Effectively Leveraging Social Media to Get a Job!

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Are you looking for new ways to differentiate yourself in the job search? Are you looking for new ways to integrate social media into the mix?

@LauraGainor (check her out on Twitter!) recently unveiled a tremendous presentation she created for a position with Comet Branding, a progressive Milwaukee-based branding, PR, and social media agency. She created a unique piece that effectively told her story, incorporated new social media technologies, and demonstrated immediate results!

How did she do it?

While touring the city of Milwaukee, @LauraGainor utilized her social media skills to get creative and attract the attention of Comet Branding's @AlKrueger & @SaraMeaney. Laura decided to quietly work on a campaign designed to gauge their reaction from live tweets she posted while checking in at major Milwaukee attractions using the social media gaming tool, @Foursquare. She felt that this would serve as a more effective tactic than simply sending them an email that alerted them of her plans.

Laura also took advantage of using the newly launched Foursquare client, @SquarePik, which now allows you to post a photo of the venue you're at while checking in to gain points. She utilized this medium to grab the attention of Comet Branding by including their poster-sized company logo in each photo.

Laura compiled all of her interactions in a presentation format that told her story and effectively incorporated social media. In her deliverable, Laura featured a video she shot using TwitVideo on her iPhone 3GS and linked to all of her social media profiles (which you can see on the last page of the presentation).

Check out her innovative social media-centric presentation here:

Laura Gainor Utilizing Social Media
View more presentations from Laura Gainor.

The White Sox Offer an Innovative Corporate Partnership Microsite

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Are you looking to create an innovative digital platform that showcases your corporate partnership assets? Are you looking to develop new tools to drive corporate partnership prospecting and retention?

As reported in the SportsBusiness Journal, the Chicago White Sox have created one of the premier digital microsite platforms showcasing the assets and signage inventory the organization has to offer corporate partners at U.S. Cellular Field. The microsite was built in-house with additional support from the LimeGreen Entertainment Group and MLB Advanced Media.

The new and innovative microsite allows urrent and prospective partners the opportunity to take a virtual tour of U.S. Cellular Field and see first hand many of the sponsorship assets the team has to offer. The site provides a detailed overview of activation opportunities (title sponsorships, digital advertising, etc.) as well as an in-depth look at signage inventory around the park.

The White Sox organization believes the site is one of the first in all of professional sports to offer such an in-depth digital look at corporate partnership inventory. Check it out and consider ways that your organization can develop a similar microsite with added benefits! 

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Bajaj Allianz Displays Innovative In-Game Advertising Concept

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Are you looking for new ways to stand out during a nationally televised broadcast? Are you looking for ways to improve the impact of your in-game messaging?

Bajaj Allianz, India's leading private non-life insurance company, recently launched its latest advertising innovation during a recent India-Australia cricket match. The contest, played in Hyderabad on November 8th, featured Bajaj Allianz displaying its new Groovy Kids advertising innovation to promote the child insurance policies it offers.

Instead of featuring a commercial during a standard advertising break, Bajaj worked with the sports broadcasting company to have the cameras simply break away from the action taking place on the field to show a father holding a sign in the stands demonstrating that he has planned for his son's future (who happens to be standing right next to him).

The advert is so simple, yet effective because viewers at home will not turn away from the action (and in fact, will most likely pay more attention to try to read and comprehend what the sign says). Using split screen technology, Bajaj Allianz can effectively display messaging to inform consumers of their policies and drive them to their website. Bajaj Allianz received two (2) of these :10 spots during the game as opposed to having a commercial break.

Check it out below:

 

Arsenal Uses the Web to Build Global Presence

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Are you looking for new ways to drive your team's growth on an international scale? Are you looking for ways to gain new fans in foreign markets?

