1

N.C. State University

Women’s Fastpitch Softball

Marketing Plan

By: Mary Ann Ladd, Jenna Pepe, & Wil Baumann

2

Executive Summary

Over the course of years, women’s sports have developed and have changed over time. In

the past ten years, women’s fastpitch softball has grown and exploded. Because of the fast rate of

growth, there is not as much of a fanbase in the collegiate softball world as there is for other non-

revenue sports, such as women’s basketball. North Carolina State University is a new sport

added to the university in the last ten years like many other collegiate softball programs across

the nation. There is a great need for a fanbase growth for the women’s softball team at N.C.State.

Because of this need, our team has come up with a marketing plan to help grow the overall

fanbase of N.C. State University women’s fastpitch softball.

Our plan includes three strategies to reach the fanbase of students at N.C.State, general

softball fans, and youth softball players. In order to reach the fanbase in these three different

categories we plan to have an incentive program for each group of customers to get some

excitement arising to help increase overall attendance, public relations events to increase youth

involvement, and apparel incentives to increase brand awareness. By keeping track of attendance

through a ticket stub rafflery program, we will be offering the opportunity to win a pair of

Bailey’s diamond earrings for the women, a G-Shock watch and Adidas N.C. State gear ( the

official sponsor of the Wolfpack) for men, and for young girls an opportunity to win a free week

of Wolfpack softball camp and matching gear with the team. To increase youth involvement, we

are implementing an additional incentive program that will decrease the price of attending N.C.

State softball camps in the summer. In order to increase brand awareness we will have specific

softball logo, shirts and apparel that helps to get incentives at local business such as Chipotle.

This marketing plan outline, descriptively lays out the in depth marketing plan to accomplish our

goals as an organization.

3

Table of Contents

I. Introduction…………………………………………………………………………...4

A. Missions Statement…………………………………………………………...4

B. Background…………………………………………………………………...4

II. Situational Analysis…………………………………………………………………..4

A. Internal Analysis ……………………………………………………………..4

B. External Environmental Analysis…………………………………………….5

C. Examine Product Portfolio and Positioning………………………………….5

III. Competitive Analysis…………………………………………………………………5

IV. Customer Analysis…………………………………………………………………....6

A. Marketing Goals……………………………………………………………...6

B. Marketing Strategies………………………………………………………....11

VI. Marketing Tactics…………………………………………………………………….11

VII. Implementation and Control…………………………………………………………17

A. Action Plan……………………………………………………………………….17

B. Budget…………………………………………………………………………...17

C. Evaluation………………………………………………………………………..18

VIII. Appendix…………………………………………………………………………….20

4

I. INTRODUCTION

A. Missions Statement

“Our purpose is to effectively increase the attendance of N.C. State softball by

providing an inviting environment for our fans where our customers are served and appreciated

by receiving benefits for supporting N.C. State softball.”

B. Background:

N.C. State softball has historically been an athletic team that has had a small fanbase

number and percentage. An estimated number would be that there is an average of

about 100-300 fans in attendance of N.C. State softball games per game. Often times

in the past, marketing strategies and tactics have been combined with those used at

baseball events. For example, last year the first five hundred people in the gate

received a free Roo cup from Kangaroo gas stations. They also had a lot of public

relation events such as ovarian cancer run around the bases.

II. SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS

In understanding the present and future of our service, it is clear that there is an evident

need for increase in attendance, increase youth involvement in softball, and brand awareness.

Presently, there are promotional events, and public relation events that bring in fans, cause youth

softball players to be interested in the programs, and to know the name N.C. State softball.

However, all of these areas are extremely scarce! To future better our program we are wanting to

increase the attendance, participation, and brand awareness by at least 25% or greater. Because

of this, it is vital to evaluate what the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats, and

positioning of N.C State softball are.

A. Internal analysis (Strengths and Weaknesses):

The strengths of N.C. State’s softball program from an overall team perspective would be

that the team has had a productive record the last couple of years. For example, the team has

made it to the National College World Series last year. Another benefit for the team would be

that they received a new coach in the 2013 season which has helped to improve their program.

Because of this it has helped their fanbase. Unfortunately to coincide with that there are some

weaknesses. One of the main weaknesses would be internally that there has been some team

5

dynamic changes in the last 4 years. The previous coach was not well favored by fans or players

and because of this there were a lot of scholarship softball athletes to quit the team during her

coaching time at N.C. State.

