Firebirds and SportsFans USA Develop Partnership to Market a New Fan Rewards Program
December 20, 2002 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Albany/Indiana Firebirds News Release
INDIANAPOLIS - SportsFansUSA, a leader in Internet strategy and development, announced today that the Indiana Firebirds have agreed to a 3-year deal in the development of MarketRewards(tm), a new suite of online products which revolutionizes customer loyalty/retention programs in the sports industry by eliminating the need to invest in technology.
MarketRewards(tm) provides real-time rewards promotions, event planning, fan interaction, and profitability information, as well as critically important trend analysis and forecasting to help support the decision-making processes in many areas of database marketing and customer retention strategies.
"By teaming up with Sports Fans USA we will become the first professional sports team in the Indianapolis sports market to offer a Fan Reward program," said Joe Hennessy, General Manager of the Indiana Firebirds. "Sports Fans USA will help us develop a fan friendly loyalty program that will boost our revenue, keep current fans and encourage new fans to attend games."
SportsFans USA will also be working with the Indiana Firebirds to complete the development of an online group sales program for Firebirds.com and the integration of MarketMail(tm) to use as its permission-based email service for fans.
"We're excited to be working with one of the top-rated football teams in the Arena Football League," said Ken Jenkins, President of SportsFans USA. "We look forward to helping the Firebirds develop their fan relationship strategies."
In addition to tracking its best customers, the Firebirds plan to slice customer data by such opportunistic prompters as fan attendance trends, birthdays and merchandise purchases. They will be able to use that information to create "surprises and delights" direct-mail and email campaigns with birthday and gift cards, or "we've missed you" notes with gift certificates or coupons attached, designed to win back fans who haven't attended a game for a while. "This value-added program is the impetus behind our attendance goals for the upcoming seasons," Hennessy says.
The Firebirds also hope that the program will help offset some of its production and print advertising expenses. "We were looking for a way to connect with [existing] fans, rather than blindly looking for new fans to come to Conseco Fieldhouse," Hennessy says. "This allows us to strategically use our marketing dollars to attract new fans, but once we find out who they are, it's then about how we continue to add the value."
About SportsFans USA
SportsFans USA is a strategic marketing, technology, and management agency providing "Championship Solutions Since 1993." We specialize in relationship, database, and Internet marketing, innovative website and software design, and business development planning that move products and position companies. We assist corporations in making significant changes to their marketing strategies and operations in anticipation of, or in response to, shifts in their business and/or marketing environments. Our solutions impact the fundamental business strategies of the clients we serve.
About the SportsFans USA Team
For 10 years, companies such as Pacers Sports & Entertainment, Dreyer & Reinbold BMW, Infiniti, and Volkswagen, and the Indiana Firebirds, have approached SportsFans USA to develop products that produce new revenues, enhance current revenues, and cut expenses through both business acumen and technology. Our long-term clients are secure knowing that we will recommend and implement solutions that generate increased sales volume, demonstrate a strong return on investment, and be within their budgetary and staffing constraints. Some of these solutions include SportsFans USA´s MarketMail(tm), MarketRewards(tm), FanPhotos(tm), GroupTix(tm), and e-WebLink(tm). To learn more about the SportsFans USA Team, please visit us on the Web at www.SportsFansUSA.com for an interesting look at SportsFans USA´s business philosophy and the future of doing business online.
The 2003 season marks the historic debut of the AFL on NBC. The network will broadcast 71 games next season, including all playoff games and ArenaBowl XVII on June 22. The Firebirds kick off the 2003 regular season on Sunday, February 2nd on the road against the Detroit Fury which will be aired on UPN Indiana. The Birds home opener is slated for Sunday, February, 16th versus the Chicago Rush live on NBC Sports. Firebirds' season tickets for the 2003 season are on sale now and can be purchased by calling a Firebirds' ticket representative at 317.472.8080. Firebirds merchandise is also available at Home Court Gift Shop. For merchandise information, please call 317.917.2755.
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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from December 20, 2002
- Firebirds and SportsFans USA Develop Partnership to Market a New Fan Rewards Program - Albany/Indiana Firebirds
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