During the team's match vs. Tottenham Hotspur match this morning, Arsenal used its innovative field-level LED messaging to promote its new website dedicated to fans in China - www.ArsenalChina.com. The team partnered with Titan Online in '09 to create the Official Mandarin language website, which signals the first of several planned initiatives to further penetrate the China marketplace. The site serves as an evolution of the one Arsenal first created in 2007 (http://arsenal.tom.com), and will feature up-to-date news, highlights, articles and information for the team's fans in China. 

The site represents the strong push that many key stakeholders in the English Premier League are making to solidify a presence in the Far East and the United States. EPL clubs Chelsea, Manchester United, and Arsenal have all led the movement by playing international friendlies, offering dedicated websites for fans across the globe, and hosting clinics and soccer schools in foreign lands.

Arsenal even recently launched a website dedicated to their fanbase in the United States, Usa.Arsenal.com. Americans represent 8% of all traffic on Arsenal.com, the club's most popular territory after the UK in terms of web traffic. Check out some screen shots of ArsenalChina.com below:

Consider Bringing Your Stadium's Stairs to Life

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Are you looking to provide incremental inventory for corporate partners? Are you looking for new ways to leverage sonic branding at your venue?

Sports organizations looking for new ways to enhance the gameday experience via branding should take note of the piano stairs craze circulating around the world. If you have not seen the clip yet (shown below), Volkswagen decided that it would change consumer behavior (taking the escalator vs. the stairs) just by making a staircase "more fun".

The result? Volkswagen's plan worked. After the company worked with DDB to transform a staircase in Stockholm's Odenplan subway station into a giant piano (that played music as people stepped on the stairs), 66% of persons chose to take the stairs. Check it out below:

Sports representatives should take the creative piano stairs concept and look for ways that it can be applied in their stadium environment. After all, Stockholm execution proved that it is a concept that consumers are receptive to and react positively. Soon enough a vendor will emerge that will help make piano stairs a mainstream phenomenon in the United States.

How can this idea be replicated in the sports space? Sports organizations can create piano stairs that play:

  • Excerpts of team theme songs
  • In-game jingles (7th inning stretch, goal horn, famous announcer sayings, etc.)
  • Corporate partner theme songs (e.g. McDonald's jingle)
  • Team music (e.g. Banshee Music produced intro/outro tunes)
  • Popular music amongst fans (pop hits, etc.)

The piano stairs concept has already been implemented at various locales in the United States and at venues across the globe (for those sports organizations looking to benchmark how this idea may work in their venue):

Source: Pixelsumo.com

Shapeshifter Offers New, Innovative Signage for Teams

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Are you looking for new advancements in signage technology? Are you looking to feature signage at your venue that will pop?

Sports organizations looking for new signage technology to promote corporate partners need to check out the amazing work being done by Shapeshifter Media. Shapeshifter Media is the exclusive licensee of the international patents for the manufacture of Stairgraphics, a new piece of signage technology that could soon become a growing trend in the United States.

As more teams consider stadium stair signage (both in-venue and out-of-venue) and floor signage in stadium concourse levels, Shapeshifter Media could soon become a key player in the North American marketplace. The key trick will be to see which U.S. properties are able to effectively work with the German-based Shapeshifter Media to bring the 3D stairgraphics to the United States (properties interested in the technology can connect with Shapeshifter Media by clicking here).

Check out some of Shapeshifter Media's work in the sports space below:

Danone Waters/Evian - Bayarena Leverkusen

Nike USA - Javits Convention Center (New York)

Ford - Floor Poster

2D and 3D Floor Posters

The Islanders Take Their Game Day Programs Digital

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Are you looking to implement new green initiatives? Are you searching for new ways to leverage emerging technologies to enhance the fan experience?

The New York Islanders are tackling two efforts - going green and staying up-to-speed with technology - by introducing Digital Gameday Programs to all its fans attending the team's home games in 2009. As part of the team's "Goal Green" initiative in 2009, the Islanders will completely replace their traditional programs with a version that fans can access on their PC's and mobile phones the day of each home game.

