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White & Partners tapped to market Washington Nationals
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WASHINGTON (Map, News) - In an effort to boost ticket sales and create hype around the 2008 opening of the new baseball stadium, Herndon-based White & Partners has been tapped to lead the marketing and advertising efforts for The Washington Nationals, team officials announced this week.
Ticket sales for the 45,000-seat RFK Stadium were disappointing last season, with average game attendance at about 26,000. Although low, that level of attendance is not uncommon for a new team. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays, for example, had an average attendance of about 17,000 last season in a 41,000-seat stadium.
The new campaign, titled Pledge Your Allegiance will target potential season ticket holders, who will have priority seat selection in the new ballpark. Last season, the team sold 16,300 season tickets.
“Of course, we always want to increase our season ticket base because that’s your bread and butter and your most loyal fans,” said Chartese Burnett, a spokeswoman for the Nationals.
This is the first time the Nationals have used an outside firm for a full-fledged, integrated marketing campaign since the Lerner family bought the team. The team previously worked with the Olson advertising agency out of Minneapolis on more limited projects.
“With the Lerner family on board, it’s time to engage the fans and launch an exciting era in the new ballpark,” said Matt White, chairman and chief executive officer of White & Partners, in a statement. “This is a great win for us and extends our history of building marquee entertainment and consumer brands.”
Filling the stadium is a priority for the city, said Bob Sweeney, president of the Greater Washington Sports Alliance. In addition to ticket sales, revenue from food and souvenirs is also pumped into the District.
Ticket sales were up when the team was winning, he said, and dropped off when they weren’t.
“You start winning games, you start building fans,” said Sweeney.
Excitement over the new stadium could also boost sales, he said. “I imagine this coming year season tickets will shoot back up at RFK because people will want to be first in line [for the new stadium].”
While winning games has an impact on ticket sales, the marketing strategy will also be an important component, said Lisa Delpy Neirotti, professor of sports management at The George Washington University.
“It is very important to always keep in the mind of the fans or the potential fans,” Neirotti said. “The Redskins are so popular because every time you turn around, even in the off-season, someone’s talking about them.”
Comments from Examiner Readers
9:17 AM MST on Tue., Aug. 5, 2008 re: "Rookie Balester is beginning to gain confidence"
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8:46 PM MST on Fri., Jul. 18, 2008
re: "Council considers raising taxes on Nationals tickets"
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2:18 AM MST on Tue., Mar. 18, 2008
re: "No easy access near ballpark for disabled"
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11:32 AM MST on Sat., Mar. 15, 2008
re: "Shuttle service, beer sales among issues still to work out before Opening Day"
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11:34 AM MST on Mon., Mar. 10, 2008
re: "Police: Nearly $2M owed for security at Nats games"
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8:58 AM MST on Mon., Mar. 10, 2008
re: "Police: Nearly $2M owed for security at Nats games"
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7:47 AM MST on Mon., Mar. 10, 2008
re: "Police: Nearly $2M owed for security at Nats games"
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7:06 AM MST on Mon., Mar. 10, 2008
re: "Police: Nearly $2M owed for security at Nats games"
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6:23 AM MST on Mon., Mar. 10, 2008
re: "Police: Nearly $2M owed for security at Nats games"
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9:01 PM MST on Mon., May. 28, 2007
re: "Nationals’ stadium art project at a standstill"
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4:10 PM MST on Mon., May. 28, 2007
re: "Nationals’ stadium art project at a standstill"
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12:17 PM MST on Mon., May. 28, 2007
re: "Nationals’ stadium art project at a standstill"
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5:46 AM MST on Tue., May. 22, 2007
re: "Deal should clear the way for stadium art"
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Examiner Reader said:
Collin Balester is the real deal. His fastball is his #1 pitch however that Changeup of his is#1A. He brings life and energy to the Clubhouse and he will be a positive influence on the Nats for years to come. Quoting Balester..." I want to play baseball til I'm 50 years old!!" Tongue in cheek. Ask J Moyer for the "How do you do that" Book!! Go Nats!
2 agree | 2 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Not paying the rent? Kick them out! They are a losing team anyway.
2 agree | 3 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Now how did "progressive, caring" DC happen to forget about the Americans with Disabilities Act which requires that public facility projects consider access for the disabled?
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Examiner Reader said:
"The most extreme example might be June 29, when United faces off against David Beckham and the L.A. Galaxy as 12:30 p.m., and the Nationals play the Baltimore Orioles an hour later." well that was some brilliant scheduling there....lets stuff 100,000 people into the area over a two hour span
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Examiner Reader said:
Considering where the new stadium is, you can bet that the cost of security will skyrocket!!!
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Examiner Reader said:
If DC knew that they couldn't afford to pay the police department they shouldn't have never opened up the Stadium. You have so many poor people living in the DC area and all the taxes we citizens have to pay could have been going into better use. we have to pay all this money and we are not going to see where the money is going. Who cares, right.
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Mike Licht said:
Re:$2M owed for security at Nats games -- Since the "quasi-governmental" D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission won't pay the $2 million it owes the Metropolitan Police Department for security at Nats games, why not get those "quasi" Commission members and paid staff out directing traffic on game days? At $55 an hour, it should only take them 36,364 person-hours to work off their debt.
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Examiner Reader said:
"Whether the [commission] is paying it or MPD is paying it, it comes out of the same pot,” Mayor Adrian Fenty’s spokeswoman Carrie Brooks said in a statement. WHAT? Good grief, no wonder the city is in so much trouble. Everyone is aware the budget process means nothing in D.C., and that is why money is misspent and missing everywhere, but to come out an officially admit it, wow - good work Brooks.
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Examiner Reader said:
The city charges baseball $55.00 per hour, the officers are paid their regular hourly rate. For most officers that about $32.00 per hour. What is the city doing with the difference?
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Mike Licht said:
miqcie: Art is good. The DC government should make sure that it is part of the environment throughout our city, and encourage the community cultural groups and gifted DC artists who create it. The stadium is private property, owned by the Lerner family, who can well afford to buy their own art.
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miqcie said:
I'm hopeful that this funding will be restored and is appropriate use of financing for public art. As a denizen of this city, I'd don't mind a part of my tax dollars going to projects like this that are truly community goods.
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Mike Licht said:
The Commission claimed the site-specific art for the private baseball stadium was just being "loaned" to the stadium but still owned by the commission. That is like saying your dental work is on loan from someone else. Public art projects like this are normally paid for by the developer, and the public arts agency gives technical assistance in the project's execution. This poor judgment by the Commission has cost the DC arts community $850,000 in much-needed capital funds.
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Mike Licht said:
Update: The deal is now for a $206,000+ site-specific sculpture to be "loaned" to the stadium by the DC Arts Commission. That is like saying that you "borrow" your dental work, an obvious falsehood. Shame.
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