B. External environmental analysis (Opportunities and Threats):

Some opportunities would be to use the new coaches success to market the team’s

success as a whole. Because the team has had success in the last few years, we can use this to

motivate our fans to come see a winning team. Additionally, we can motivate the fans by making

them feel like they are “helping the pack make it back to the college world series.” However,

there are some threats that take away a lot of N.C. State softball fanbase like the University of

North Carolina at Chapel Hill who have had a very beneficial and winning softball program for

the last ten years.

C. Examine product portfolio and positioning.

When completing our SWOT analysis, we identified the large opportunity to reach younger generations of girls as they are coming into college by encouraging their involvement in the sport of softball. If we are able to reach out to these girls at a young age, they are more likely to be interested in the sport as either a participant or as a fan as they grow into college-aged young women. USP= Winding up the Pack

Diamonds are a girls best friend

III. Competitive analysis

We have found that competitors have been doing more media campaigns then our

campaign. Our campaign is more focused on the physical benefits of attending games not just

following the team online.

6

Customer Analysis

Section 1

The current primary customers of NC State Softball who attend on a regular basis consist of the

family and friends of the players and young girls who are fans of the sport. Family and friends

are closely attached to the player they are supporting while young girls looks up to these players

as role models. Secondary customers are a small number of state students who regularly attend

and local fans who have past experience with softball. NC State University supports the largest

school in North Carolina and boasts the support from one of the best fan bases known as wolf

pack nation. These numbers allow for a larger target to market towards and give the marketing

plan a better chance of success over other schools.

Demographics

Most of the attendees at softball games come from a wide variety of socioeconomic

backgrounds. We can divide the families of the players into two separate groups, those on

scholarships and those that are walk-ons. Families of daughters who are walk-ons generally

have a more stable financial status as they can afford to cover the tuition and fees of roughly

$8,000 per year for in state and $21,000 for out of state. When looking at the families of

scholarship players, the average income is slightly lower. A few of these girls in the scholarship

category have relied on their scholarship to allow them to attend NC State, whereas otherwise

they might not have considered attending due to financial restrictions. The average age of the

families ranges from 12-28 for sisters and brothers, 38-58 for parents, and 65+ for grandparents.

Looking at hometowns of players, only a third of the team calls North Carolina their home state.

The second most popular hometown of the players is California with five players followed by

Maryland with three. For about half of the families, traveling to games on a regular basis is

possible due to close proximity to NC State. For the other half, appearances at key games and

tournaments is a more likely time to expect their attendance. Young girls and even some high

school girls looking for continuing their career make up a good portion of the persons in

attendance at the home softball games. Most of these girls are currently participating directly in

the sport through local leagues or at the middle school and high school level in the greater

Raleigh area. Some of these local leagues include the YMCA and a youth athletics program run

by the city of Raleigh. The student body of NC State is the target market for our plan to increase

7

attendance. The demographics of this group obviously encompass diversity in every category.

With 40,000 students at NC State and 800 of them being student athletes, students from all of our

backgrounds are constantly looking for entertainment in a sports setting. Wolfpack nation

consistently ranks in the top of the ACC for the most loyal fan bases and this is an area that

needs to be drawn towards our softball program.

Psychographics

Close family and friends of the players will travel at all costs to watch the softball team play.

Not only are they connected just with their family member who is participating in the game, but

they travel to meet with other families and socialize after the games. These families are at the

game for more reasons than just winning. Rain or shine they will be in attendance and make sure

they are cheering on the team through thick and thin. There is a good chance that these families

are also quite healthy and live active lifestyles since the concept of sport was probably passed on

to the player from the parents. Young girls who are a part of city leagues or are members of their

school team usually carry a tremendous spirit of excitement when they come to visit. Sport is at

a state in their life where the game is still played for the fun and enjoyment of it and with less

emphasis on the competitiveness. High school girls may be in attendance with hopes of playing

college softball and are scouting out potential schools they may wish to one day join. The student

body of NC State University is an active group of individuals who regularly attend football and

basketball games for the sake of living out the life of a fan. Winning and losing records have

little effect on the amount of support the students of NC State show towards their athletics

programs. The student body, otherwise known as Wolf Pack nation, carries tremendous

enthusiasm, school spirit, and energy in whatever environment they encompass. This group of

individuals also maintains healthy lifestyles as there are 43 club teams at NC State along with

numerous intramural teams that offer competitive sports.