The Digital Gameday Programs will mirror the team's previous print offering, complete with rosters, match-ups, stats, and advertisements. The interactive programs will even include gameday video, promotions, contests, and offers. Thus far, the team has seen 60,000 fans sign up for a Digital Magazine subscription (free).

An example of the team's Digital Gameday Programs can be seen here.

Source: Sports Business Journal, Islanders.nhl.com 

The Atlanta Falcons Take Web Search to the Next Level...

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Are you looking for new ways to reward your fanbase? Are you looking for new ways to incorporate technology into your website offerings?

The Atlanta Falcons currently offer a unique technological feature on their team website - My Falcons Search - that is sure to drive a significant amount of eyeballs (and clicks) in the sports marketplace. The Falcons created My Falcons Search, an online portal dedicated to helping the team's fans earn "swag points" that they can redeem for Atlanta Falcons merchandise.

In other words, My Falcons Search is a downloadable search engine (operating just like Google) that Falcons fans can use to get free Falcons merchandise just for searching the web! Each time users search (using My Falcons Search) they have a chance to earn 1 to 5 Swag Bucks, with the chance to earn up to 50 points on Fridays. Users can redeem their Swag Bucks for thousands of prizes, including the chance to win Grand Prize VIP prizes. To win Swag Bucks, all fans have to do is either login and scour the web on the My Falcons Search page or use a downloadable toolbar.

Other sports entities offering a similar consumer-rewards search technology function include:

Boost Game Day Sales with Vending Machines...

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Are you looking for ways to drive concessions sales while reducing staffing costs? Are you looking for new ways to enhance stadium merchandise/concessions offerings?

As stadium operators constantly look for new ways to enhance stadium concessions and the overall game day experience, they should consider some incorporating some new vending innovations. Trendhunter.com recently created a "60 Vending Machines of the Future" piece that could have some strong implications in the sports marketplace. Here are a few examples:

Offer Free Drink Vending Machines

The Apex Corp, a vending machine operator, is expected to roll out a service soon that allows consumers to receive free beverages from vending machines for watching :30 advertisements. Vending machines are being turned into a new medium for marketers to reward consumers who are willing to watch/entertain their advertisements (by paying a partial/full cost of the product).

Offer Luxury Coffee Vending Machines

Starbucks has introduced a string of Hot Drink machines to the marketplace that help the brand satisfy consumer demand in areas where their stores cannot be placed (hockey rinks, outdoor events, office break rooms, grocery retail locations, etc.). The self-serve expresso kiosks were featured in 86 Albertsons retail locations nationwide in 2008. The UK's coffee machine operator LTT Vending saw a 55% increase in sales over the past year as consumers sought cheaper alternatives to Starbucks, etc.

 

Offer Exclusive Merchandise Vending Machines

Teams should consider aligning with exclusive apparel providers to sell exclusive team apparel/merchandise in select vending machines around the concourse. From another angle, sports organizations can align with hotel chains and retail partners to feature vending machines offering limited edition merchandise at their respective locations (poolside, etc.). Quicksilver recently aligned with the standard hotel to design an exclusive line of swimwear that is sold at poolside vending machines.

Leverage Redbox (or DVDPlay)

Sports organizations should consider aligning with Redbox to feature their championship DVD's, season highlights, game tapes, and specialty shows (Behind-the-scenes looks at the Cheerleader Calendar, Mascot outtakes, etc.) in Red Box machines throughout the local marketplace. Sponsors can front load/back load these videos with sponsor messaging to help cover any upfront costs, etc.

Offer Customizable Beverage Dispensers

Coca-Cola recently unveiled a customizable drink dispenser called the "Freestyle" that enables consumers to mix and match their favorite flavors. The select Coca-Cola vending machines, which will be rolled out in California and Orgeon in 2009, will offer 140 different assortments of flavors for consumers to choose from (based on the color, calorie, and caffeine content they prefer).

