MONDAY, DECEMBER 11

DIGITAL MEDIAOSPREY 1

FIELDER’S CHOICEMOCKINGBIRD 2

LICENSING & MERCHANDISING

OSPREY 2

SALES, MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

PELICAN

10:10 – 11:10 a.m.

A Digital Path ForwardKatie Davison,

Minor League Baseball

Enhancing and Extending Your Team’s Visual Identity

Brian Gundell, Brian Gundell Graphic Design Co.

How to Maximize the Use of Premium Items

Stephen Avanessian, BDA, LLC

MiLB Enterprises and Communications Update

David Wright,Minor League Baseball

11:20 – 11:50 a.m.

Engage with Fans Through Authentic Social Content

Andrew Kahn, Greenfly

Greener Together: Building Partnerships to Advance the

Triple-Bottom LineRahul Devaskar, Green

Sports Alliance andChip Maxson, Sacramento

River Cats

How Retail Partners Benefit Your Brand in the

MarketplaceHernan Tudela, Major League

Baseball Properties

#MiLBesDivertido: Embracing MiLB’s Diverse

Fan BaseKurt Hunzeker,

Minor League Baseball

2:40 – 3:40 p.m.

Best Practices for Driving Online Ticket Sales

Mike Luteran,MLB Advanced Media and

MiLB Club Panel Moving Diversity Forward*(RSVP is required.)

Online Store SuccessBryan Wilson, Durham Bulls

The New Sports Experience: Understanding Current and

Future FandomSimon Wardle, Octagon

3:50 – 4:50 p.m.

Digital Marketing: Reaching Your Audience and Measuring Success

Katie Rakowski,MLB Advanced Media

Building a Culture of Innovation: World

Champions On and Off the Court

Alex Martins, Orlando Magic

* Located in Lake View Room.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 12

DIGITAL MEDIAOSPREY 1

FIELDER’S CHOICEMOCKINGBIRD 2

LICENSING & MERCHANDISING

OSPREY 2

SALES, MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

PELICAN

9 – 9:30 a.m.

All Butts About It! Who is in That Seat?

Bob Kames, Touch-A-Prize Team Store Buying and Selling 101

Gary Ficken, Bimm Ridder and Craig Katz,

Toledo Mud Hens9:30 – 10 a.m.

New Trends and Technology in Baseball Field

ManagementTim Van Loo, Sports Turf

Managers Association

10 – 10:30 a.m.

Social Advertising TacticsBarbara McHugh,

Major League Baseball

It’s Fun to Be a Fan®

Rewards: Driving MiLBFandom & Loyalty

Bob Legters, FIS andKurt Hunzeker,

Minor League Baseball

2 – 3 p.m. MiLB Digital Network Update

Nathan Blackmon,MLB Advanced Media

Marketing to Moms in a Connected World

Amy Dubinsky and Angie Richison, Feld Entertainment

Understanding Hispanic Fandom: Beyond the MythsHeidi Pellerano, Wasserman

Media Group

3 – 4 p.m. Women in Baseball

Leadership Event* (RSVP is required.)

Building and Protecting Your Brand

Rick Vaughn, Respect 90 Foundation

4 – 5:30 p.m.

DIGITAL MEDIA (OSPREY 1)MONDAY, DECEMBER 11, 10:10 – 11:10 A.M.A DIGITAL PATH FORWARDDigital is a key ingredient in the growth of MiLB and our march to 50 million in attendance. Katie Davison, MiLB’s new Senior Vice President of Digital Strategy & Business Development, will review important digital wins in 2017, key strategies for 2018 and how digital will help us reach MiLB and Club goals now and beyond.Katie Davison, Senior Vice President of Digital Strategy & Business Development, Minor League Baseball

MONDAY, DECEMBER 11, 11:20 – 11:50 A.M.ENGAGE WITH FANS THROUGH AUTHENTIC SOCIAL CONTENTServing authentic content is a key success factor for driving engagement in social media. Connecting with fans through social media/platforms drives both engagement and loyalty, inviting fans to experience the team and the game like never before. Learn how technology can drive your social media posts, making content creation quick, seamless and relevant while bringing fans a new view of your team!Andrew Kahn, Head of Business Development, Greenfly

MONDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2:40 – 3:40 P.M.BEST PRACTICES FOR DRIVING ONLINE TICKET SALESMaximize sales through your website, social mediums, email strategy and digital marketing. Learning more about how your audience interacts with your brand will allow you to effectively remarket to them while driving incremental sales.Mike Luteran, Director of Ticketing, MLB Advanced MediaJenna Byrnes, Senior Vice President, Oklahoma City DodgersJason Gavigan, Vice President of Ticket Operations, Hillsboro Hops

MONDAY, DECEMBER 11, 3:50 – 4:50 P.M.DIGITAL MARKETING: REACHING YOUR AUDIENCE AND MEASURING SUCCESSDigital is no longer the way of the future, it is the way of the present-day consumer. In a rapidly expanding digital landscape, it is imperative that we reach our audiences where they are—online. This presentation will explore how to effectively market to key audiences online and discuss tips for choosing the right digital marketing partners. We will also examine the key role metrics and analytics play in measuring success and establishing takeaways and best practices for application in future on-site, email, social media and external digital marketing campaigns.Katie Rakowski, Digital Marketing Coordinator, MLB Advanced Media

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 10 – 10:30 A.M.SOCIAL ADVERTISING TACTICSTarget, track, optimize and convert. Social media is one of the most effective ways to reach audiences with your message. Learn ways to use advanced advertising tools within social platforms to reach targeted audiences who are most likely to purchase, including leveraging data on your existing fans to acquire new ones!Barbara McHugh, Director of Marketing, Major League Baseball

SESSION DESCRIPTIONS

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2 – 4 P.M.MiLB DIGITAL NETWORK UPDATEJoin the staff of MiLB.com for a review of the 2017 season highlights across the network, including club sites, MiLB.TV and the First Pitch app. We’ll discuss best practices for promoting Minor League Baseball and the clubs’ digital assets. We’ll also share the roadmap and upcoming enhancements for the network, with a look ahead to responsive templates and Page Builder tools.Nathan Blackmon, Director of Minor League Club Initiatives, MLB Advanced Media

FIELDER’S CHOICE (MOCKINGBIRD 2, UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)MONDAY, DECEMBER 11, 10:10 – 11:10 A.M.ENHANCING AND EXTENDING YOUR TEAM’S VISUAL IDENTITYWe’re in a golden age of sports branding. Teams across every league and every sport are taking measured, careful, considered approaches to their names, logos and uniforms in this ever-increasingly scrutinized field.

But what about after the logos are done, dusted and launched? Sure, the logo looks great and the hats and jersey sales are taking off, but then what?

A team’s identity should be more than just the logo. From the website to social media graphics, to schedule posters and even fan giveaways, every piece of collateral needs to be as thoughtfully considered and crafted from a design perspective. Having a complete brand gives teams a competitive edge in the marketplace, and fans recognize and see those differences.

We’ll be discussing examples of some of the best visual identities in sports, what makes them successful and how you can incorporate some of these things into your team’s brand.Brian Gundell, Principal/Creative Director, Brian Gundell Graphic Design Co.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 11, 11:20 – 11:50 A.M.GREENER TOGETHER: BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS TO ADVANCE THE TRIPLE-BOTTOM LINEThis panel will provide a refreshed look at examples of sustainability and partnership development with MiLB clubsand its venues. Incorporating sustainability can be a costly and tedious affair, but utilizing strategic partnership cannot only offset cost, but can develop new pillars for revenue generation and create authentic relationships withinthe community.

Panelists will provide an in-depth look at their existing sustainability partnerships and demonstrate how working with stakeholders in the community and private sector can provide a template for advancing social, environmental and financial success.Rahul Devaskar, Membership Manager, Green Sports AllianceChip Maxson, General Manager, Sacramento River Cats

MONDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2:40 – 4:50 P.M., LAKE VIEW ROOMMOVING DIVERSITY FORWARD (RSVP IS REQUIRED.)Hear from experts in the field of diversity and inclusion as well as executives in the baseball industry who havefound success establishing diverse practices within their respective organizations and communities. The primary focus is providing the business case for diversity and exploring strategies clubs can employ to promote diversity within the industry.