Product Usage

NC State softball games are held during the late winter and early spring sector of the sports

calendar. For the upcoming 2015 season games will begin play on February 6th and end (not

counting postseason) on April 26th. There are a total of 22 home games with most start times

beginning at the earliest at noon and the latest at 5pm. Tickets are available through the online

8

website Gopack.com for non-guests. Families and friends receive tickets via will call at the

game before each game.

Product Needs/Benefits

NC State softball meets the needs of fans that are considered family members, young girls who

are passionate of the sport, and the student body of NC State. Family of the players wants to

witness their athlete on the field wearing the last name of their family on the back of the jersey.

They get to see their loved one compete in the name of their family as they represent them. A

benefit the family members may receive is the ability to appreciate a game that they may once

have held close to themselves when they were able to play the sport. Through their family

member, they can relive the game and experience the joys of the sport once again. Young girls

and middle/high school players will meet the need for a watching a higher form of softball that is

relatable to them. Younger girls will have hero’s to look up to while high school players will

view the NC State softball team as competition and make comparisons of their own athletic

ability to theirs. For students of NC State, going to a softball game provides an activity in which

they can spend cheering on fellow classmates. The on campus baseball stadium meets the need

of easy access to the field eliminating students having to worry about driving and the extra

expenses of operating a vehicle. After a long day of classes, students can relax at the ballpark,

mingle with other people, work on homework, or enjoy a snack from one of the vendors. Being

that admission for students is free, our marketing plan should further reinforce NC State softball

into the minds of students so that they do not miss out on an exceptional opportunity to

experience the culture of NC State.

Section 2

The target markets we are primarily aiming towards are the local girls K-12 and the student body

of NC State University. We believe these two markets offer the greatest chance of success in

raising attendance at home softball games because they are both sport minded. When looking at

the K-12 population it’s important to look at this as two separate groups, those from

Kindergarten through 5th grade and that 6th through 12th grade. The K-5 population is a group of

9

young girls who are still learning what their interests are in and what sports they find the most

fun. They are more susceptible to positioning softball as their favorite sport only if they are

introduced to the game early on. Our efforts such as making equipment donations available to

youth leagues and holding “youth night” games will help to introduce the sport to them. One

goal is to get these younger players engaged in playing the sport so that they may continue to

pursue playing at a competitive level later on in life. By remaining a softball player we hope

they will remain loyal to Wolf pack Softball and continue their attendance at our home games

with the desire to one day play at NC State. The 6-12th grade group is marketed towards in a

more competitive fashion. These girls are transitioning from the fun side of softball to a more

competitive mindset and possibility of earning a scholarship one day. They want to attend our

games so they can realistically compare themselves to players on the field in terms of athletic

talent to see how they stand. Girls in the K-12 category will also rely on their parents finances to

attend our games and make purchases from our apparel vendors. Another thing to consider is the

parents will want the best for their children, meaning financial support for softball games will be

increased if it allows their kids to pursue their passion. Lastly, the student body gives us a great

opportunity to fill up each and every seat in the stadium. By marketing and reinforcing the fact

that tickets to NC State softball games are free alongside our other marketing tactics, students

will realize that this is a no cost form of entertainment, something every college student is

looking for. Students on campus long for ways to escape the feeling the being locked in a dorm

and getting away from campus buildings. A free softball game in an exciting environment where

the focus is taken away from academics gives these students the fresh new environment they are

seeking. With over 40,000 students, getting just a small handful to take interest in NC State

softball will drastically fill up the stadium capacity.

10

Marketing Goals

Competing in a geographic location such as the triangle consisting of Raleigh, Chapel Hill, and

Durham, presents opportunities that very few schools across the nation can experience. The

competitive nature and boundaries set between Raleigh and nearby cities distinctly separate it

from surrounding schools and thus creates a location where Wolf pack Softball can take hold and

form its own brand. Our mission is to provide the best source of College softball in North

Carolina that entails good value, a persistent fanbase, and fans that are actively connected in the

sport.

The marketing plan we have outlined addresses the current needs of Wolf pack Softball. Our

goals are to increase annual attendance by at least 25%, increase youth involvement, and

restructure our brand image. The tactics we have committed to developing and deploying into

the NC State Softball organization will address the three strategies we are striving towards.