Feature Sun Screen Vending Machines

Tours taking place in outdoor environments (AVP, Extreme Sports, etc.) should consider featuring Sunscreen Mist vending machines in their event footprints. The special vending machines dispense both sunscreen (in a variety of SPF's) and self-tanning products for consumers to take advantage of and enjoy. 

Feature SMS Vending Machines

Fosfor, a Belgian marketing agency, created a vending machine called the Boobox that enables consumers to receive free goodies in exchange for simply submitting a free SMS message (a way for companies to build a mobile database in an inexpensive manner if the product price is minimal). Each submitted SMS message gives a bounce back access code that can be used to order a product from the vending machine.

Player ID Card Vending Dispensers

In a partnership with a local DMV, etc. teams can feature unique vending machines in stadium concourses that enable fans to purchase fake player ID's. The team can sell the ID's (at a fixed low-dollar price point) as a collectible that fans can keep in their wallets. To fund the project, teams can sign on a title sponsor who receives branding on the back of the card, etc.

Each player's ID would mirror a drivers license (featuring their height, weight, hometown, etc.) and potentially could be redeemed for exclusive experiences, etc. This would be a very interesting concept for a marketing agency to implement in NASCAR (feature vending machines around the track where fans can purchase a fake Jeff Gordon drivers license for the chance to win a trip to the Jeff Gordon Racing School).

Feature Pizza Vending Machines

Claudio Torghele recently unveiled the world's first vending machine that makes pizza from scratch in less than three (3) minutes. The vending machine technology, called Let's Pizza, enables consumers to order custom pizzas for under five (5) dollars and watch the whole process through a glass window on the vending machine. The Let's Pizza machine could provide teams a great way to offer fans yet another concessions option while saving costs on staffing behind the counter. 

Custom Domain Extensions Will Soon Change the Sports Industry...

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Are you looking for new ways to control your content and web domains online? Are you looking for ways that the sports marketplace will be impacted by technological advancements in the coming years?

Beginning in 2010, brands will be able to purchase their own name in place of traditional domain extensions (.com, .org, .net, .edu) through the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). For a price of $185,000, brands will be able to purchase top-level domain extensions (gTLD's) that enable them to create real and specific branded websites.

For example, new domain regulations will enable a company like Pepsi to create custom domains like 'drinking.pepsi' and 'thepepsichallenge.pepsi'. These regulations will allow brands to have a greater control over their domain and counter cyber-squatters who purchase related domain names that prevent brands from utilizing preferred terms. Companies operating on a smaller scale will be able to purchase specific domain names that signify their geographic location (thewestin.florida) or business sector.

How will this affect the industry? We could soon see a number of organizations adopt new web extensions, including:

  • Major Brands (.pepsi, .kraft, .mcdonalds)
  • Locations (Olympics.chicago, worldcup.southafrica)
  • Sports Organizations (basketball.chicagobulls, track.usc)
  • Media Outlets (sports.fox, racing.speedtv)
  • Athletes (basketball.shaq, golf.tiger)

One of the biggest hurdles with the new domain extension regulations is that brands are simply not aware that they will be provided the opportunity to purchase their own custom extension. ICANN expects to receive 300-500 applications next year before industry leaders catch on to the opportunity.

Look for a domain gold rush to happen soon! Who will be the first to chase .god, .yankees, and .sex? Only time will tell.

Are You Looking to Connect with Sports Fans Online?

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Are you looking for a one stop shop to engage with consumers in the online sports marketplace? Are you looking for ways to reach a mass of fantasy sports players and sports social media users?

Fantasy Sports Ventures (FSV) is quickly becoming one of the most dominant forces in the sports social media space. The company recently aligned with RotoHog, Watercooler, and Sky Social Media - moves that will enable FSV to offer marketers an assortment of opportunities to engage with consumers in the online and mobile social media space.