SESSION DESCRIPTIONS

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 9 – 9:30 A.M.ALL BUTTS ABOUT IT! WHO IS IN THAT SEAT?Build your database by identifying those fans in groups, corporate seats and the walk-up crowd. Reach out, inform, engage, interact and reward.Bob Kames, President, Touch-A-Prize

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 9:30 – 10 A.M.NEW TRENDS AND TECHNOLOGY IN BASEBALL FIELD MANAGEMENTThis interactive presentation given by the four STMA/Minor League Baseball Sports Turf Managers of the Year will highlight new technology used in baseball field management and how this technology improves baseball operations. Topics to be covered include equipment, application strategies to suit timing and region, working around game schedules and methods for achieving quality results. Bring your burning questions and problems to hear practical and implementable solutions to fit every budget.Tim Van Loo, President, Sports Turf Managers Association and the Sports Turf Managers of the Year Award Winners

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2 – 3 P.M.MARKETING TO MOMS IN A CONNECTED WORLDMillennial Shmennial. The M-word Feld focuses on is “Mom.” Allow Amy Dubinsky and Angie Richison to share their vibrant success in bringing Disney On Ice, Marvel Universe Live, Sesame Street Live and Monster Jam to the palm of “her” hand. We call “her” Generation C—the Connected Consumer—and Feld Entertainment has her digits. Learn how the worldwide leader in producing and presenting live family entertainment unconventionally reaches Mom in a society of smart phones and social media. This is the session you’ll want to snapchat to your friends.Amy Dubinsky, Vice President of Marketing and Sales – East Central Region, Feld EntertainmentAngie Richison, Director of Event Marketing and Sales – South Region, Feld Entertainment

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 3 – 5:30 P.M., LAKE VIEW ROOMWOMEN IN BASEBALL LEADERSHIP EVENT (RSVP IS REQUIRED.)Join other remarkable and talented women in the baseball industry at the 10th annual Women in Baseball Leadership Event! This event is specifically designed to help support women who have chosen a career in baseball, and currently work for a Minor League Baseball or Major League Baseball team or league. Whether you are a first-year executive, a seasoned pro or someone in between, you will walk away with something to integrate into your life, both personally and professionally, to help elevate your success. You will be able to discuss the opportunities, challenges and career paths other women have taken, empowering yourself and your colleagues in today’s competitive workplace. Don’t miss this opportunity to have important career conversations, build new skills, open your mind to different perspectives and make lasting connections.

LICENSING & MERCHANDISING (OSPREY 2)MONDAY, DECEMBER 11, 10:10 – 11:10 A.M.HOW TO MAXIMIZE THE USE OF PREMIUM ITEMSMinor League Baseball teams are known for their fun and sometimes quirky giveaways, such as bobbleheads, rally towels, or T-shirts shot out of a cannon. But are you making the most of this crowd-boosting technique? Learn more about the top premium giveaway items and how working with sponsors not only draws fans but enhances your brand in the community.Stephen Avanessian, Vice President of Client Services, BDA, LLC

SESSION DESCRIPTIONS

MONDAY, DECEMBER 11, 11:20 – 11:50 A.M.HOW RETAIL PARTNERS BENEFIT YOUR BRAND IN THE MARKETPLACEApplying his 30 years of experience in retail marketing, management and consumer products licensing, Hernan Tudela will discuss the goals, objectives and benefits of Minor League Baseball’s retail partners and why we support and encourage their keen interest in selling our licensed products. Lids, Amazon, Fanatics and Dick’s Sporting Goods are hopping on board and that’s a great thing for team brand exposure and awareness. Learn how you can work with these vendors to increase sales both in and out of the ballpark.Hernan Tudela, Consumer Products Account Executive, Major League Baseball Properties

MONDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2:40 – 3:40 P.M.ONLINE STORE SUCCESSLearn how to maximize your online store sales by utilizing tools you already have at your fingertips! This seminar will show you different ways to use the reports that are already generated to increase efficiency, customer service and sales. We will explain how to use these tools to gain new information and help increase traffic to your online store.Bryan Wilson, Director of Merchandising/Team Travel, Durham Bulls

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 9 – 10 A.M.TEAM STORE BUYING AND SELLING 101Seasoned wholesale and retail marketplace veterans share their best practices in inventory management. Topics included in this discussion are planning your open to buy, buying deadlines and making sure not to miss them, tricks to create a variety of product mix, and how to determine the proper product mix. These tried and true methods will help maximize your retail store sales.Gary Ficken, President & Co-Owner, Bimm RidderCraig Katz, Director of Merchandise and Licensing, Toledo Mud Hens

