STARKVILLE — Mississippi State baseball fans filed into Dudy Noble Field on a Wednesday afternoon to see their Bulldogs take on Memphis.
But what they saw first was a camel. As part of a marketing promotion by the MSU marketing department, fans were able to take pictures with a camel before the April 13 game.
It was a smart idea, making a play on the GEICO commercial — a camel walks around asking people what day it is and shouting “hump day,” because it’s a Wednesday. The hump day theme has been a big sensation, especially on social media sites like Twitter. So MSU decided to use it as a promotion to get fans to come to a random midweek game.
“We want our fans to have fun,” MSU Assistant Athletic Director of Marketing Leah Beasley said. “We want them to show up and enjoy themselves. Then they’ll go back and tell more people what they experienced at the game. It’s all about repeat customers.”
Being creative and catering to fans’ needs, the MSU marketing department has been an integral part in the rise in attendance several teams have seen. The last school year saw record numbers for soccer, football, women’s basketball, softball and baseball.
Sports like football and baseball don’t need much marketing because Bulldog fans will come out in droves to watch Dan Mullen and John Cohen’s teams fight on the gridiron and diamond, respectively. It’s the smaller, non revenue sports like soccer, women’s basketball and softball that marketing matters.
In order to get fans to come to those smaller sports, the marketing department utilized the stage football and men’s basketball presented.
“One thing we do a pretty good job of is cross promotion,” Beasley said. “What we need to do then is use those platforms that are already there and are successful, and then plug in to the consumer’s mind, our customers’ minds, how much fun soccer, volleyball, softball, our olympic sports and non revenue sports are.”
Those cross promotions include commercials with the student-athletes, mentioning a match or game in the coming days and having those teams on hand. Usually when the teams are on hand for a men’s basketball game, they play mini games with the fans during halftime or throw out t-shirts.
Senior Associate Athletic Director Scott Wetherbee gives freedom to Beasley and her staff to work on off-the-wall promotions like the camel. They even shot a commercial with baseball player Brent Rooker asking his coaches what day it was and shouting “hump day,” to advertise the camel. But as Wetherbee points out, they aren’t trying to reinvent the wheel.
“A lot of times it’s just based on previous years and coming back and looking at what actually attracted, whether it was a giveaway or a nice day,” Wetherbee said. “It was a plan in place of just putting the best fan experience out there. Letting them try to see, touch, feel, be a part of and feel engaged.”
For sports like soccer and softball, which are free admission, there are interactive games at halftime and in-between innings. At a softball game, it’s not uncommon for marketing to bring out a mystery box and pair it with a piece of MSU merchandise. The participant can either take the MSU merchandise (a cup, t-shirt, etc.) or what’s in the mystery box. Sometimes the box is better, sometimes it’s not.
In the spirit of American soccer fans, marketing gave out free scarves prior to a soccer game.
But first and foremost, marketing wants to connect fans with coaches and student-athletes.
“Taking that approach, you feel like you get to know the players and have an intimate setting, you want to come back,” Wetherbee said. “We try to create that, make it fun with music, giveaways and make concessions cheaper so families will come.”
Autograph and photograph sessions postgame are common with MSU’s smaller sports. Softball players take the stands after the game to interact with fans, many of whom they see every weekend. Beasley said the coaches and student-athletes are on the same page when it comes to marketing and they want to be accessible to the fans in order to increase attendance.
“It’s all about having fun,” Beasley said. “We harp on the student-athlete and the fan experience. Those are two huge things”
Beasley and her co-workers won the 2016 Marketing Team of the Year Award at the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators Convention earlier this month.
Even though the hard work paid off with an increase in fan attendance and national recognition from their peers, the marketing department doesn’t want to get complacent.
“We do the same thing that is successful and then we add to it,” Beasley said. “We’re always looking to see what succeeded and how we can make it even better. How can we wow our fans. We want to take it one step further.”
MSU’s marketing department wants to create an environment that is fun for fans of all kids — students, families and long-time season ticket holders.
As Beasley points out, a single experience could lead to fans returning.
“All that we ask for is you to come one time. Come one time and we’re going to get you hooked. We’re going to make sure you have a good time,” Beasley said.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait
Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.