With 400+ fantasy websites, the RotoHog.com platform, and hundreds of team-based fan communities on Facebook (through the Watercooler partnership), in its arsenal, FSV offers a collection of assets to help brands tap into sports' flourishing online business.

What does all this mean for brand marketers?

When it comes to targeting online users, FSV's portfolio will quickly rank among the likes of Yahoo!, ESPN, and Fox Sports with 11MM+ users per month. Look for the company to dramatically enhance its clientele roster (which currently includes Coke, Sprint, Gillette, Coors, and Wendy's) in the coming months.

Check back soon for more ways to capitalize in the online sports marketplace!

BooneOakley's Website is now an Interactive YouTube Video...

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Are you searching for ways to stay ahead of the digital curve? Are you looking for ways to differentiate yourself in the marketplace?

BooneOakley, one of the nation's most creative ad agencies, has completely converted its company website into an interactive YouTube video piece that can be favorited, shared, and included in user playlists.

If you have five minutes available, the site is a "must see" as it serves as a benchmark for ways that companies are making social media applications even more interactive.

This is where the industry is headed - take notice and stay ahead of the curve. The question is, who in the sports space will be the first to follow BooneOakley's lead and create an interactive YouTube platform that features an assortment of multimedia content?

Why did BooneOakley make the move to YouTube to share their story?

"We needed a way to tell our story, and today the best forum for a story is YouTube, where we can use narration and really crappy animation. As an embeddable video, the new BooneOakley website presents our work in a unique and also more easily accessible way. And it can live anywhere that supports YouTube videos, including blogs, other websites, and many cell phones." - David Oakley, BooneOakley co-founder

A special thanks to Jason Peck (@JasonPeck) of Take a Peck for identifying this site and spreading the news on his Twitter feed.

Outsider Entertainment is Your Source for Video Recaps and Testimonials...

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Are you looking for new ways to deliver comprehensive recaps to your corporate partners? Are you looking for a resource that will help your organization gain credibility when prospecting?

Sports organizations searching for new ways to differentiate themselves in the marketing/corporate partnership space should consider creating video testimonials and recaps to provide to both current and prospective partners. As more teams shift to deliver program results through online platforms, multimedia pieces that capture corporate partner testimonials, creative activation tactics, game entertainment, measurement, and fan engagement will become even more important.

Outsider Entertainment, a full-service video production company in Columbus, OH, does an excellent job creating these pieces for sports organizations. The company has completed extensive projects for both the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Columbus Crew and has the capabilities and expertise to create captivating corporate partnership testimonials for your organization.

Check out two (2) examples of their work below:

For additional information, feel free to reach out to Andy Emery (aemery@outsiderE.com, 614.488.6365)

Is Your Venue Bluetooth Ready?

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Are you looking for new ways to engage with consumers attending events at your venue? Are you searching for ways that technology is continuing to have an impact on the sports industry?

Everton FC of the English Premier League recently outfitted its home pitch, Goodison Park, with the largest Bluetooth installation of any stadium facility in the world. Everton FC's new Bluetooth infrastructure enables it to create extra value and strengthen club loyalty for the 42,000 fans in attendance at their venue. The team collaborated with More Mobile Relations to install 89 Bluetooth nodes in 58 zones equipped with flat screen televisions to demonstrate the technology's advantages to fans.

Everton FC's bluetooth technology enables the team to offer news, exclusive offers, free downloads, footage of classic goals, and exciting applications on an exclusive game day mobile site to all fans who link to the wireless connection while attending games at Goodison Park.

The Bluetooth technology has proven to be very popular with fans in attendance. For every campaign promoted at the stadium, 1,000 fans have chosen to download the content and application - a number rising each match.

How does it work?

Everton FC's bluetooth technology sets up a wireless connection with all fans who have Bluetooth technology on their phones. As fans enter the venue, they are sent an automatic message asking them if they would like to connect to the service. If they accept the offer, they are sent exclusive news and offers as long as they are within the stadium confines or in the team store.