NC State softball has the upper hand of relying on a supportive fanbase such as Wolf pack nation

that we can advantageously use and incorporate into our marketing goals. As such support from

Wolf pack nation is primarily geared towards tier I sports, it’s imperative to find unique ways to

bring in this fanbase. By increasing the popularity of NC State softball through Wolf pack

nation, our new brand, promotional efforts, merchandise, and team “buzz” will receive greater

recognition. Differentiation from other college softball programs will rise from being heavily

involved with the City of Raleigh and youth softball leagues throughout the city. We will be

known as having great team public relations with the City of Raleigh and all youth involved with

softball in the city.

11

VI. Marketing Strategies and Tactics Strategy: Increase the attendance at NCSU women’s softball games by at least 25% Tactic: Raffle System In order to encourage the increase of attendance at North Carolina State University’s softball games, we will first create a raffle system which would interest all three of our top target markets – the NC State student body, greater Raleigh softball fans, and youth softball players. When reviewing our SWOT analysis, we noticed that our greatest weaknesses include the lack of interest of fans to attend season games, as well as the overall small size of the fan base. The incentive program that we have created not only influences the attendance of male and female students, nearby Raleigh residents, and youth softball players to singular games, but their attendance to multiple games throughout the season. In the raffle system that we have created, each time that a fan attends a NC State softball game, their name will be entered in their choice of three raffles. Therefore, the more games that a fan attends, the more likely it will be for them to win a large prize at the drawing which will be held at the final home game of the regular season. This tactic will help to ensure that we are not only encouraging “one-time” fans, but inspiring people to become loyal to our program. If we are able to provide incentives to attend the games, we will gain the opportunity to grab their attention once they are at the game itself.

Our first prize will be aimed at college-aged girls or young women from the Raleigh community. These girls will be entering the drawing for a pair of Bailey’s diamond earrings. The diamond earrings will attract these young women, while also coordinating with our “diamonds are a girl’s best friend” selling proposition and theme. The second prize will be marketed towards youth softball players. This raffle package will include a free week at NC State University’s Softball Camp, matching softball gear with the team, and the opportunity to meet NCSU’s softball players face-to-face. The attendance of young girls will help to increase loyalty to the program at a young age, as well as also bringing parents or other family members to the games. The final drawing prize that we will offer will be aimed at college-aged boys, or young men from the Raleigh community, which will be for a NC State Adidas gear package and a NCSU g-shock watch. In order to fill our prize packages with limited cost to our program, we will be partnering with NC State’s official sponsors, Adidas and Bailey’s Jewelers. See Appendix I for a visual and description of our incentive packages. Strategy: Increase the attendance at NCSU women’s softball games by at least 25% Tactic: Appearance by famous USA softball player Our second tactic for increasing the attendance at North Carolina State University’s Softball games includes the mid-season guest appearance of Jennie Finch, a famous olympic

12

USA softball pitcher. She attended college and played for the University of Arizona, followed by her successful participation in the 2004 and 2008 olympics and the National Pro Fastpitch softball team. Her good looks and great talent will be sure to attract sporting fans and younger softball players from around the Raleigh area to NC State’s softball stadium. Our SWOT analysis revealed that the softball industry has a fairly large number of girls participating in softball at a young age. Due to the amount of participation, interest, and knowledge from young girls, we already have members of the community that would be interested in being present for a famous softball pitcher appearance. In correlation with our raffle system, where prizes are awarded at the end of the season, our guest appearance by Jennie Finch will occur in the middle of the season, which will help to encourage attendance throughout the NC State home softball games. We will advertise for the guest appearance from the beginning of the season by posting on Twitter, announcing the appearance on GoPack.com, and by placing flyers around Carmichael Gym on the week of the event. The visit by Jennie Finch will include a speech at the beginning of the game, a specialty Jennie Finch softball merchandise sale, and a meet and greet and autograph session at the conclusion of the game.

See Appendix II for our Twitter postings.

Strategy: Increase the attendance at NCSU women’s softball games by at least 25% Tactic: Exhibition game between members of the NCSU football team and members of the men’s basketball team When evaluating our SWOT analysis, we decided that our biggest threat includes other, more popular college sports at North Carolina State University. Due to the large amount of football and men’s basketball fans, we have made the decision to involve members of these teams during an NC State women’s softball game. The spring season provides a great opportunity for football and basketball player involvement because neither team will be in their prime playing season, and fans will be eager to see their favorite players.

