Marketing Lacrosse in Southwest, VA

Presentation by:Bryant Burnheimer

Ashley DawsonMark PictonRocky Weiss

Mission

To successfully implement, integrate and expand a girls lacrosse program into the

Southwest Virginia area.

Research & AnalysisSBRnetRoanoke TimesTeam IntelligenceUS lacrossePersonal experienceSGMA

Consumer:Strength

• Parents want their kids to stay active• Attract girls that did not make other youth sports• Has more footwork then softball or baseball

Threats• Risk of injury• Girls not getting playing time• Girls not interested in a “new” sport• Pressure from parents to win

Opportunity• To grow athletically• To build friendships• Develop hand eye coordination• Become better at their respective positions

Weakness• Can be costly for low income parents• Girls can attain injuries• Low attendance and knowledge of sport due to it being new

Competitor:Strength

•Not expensive to play•Plenty of fields to play•Good tradition in this area•Plenty of spectators•Sport stars to look up too (Mia Hamm)

Threats•Risk of injury•Girls not getting playing time•Pressure from parents to win•Decreasing field space due to pressure from other sports or over usage•Increasing registration fees due to poor economy

Opportunity•To grow athletically•To build friendships•Maintain a healthy lifestyle•Learn good sportsmanship•Grow in sport to advance to college and professional level

Weakness• high risk of child getting hurt• pressure from coaches to win

Company:Strength

•Fastest growing sport in last 5 years•Brine is solely a women’s lacrosse manufacturer of equipment•Many companies are jumping on board the product lines (Brine, Warrior Sports, Adidas, etc.)

Threats•Limited experience coaches available•Lack of corporate sponsorships•Bypassing established tradition of soccer in the area

Opportunity•Ability to implement instructional camps in the area•Establish relationships with retailers

Weakness• not many lacrosse camps out there to produce athletes

Climate:Strength

•Lacrosse incorporates many sports to establish a high paced game•No team cuts, so players do not have to worry about making team•Good social experience

Threats• Bad economy, parents don’t have as much disposable income• Community may not be ready to accept lacrosse• Athletes may not be willing to change to new sport

Opportunity•The market here is untapped, just waiting to be discovered•The popularity of soccer will enable lacrosse players to both use players and the field space

Weakness•Low market share in this area•Women’s market is still in the growth stage

Segmentation:Young female athletes in the NRVFemale competitors willing to try out a new

“edgy” sport that combines aspects of other

sportsTotal youth participation in the U.S.

17% of lacrosse participation from the South compared to 60% in the Northeast

Segmentation:States With Most Youth Players1. Maryland......................... 50,8562. New York........................ 38,6453. Massachusetts............... 18,2424. Pennsylvania.................. 16,8105. New Jersey.................... 16,1926. Connecticut.................... 13,3467. California........................ 10,3668. Virginia........................... 10,2329. Ohio.................................. 5,86510. New Hampshire.............. 5,433

US Lacrosse Membership1998: 43,6961999: 62,4072000: 78,3542001: 95,4102002: 118,4152003: 142,7172004: 165,3282005: 178,1752006: 213,8762007: 235,087

*Growth in Youth Market about 10% a year

*Growth in High School Market about 19% a year

Target Market Decisions:

Females ranging in age from 7-18Sport participants willing to try out a new sport in the spring

Soccer, volleyball, basketball, cross country, softball

Attract girls by advertising through elementary, middle and high schools

Sports Marketing Mix Decisions & Strategies:

Attract and hire coaches to start the groundwork in building an established program Contact local soccer coaches to spread the word and link up with them to attract athletesCoincide with soccer to share field spaceContact vendors to establish discount deals for players on equipmentUse the “edgy” appeal and new “market” freshness to draw in participants

Product :Lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in the last 5 yearsThe “edgy” appeal and the ideal combination of other sports attributes within lacrosse will attract athletes of all agesLack of coaches due to the infancy of the sport is preventing the current leagues from accepting all the playersConvince local female athletes that lacrosse is a good spring alternative to soccer

Price:Price of equipment is reasonable compared

to softball but still a little more than soccerEstimate of roughly $140 for full equipment

to play (stick, goggles, cleats, mouthpiece)Opportunity for prices to go down once

more vendors enter the marketOf course goalie equipment would cost

more $

$34.99-$199.99

$40.99-$99.99

$1.50-$19.99

$39.99-89.99

Place:Southwest , VAPromote lacrosse as a link with soccer so

you can share both participants, fans, and

field spaceSome current athletes are hesitant to

change if they already are good at one sport

Promotion:Market the sport through radio broadcasts,

TV commercials, and promotional campsPromote opportunities to play sport and

achieve scholarships in collegeMake contact with vendors to send

representatives to local middle school and

high schools Hire high quality coaches to help coach and

attract young females to play

Marketing Management Strategies:

• Implementation

- Use of funds to advertise for youth

lacrosse and create an interest

- Hold information sessions for parents

and prospective coaches

- Hold clinicals for athletes and coaches on awareness of the sport- Get VHSL approval and assistance and

distribute information through all high schools in region

Marketing Management Strategies:

• Management:– Establish a budget that suits the economy of SW,

Virginia– Have a year round (Fall to summer) league– Monthly league committee meeting– Establish positive relationships with surrounding

soccer leagues and programs

• Evaluation and Adjustment– Analyze amount of participants in a 2 year span to see

if there is a positive growth

Conclusion

Operation Youth Lacrosse: SUCCESS!