With the technology still in its early existence, Everton is reaching out to its fanbase and asking for instant feedback. The team set up an email address (bluetooth@evertonfc.com) for all fans to provide their thoughts on the content they are receiving through the technology, etc.

A special thanks to Steen Leth-jorg of Sport One Danmark A/S for his insights and contributions to this column... Best Wishes Steen!

Teams Find Social Networking Solutions at the Watercooler...

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Are you looking for new ways to tap into the social networking space? Is your organization looking for new ways to use social networking platforms to drive ticket sales?

 

Sports properties are turning to Watercooler Inc. for social networking solutions. Watercooler Inc. provides the most extensive network of online fan communities around sports and TV entertainment, presenting sports organizations an opportunity to target (and offer select promotions to) a niche group of avid fans. Founded in 2006, Watercooler has emerged as a leader in creating fan group applications (e.g. Florida Football Fans app on Facebook).

 

Sports properties leveraging Facebook groups to promote their brand will find that their options are pretty limited to walls, discussion boards, and building an online user list. With Watercooler’s 800+ online fan group applications, teams can do much more, including:

  • Drive ticket sales (through an online ticket promotion targeting a niche group of fans that can span in number from a few hundred to 500,000)
    • Note: To run an effective promotional ticket offer, Watercooler normally requests 7-10 business days for proper execution
  • Cross-promote through other the fan group applications of other organizations in the local marketplace (e.g. the LA Clippers could cross-promote on the LA Dodgers page/notifications during the off-season)
  • Offer select value packages/VIP experiences (receive a free hot dog and beverage with the purchase of a $10 ticket)
  • Trivia
  • Game Day Forums
  • Discussion Forums
  • Customized Walls / Photos
  • Online Polls

Watercooler has already helped execute ticket promotions for a handful of professional teams, including the Golden State Warriors, Chicago Bulls, Memphis Grizzlies, New York Knicks, NY Islanders, Phoenix Coyotes, Los Angeles Clippers, and New York Rangers. The company has the infrastructure to help teams host third party social communities on their team pages and can help deliver promotions to a new, untapped online fan base.

 

Look for new efforts by Watercooler in the sports marketplace! Check out a clip that details their services below:

 

Stay on Top of Your Industry With Alltop.com...

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Are you looking to stay on top of your industry's news, headlines, and topics of discussion?

If so, you need to check out http://www.alltop.com/.

Alltop.com does an incredible job aggregating headlines and combining the most recent headlines from valuable resources across the web. The site compiles the latest headlines (with a one hour refresh) of all the webpages focused on a particular topic (e.g. NASCAR, college football, branding, etc.).

As an example, here are a few direct pages:

One other "must-see" website for sports business professionals is the Sports Biz Feed, created by Jason Peck. This will instantly become your primary resource for keeping up on the sports business marketplace. 

Coca-Cola Zero Offers Interactive Online Experiences for Sports Fans

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Are you looking to enhance your website with interactive web applications? Are you looking for new ways to capture the attention and interests of consumers online?

Coca-Cola Zero partnered with Crispin Porter Bogusky to create an incredible interactive website for Coke Zero. The site effectively demonstrates how the Coke Zero brand is intertwined in the sports space. The company, targeting the hard-to-reach young male demo, created a handful of virtual experiences for football and NASCAR fans, including:

  • A "Victory Dance" feature where consumers can create their own personalized victory dance (a feature that mirror's Office Depot's Dancing Elves) and can email it to friends
  • A NASCAR "Rooftop Racer" game where consumers have to try to race around a track for 5 laps while balancing a Coke Zero bottle on top of the car - this is the best online NASCAR interactive feature available online!
  • A "Fan Cards" feature where consumers can spell out messages that are displayed in a card display by virtual fans
  • A "Championship Ring" feature where consumers can create their own customized virtual Championship Ring

Hats off to Coca-Cola Zero for offering such a great interactive platform for consumers to enjoy...