Therefore, NC State women’s softball will host an exhibition softball game between members of the NCSU football team and members of the men’s basketball team. The exhibition game will be played following an NC State women’s softball game at the kickoff of the season. This will attract other NCSU sporting fans who may not typically attend softball games, but enjoy the sporting environment. In order to view the exhibition game, fans must arrive during the women’s softball game, which will help to increase attendance at the event. There will be an email from NC State athletics which will be sent out to the student body approximately one week before the game. This tactic will be free of cost for the university, so there will not need to be any additional funding. See Appendix III for email notification to the NCSU student body.

13

Strategy: Increase youth involvement as a whole and raise the number of girls participating in softball by 25%. Tactic: Equipment donations after each home game. When completing our SWOT analysis, we identified the large opportunity to reach younger generations of girls as they are coming into college by encouraging their involvement in the sport of softball. If we are able to reach out to these girls at a young age, they are more likely to be interested in the sport as either a participant or as a fan as they grow into college-aged young women.

Our first tactic focuses on the ability that we have to help make youth softball participation more accessible to those who may not have easy or affordable access to equipment. Therefore, we will have an equipment donation box at the NC State softball stadium during every game of the season. Anyone who attends a game will be able to donate new or used equipment that is still in playable condition. Since many of our fans currently or have previously played softball, they are likely to have equipment that they have grown out of and are not using. Anyone who wishes to help children in the community may also purchase new equipment if they wish to donate. All equipment will be donated to the Youth Athletics Program of the City of Raleigh to allow for greater access to the sport of softball. We will make an announcement at the beginning and end of each game to remind our fans of our support and their ability to help the youth softball community with their donations. See Appendix IV for a visual of where our contribution collection will be located. Strategy: Increase youth involvement as a whole and raise the number of girls participating in softball by 25%. Tactic: Youth nights at NC State’s women softball games. In order to help increase youth involvement in the sport of softball as a whole, we would like to designate several games throughout the spring season as “youth nights.” We will send out electronic invitations to local elementary schools, after school programs, and youth softball leagues to attend our specialized youth nights at specific NC State softball games. The invitations will contain information about the game, as well as a signed photograph from each member of the team. We will also urge these programs and teams to provide a bus, van, or other form of transportation to encourage the attendance of the majority of the group or team. Any individual under the age of eighteen who RSVPs will receive a complimentary small popcorn and trading card with a NCSU softball player, including some information about them. Complimentary items may be received at the entrance of the stadium within the first hour of the game.

14

Providing specific nights that are geared towards pleasing youth players will not only increase the attendance at games, but it will help to achieve our strategy of increasing the participation of softball in younger children. If the kids who attend the games have an enjoyable experience, there will be a higher chance that they will want to play the game themselves or continue playing in their league. Group events will help to encourage team bonding, which also promotes the continuation of the sport, even for social reasons.

See Appendix V for the invitation sent to the team and a sample playing card that a child would receive on youth nights. Strategy: Increase youth involvement as a whole and raise the number of girls participating in softball by 25%. Tactic: Increase the participation in NC State University’s summer softball camp by providing a discount system in correlation with game attendance. In order to help encourage the participation of young girls’ participation in softball, we will create the opportunity to decrease the consumer’s cost of NC State’s summer softball camp in order to increase participation and involvement. For every North Carolina State University softball game that a youth girl (eighteen and under) attends, she will receive a 5% discount off of her camp fees. This discount will be applied for up to a total of five games, or 25% for each individual. Discounting the price of camp will likely make it more realistic for young girls to have the opportunity to attend North Carolina State University’s softball camp. The discount may only be applied by the attendance of the games, and may be applied by entering the ticket stub numbers online when registering for camp. By making lower prices available to our target market of youth softball players, we are increasing the opportunity to participate in the softball program. See Appendix VI for a visual and description of our youth camp discount program. Strategy: Create and increase a brand image for North Carolina State University Softball. Tactic: Purchasing exclusive merchandise for local discounts to places of high interest. Our greatest concern when evaluating our SWOT analysis included the small women’s softball fanbase that we have at NC State. Currently, our two of our opportunities and strengths include no charge for admission and the location is convenient for students and local Raleigh residents - therefore, our product is very accessible for fans to attend, and many members of our surrounding population are already loyal supporters of NC State. However, NCSU softball games have very poor attendance and branding. When researching current North Carolina State

