Reference no: EM133103498

Chapter 13 Planning for a New Event

David Tompkins sat in his third-floor office contemplating the new challenge dropped in his lap by his employer, Excellent Events, Inc. David has been working for Excellent Events as Northeast Regional Director of 3-on-3 Basketball Operations for the past 4 years. David's job responsibilities involve overseeing all operational details and sponsorship properties of the 3-on-3 basketball tournaments run by Excellent Events. This morning at a meeting with the company's CEO, David had been presented with a new challenge. Excellent Events wants to expand into the soccer market, hosting soccer tournaments throughout the Northeast region. Excellent Events has been in the 3-on-3 basketball tournament business for over 10 years. The company has seen participation in these tournaments start to fall in recent years, so it is looking to introduce a new sporting event. After researching various potential events, such as beach volleyball and lacrosse, the company decided to go with soccer. It was up to David Tompkins to organize and run these soccer tournaments in his territory.

Raised in Minnesota, David had never played organized soccer while growing up. But while working in the Northeast over the past 4 years, he had realized that soccer was a popular sport in the area. Just how popular, though, he wasn't sure, and he made a note on the notepad in front of him to find out. David also wasn't familiar with the rules of soccer, the equipment that would be needed, the different formats used for soccer tournaments, the age classifications used for playing divisions, risk management or liability concerns surrounding the sport of soccer, or even the types of youth soccer leagues and organizations that might already exist in the area. Again, the pen was busy scratching down ideas and thoughts on the pad of paper in front of him.

David was also well aware of the financial goals of Excellent Events. He realized that the financial success of the soccer events was contingent on a combination of team registration fees and corporate sponsorships. But he also knew that the demographics for soccer participants might differ from what he knew regarding participants and spectators for the 3-on-3 basketball tournaments. David also wanted to explore the possibility of the event giving back to the community, perhaps through a connection with a local charitable organization. Once again David made note of these thoughts

David had never felt so challenged in his life. Although he considered himself a great event manager, he was not sure how much of his success at running 3-on-3 basketball tournaments would transfer to this new venture. However, one thing he had learned in his 4 years as an event manager was that attention to details sprinkled with creativity could carry an event manager far.

Questions

1. David decided the first thing he needed to do was to research the sport of soccer in his area. What types of information would you suggest that David research and collect?

2. Although David is well aware of the equipment and supplies necessary to run a 3-on-3 basketball tournament, he lacks familiarity with the sport of soccer. Depending on the age divisions of the participants, the equipment might vary (e.g., a smaller soccer ball and goal size might be used for younger age divisions that play on a smaller field). Provide a comprehensive list of all equipment required to successfully operate a soccer event.

3. Given the demographics and psychographics of soccer participants and spectators, what types of corporations should David target for sponsorship solicitation?

4. What suggestions would you have for David in terms of a marketing strategy? How should David market these new tournaments?