. Merchandise for the fans; what sells, what doesn't and what products have the best profit margins. Are there vendors that are rugby friendly that we should use?
This league has such an opportunity to grow, but I think the mindset has to change from pub league to pro league. The fans need to have the perception that this is a pro league much like the USL (soccer) or MLL (lacrosse).
After a few weeks, I now know that not all clubs are equal. I don't mean in terms of talent, but the way each club markets itself from the website to it's venue. Not all clubs play in venues with seating, let alone charge admission to the games. For a sport that relies on sponsors and out of pocket funding, this is a important source of potential revenue. I know some teams play at community parks or other feilds that don't offer much in the way of seating. Jacksonville plays at the University of North Florida. It would be nice if every club had a nice grass field with plenty of seats and ample parking in their neighborhood.
So, some questions for the teams out there. Does your venue inhibit your ability to market your team? What would happen if your team was so popular 5000 or more fans showed up? Would there be room for everyone? Would there be parking? How important is grass compared to an artificial surface? It seems that a high school stadium would be perfect, but more and more are getting rid of grass in favor of turf. What about the pitch measurements? Is the 100m x 68m strictly followed? Could we use the markings for American football or is the width too short?
Jacksonville and Philadelphia seem to do a great job in getting the word out and being part of their communities. I'd like to get a discussion going that involves best practices from the clubs. Things like advice on getting and maintaining sponsorships. Merchandise for the fans; what sells, what doesn't and what products have the best profit margins. Are there vendors that are rugby friendly that we should use?
This league has such an opportunity to grow, but I think the mindset has to change from pub league to pro league. The fans need to have the perception that this is a pro league much like the USL (soccer) or MLL (lacrosse).