15

University softball gear at the student bookstore, no items were found. While this is currently a weakness, the lack of merchandise available gives us the opportunity to begin introducing new products to provide a brand image. Our first tactic to create and increase a brand image for North Carolina State University Softball is to create and market a specific NCSU softball t-shirt that may be exclusively purchased at the NC State on-campus bookstore or the Go Pack store online. In connection with the purchase of the particular shirt, we will partner with Chipotle on Hillsborough Street. Every Tuesday during softball season, we will have “Chipotle Tuesday,” where anyone who wears their exclusive NC State softball t-shirt into Chipotle will receive a 25% discount off of their meal. A “Chipotle Tuesday” flyer will be given to each customer with the purchase of the shirt. Chipotle is already a restaurant near NC State with a high demand; however, our partnership will help to increase the inflow of students to this location. If we are able to influence the purchase of these shirts, then our “Chipotle Tuesday” event will inspire students to wear these t-shirts throughout the entire day, where they will be seen walking around campus with NC State Softball gear, which will help to create awareness and a brand image for the sport. See Appendix VII for our “Chipotle Tuesday” package including a NCSU women’s softball t-shirt and promotional flyer. Strategy: Create and increase a brand image for North Carolina State University Softball. Tactic: Create a specific NC State softball logo. As a part of increasing the brand image for NC State Softball, we will create a recognizable logo that will be used exclusively for the sport and sport products. The logo will be a picture of a pitcher pitching a wolf head (Tuffy), which correlates with our “winding up the pack” slogan. This logo will appear on the official NCSU women’s softball website, on flyers, specific merchandise, and will be present at any NC State Softball event. We will allow our sponsors to use this logo with our approval when we partner for events as well. In our SWOT analysis, we discussed that one of our major threats includes more popular women’s sports, as well as other non-revenue sports. Increasing the use of a specific logo will help to differentiate NC State softball from other non-revenue sports, which in turn will help to create and increase a brand image that will be recognizable and well-known on campus. We plan to begin with exposing the student body, followed by our exposure to the surrounding community. See Appendix VIII for a visual of our NCSU Softball logo. Strategy: Create and increase a brand image for North Carolina State University Softball. Tactic: Starting up a clothing line for NC State Softball.

16

Finally, our third tactic for creating and increasing a brand image for North Carolina State University Softball includes starting up a clothing line specifically for NC State Softball. For this line, we will partner with Adidas, who is already the official sponsor of North Carolina State University athletics. The original designs that we create will be available for purchase at the Go Pack online store, as well as local sporting good stores in order to provide our product to a larger community of fans.

We will also have a specialty line of NCSU women’s softball clothing that will only be available for purchase at NC State softball games at our merchandise booth. These distinct designs will help encourage people to attend the games in order to buy the gear of their choice. If specific merchandise is sold exclusively at home softball games, then people will be more inclined to attend the actual game itself and wear their new gear that supports the team. Our goal is to make these designs “cool” enough for them to stand out and be noticed, as well as be desired for purchase by potential fans, therefore helping to create a brand. Exclusive merchandise will include tank tops for guys as well as t-shirts for girls.

See Appendix IX for a sample of our exclusive merchandise.

VII. Implementation and Control

A. Action Plan

B. Budget When reviewing our marketing plans to help increase attendance at NC State Softball games, increase youth softball participation as a whole, and create and increase the brand image for North Carolina State University Softball, some of our strategies and tactics will cost more

