Sport Events & Facility Management Quickfire Assignment
Every event, be it sport affiliated or otherwise, has to have a starting point somewhere. In class, we've discussed how that often is with the simple setting of goals and objectives. Without a clearly defined purpose, the odds of success for an event are markedly low. Goals and objectives should not just exist as something to be put on paper but should be a part of an event organizers' DNA.
For this QA, I want you to try and replicate what we did informally in class with Miami University football, and conduct a P-A-P-E-R Test to attempt to outline the objectives of a sports event of your choosing. This event can be as big as something like the Super Bowl or something smaller like a recreational event. I only request that you do not use Miami University football in your QA as we examined that in class.
In this QA, you should focus on the following:
Primary Objective - What is the primary objective of this event, in your opinion? Some events have their primary objectives written out concretely and explicitly on official documents, websites, etc. while you may have to make an inference for others.
Regardless, you shouldn't need more than two sentences to sum this up. Additionally, in your opinion, do you feel the event has done a good job to meet this objective (if it's been held before).
Secondary Objectives - This is where the P-A-P-E-R Test comes in. In each area, try to boil down each part of the P-A-P-E-R Test into three or four secondary objectives that fit each part of the test. I *highly* recommend you check out some of the examples in "Play 1" in the textbook to see how some of these secondary objectives are written out on paper. This part of the assignment does require you to "step into the shoes" of the organizers of the event to see things from their perspective.
Promotion - How does your event use marketing and communication strategies to inform audiences about the event? Does it operate through traditional means or through social media? Or both? What objectives does the event try to meet with it's promotional tactics? Is it more short-term based like attendance or awareness or with a longer-term goal in mind like leaving a lasting legacy?
Example: Use Twitter to reach college students to fill up student section.
Audience - What groups are the organizers of this event targeting? Why? Are they going after a broad audience or a more narrow one? And are some of the secondary objectives based on a long-term organizational goal of changing a target market for the organization? For instance, is a golf event going after a more millennial audience as opposed to a traditional older audience?
Example: Utilize street team to give out weekend passes to college students to local pro golf tournament
Partnerships - What are some of the event's partnerships with corporate sponsorships? How are these sponsors involved? Are they short-term partnerships or have they been with this organization for a long time?
Example: Partner with Skyline Chili to raise funds to renovate stadium dugout area.
Environment - Who are this organization's competitors? Think in narrow and broad terms. For example, the NFL doesn't have any professional football competitors, but they have plenty of entertainment competitors in a more general sense. How does this organization eliminate stressors that could keep fans away? How does this organization use this event to stand out from rivals? Are there any stereotypes about the organization that this event has tried to break free from?
Example: Convince fans that a Cincinnati Reds game is a stress-free weekend event friendly to families, unlike a Cincinnati Bengals game.
Revenue - Where does this event get its revenue from? Ticket sales? TV deals? Secondary revenue such as concessions and merchandise sales on-site? Does this event also associate with charities and help raise funds for them? In your estimation, is this event expensive to put on, necessitating a large amount of revenue being brought in?
Example: Bring in $10 million in gate revenue to help cover operational costs.
Please remember to use in-line citations and APA style citations for your reference page at the end as you gather research to back up your points (as you should). Also remember that I'll be picking a handful of you to explain your QA in class the first class after the due date, so be prepared to speak about your QA for a few minutes. As always, I'm available to answer any questions by e-mail or through office hours.