Follow Obama's Lead with Video Game Advertising...

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Are you looking to advertise your brand in video games?

Follow the lead of U.S. Senator Barack Obama, who recently became the first presidential candidate to advertise in video games. Obama's campaign has featured an "Early Voting Has Begun" billboard campaign in a selection of online video games, including Burnout Paradise, NASCAR '09, NHL '09, NBA Live '08, Need for Speed, NFL Tour, and Skate...

The Obama campaign is targeting the online billboard campaign at video game players living in ten (10) swing states: Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Indiana, Montana, North Carolina, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Nearly 1/3 of households own a popular video game console.

EA Sports has willingly acknowledged that it is currently featuring the Obama ads in some of its most popular video game titles. The company notes that it is open to promoting any credible candidate.

If your organization is looking to create a holistic messaging platform aimed at targeting a specific consumer base, consider modeling a plan similar to the one executed by the Obama campaign (obviously with scaled back dollars). Obama has led a technological charge in '08, embracing SMS, text, social networking, blogs, widgets, and additional digital formats.

IMS Presents a New Wave of Ticketing Technology...

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Is your organization looking to implement a new, innovative ticketing initiative? Are you looking for new ticketing technologies that enable fans to have "loaded tickets"?

The sports industry is a growing, vibrant industry that is constantly working with the newest technologies to enhance the fan experience and increase revenues. In tough economic times, it is vital for teams to continue to be innovative in order to sell ticket inventory, sponsorships, and merchandise. The newest product that is being adopted by teams is the use of stored-value ticketing. International Micro Systems (IMS) is the founder of this new technology (STADIS), which they are currently implementing at stadiums and arenas across the nation.

What is STADIS?

STADIS is a stored-value ticketing solution. The STADIS platform goes far beyond standard gift cards offered by other point of sale providers.

STADIS is a Venue Management Application that integrates a team's existing retail, food and beverage, ticketing, parking, suites, accounting, CRM, and additional systems through one central database (the technology is pretty incredible).

How are teams using STADIS?

As STADIS becomes commonplace in the industry, teams are using it in new creative ways:

Philadelphia Phillies

The Philadelphia Phillies have been using the system for five (5) years and have led the way in innovation with stored-value ticketing. The Phillies organization started off with a minimal amount of seats in the Diamond Club, an area behind home plate, that were activated. The cost of each ticket included $30 of value built into the bar code of the ticket that could be redeemed at any POS in the stadium.

As the Phillies learning curve grew and fan acceptance and demand increased, the team began to implement more creative ways to use the STADIS technology. Today, the Phillies organization activates thousands of seats per game to include special promotions, coupons, group tickets, and more.

Wachovia Center

This season, the Wachovia Center will be the first to roll out a combination of account based and "use it or lose it" STADIS. This technology enables them to load $25 in each season ticket holder account as an incentive to renew seats. The fan then has the opportunity to load more money into the account, which rolls over from game to game.

Why should your organization use STADIS?

From a sponsorship angle, stored-value ticketing can be used to integrate corporate sponsors directly with fans. For example, teams can have a strategic partner sponsor an in-game promotion. If the Philadelphia 76ers score 100+ points during a game, the team can offer a promotional increntive where every fan with a store-value ticket will receive $5 of value on their bar code to spend throughout the stadium, courtesy of Comcast. The possibilities are endless and the consumer data that is captured can be very valuable to organizations and their supporting partners.

This STADIS technology is pretty incredible and is the future wave of ticketing... Keep an eye out for more teams rolling out stored-value ticketing programs with STADIS.

A special thanks to Peter Berman of IMS for his insights and contributions to this column. For more information on STADIS technology, please contact Peter at PBerman@ims-pos.com.