17

money to the program, while others may not cost anything. We have predicted the expected costs of each area of our marketing plan. Our first marketing strategy to increase the attendance at NCSU women’s softball games involves our first tactic of a raffle system, including various prizes. While our diamond earring prize from Bailey’s Jewelers will come at no cost to the university due to our partnership agreement, NC State will be paying for one youth girl to attend the summer NCSU Softball camp. Our sponsorship by Adidas has agreed to cover the costs of the young girl’s matching gear with the team, as well as the young men’s NC State Adidas gear package. The entry fee for the summer softball camp for one girl for a 4-day session is $425. The next marketing tactic that we will need a budget for the appearance of Jennie Finch at one of our mid-season games. We will pay to fly her from her home in Louisiana, as well as stay two nights in the Hampton Inn and Suites in Raleigh. We predict round-trip plane flights to be approximately $500, while the two-night stay in the Hampton to be $250 - totaling at $750. We will also need to include a budget for softball playing cards which will be given away on kids’ nights. We will be able to order 500 printed cards for only $50. Although this small item will not cost much to NC State Softball, it will help to encourage kids to come to games and collect and trade the cards with their teammates and friends. We have allotted $800 to pay for youth camp discounts that may be acquired by attending regular season softball games at North Carolina State University. Any money that is left over from this budget will go towards supplying new and gently used equipment to Raleigh Parks and Recreation softball leagues. We will also be paying to have a professional logo designed that we will be able to access and use for printing, etc. We expect to pay $400 to the graphic designer for the desired North Carolina State University softball logo. We will be able to hold the exhibition game and used sporting goods drive without any cost to the program. All gear involved will be through our contract with Adidas. We will include an additional $300 in our budget for other marketing expenses that may arise. This will also cover printed flyers that will be occasionally posted around Carmichael gymnasium. The total amount of money that we expect to spend will total $2,725.

C. Evaluation Although our marketing plans do not 100% guarantee the production of complete or immediate success, we do believe that we have provided a variety of strong marketing goals, strategies, and tactics to better enhance the overall product of North Carolina State University’s Softball Program. We followed SMART goals throughout our planning, as well as continuous referral to our SWOT analysis of the program. The most effective ways for us to evaluate our plans include receiving personal feedback, as well as completing research once our practices have been put into place.

18

Our first strategy to improve NC State’s softball program includes increasing the attendance at NCSU home softball games. We will measure the attendance at each game by handing out ticket stubs as each fan walks through the entrance to the stadium. We will also take note on the attendance during featured events compared to the attendance at a regular season game where there are no major promotions.

Our second strategy to increase youth participation and involvement in the sport of softball will be measured by the RSVP responses that we receive from youth programs who wish to attend kids night. We will also work with Raleigh Parks and Recreation to ensure that the donated equipment that we obtain is being effectively used by youth in the community who wish to play softball, but would not otherwise be given the opportunity without the funding or access to appropriate equipment. We will not be measuring the overall increase of softball participation in the community, but we will evaluate how well our programs are impacting youth girls relative to our new programs and events that we will be offering.

Our third and final strategy to create a NCSU Softball brand will be measured primarily by merchandise sales. We will also send out a survey to the student body in order to get their opinions on the sport, as well as finding out how much students know about the softball team and games on campus. It is essential that we are able to determine how well we are reaching the student body, as well as the greater Raleigh and softball community.

19

Appendix Appendix I

Some of our largest promotional items include Bailey’s diamond earrings, a four-day session of kids’ softball camp at North Carolina State University, and a men’s NCSU Adidas gear package. Raffle winners will be announced at the last home game of the regular season.

20

Appendix II

21

22

Appendix III Dear Wolfpack,

As the winter sports season comes to a close, we will be starting up the spring season with one last chance for you to see your favorite football and basketball players in action ...playing softball! Don’t miss your chance! We will be holding an exhibition game between the two teams at the conclusion of the first women’s softball game, on February 20, 2015. Be sure to arrive for the lady’s opening game to support the Wolfpack and grab a good seat for the post-game exhibition.

GO PACK! #WindingUpThePack #DiamondsAreAGirlsBestFriend

23

Appendix IV

For your convenience, donation bins for new or gently used softball equipment will be placed near the entrance of the NCSU Softball field during each home game.

24

Appendix V

25

26

Appendix VI

For every NCSU softball game that a girl under the age of 18 attends, she will be able to receive a 5% discount off of her NCSU softball summer camp fees if she wishes to attend. Discounts will go up to a total of 25% off (or five games of attendance).

27

Appendix VII

28

Appendix VIII

Our new NCSU Softball Logo - “Winding up the Pack”

29

Appendix IX

These are several examples of designs for our Adidas merchandise offered exclusively at women’s softball games. Our graphic ideas proposed to Adidas will replace the parrot (above)

30

with a wolf, in the colors of red, white, and black. These will be sure to make a statement to the community.