SALES, MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS (PELICAN)MONDAY, DECEMBER 11, 10:10 – 11:10 A.M.MiLB ENTERPRISES AND COMMUNICATIONS UPDATEIn Minor League Baseball’s collective quest to become a dynamic leader in sport and entertainment and commitment to create sustainable enterprise-wide value (Clubs + League), Enterprises remains keenly focused on driving commercial revenue and next-generation fan growth. Led by MiLB Chief Commercial & Marketing Officer David Wright, this presentation will outline the key wins and storylines in 2017 as well as a top line Enterprises year in review. In addition, David will highlight MiLB’s strategies and key priorities for long-term growth in 2018 and beyond.David Wright, Chief Marketing & Commercial Officer, Minor League Baseball

MONDAY, DECEMBER 11, 11:20 – 11:50 A.M.#MiLBESDIVERTIDO: EMBRACING MiLB’S DIVERSE FAN BASEWith one overarching fan objective – to eclipse 50 million annual attendees – MiLB introduced its new 10-year “It’s Fun to Be a Fan®” consumer engagement initiative in 2017. As part of the national campaign, MiLB unveiled its first league-wide multicultural initiative, Es Divertido Ser Un Fan™, a concerted effort to authentically engage and recruit U.S. Hispanics/Latinos nationwide. Led by Kurt Hunzeker, VP, Marketing Strategy & Research for MiLB, this engaging presentation will highlight various strategies, insights and tactics focused on successful marketing to this coveted consumer. He will also provide some case studies that demonstrate MiLB’s strategic plan and tactical execution to cultivate the next generation of MiLB fans.Kurt Hunzeker, Vice President of Marketing Strategy & Research, Minor League Baseball

SESSION DESCRIPTIONS

MONDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2:40 – 3:40 P.M.THE NEW SPORTS EXPERIENCE: UNDERSTANDING CURRENT AND FUTURE FANDOMThere has never been a better time to be a fan. Conversely, there has never been a more complex time to be a marketer. Overseeing the global multifaceted insights and strategy research for one of the preeminent agencies in the world designed to maximize impact for industry-leading clients (e.g., Mastercard, Allstate, BMW, Cisco, Delta Air Lines), Simon Wardle, Chief Strategy Officer for Octagon, provides an insider’s look into the evolving sport and entertainment marketing landscape.

Named among the Top 20 Most Innovative People in Sports by SportBusiness International, Simon is the architect of Octagon’s Passion Driver® platform, pioneering research designed to understand why fans are fans, andPassion Shift™, quantifying how fans feed their passion for sport across a myriad of channels. He will provide attendees a look at the new realities of sports fandom, along with the most critical trends in sports marketingand fan consumption.Simon Wardle, Chief Strategy Officer, Octagon

MONDAY, DECEMBER 11, 3:50 – 4:50 P.M.BUILDING A CULTURE OF INNOVATION: WORLD CHAMPIONS ON AND OFF THE COURTAs CEO of the Orlando Magic with more than 20 years of experience in professional sports management, Alex Martins has spearheaded the transformation across all business and basketball operations that has positioned the Magic as a world-class organization. More importantly, Alex has created a culture that embraces disruptive change and innovation, as evidenced by its mission statement: To Be World Champions On and Off the Court, Delivering Legendary Moments Every Step of the Way. MiLB Chief Commercial & Marketing Officer David Wright will conduct an exclusive and candid sit-down with Alex to discuss key organizational learnings and personal insights on how the Magic continue to be an industry-leader in innovation and organizational excellence.Alex Martins, Chief Executive Officer, Orlando Magic

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 10 – 10:30 A.M.IT’S FUN TO BE A FAN® REWARDS: DRIVING MiLB FANDOM & LOYALTYLoyalty consumers are 1/10th the cost to market to than regular consumers. One of the proven and most cost-effective ways to influence consumer behavior is through an incentive program that rewards actions, both financial and non-financial. In exchange for these positive consumer actions within a brand-controlled loyalty program, companies can easily identify “disconnected” buyers not enrolled, “dormant” registered users and the “active” fans who openly communicates its commitment to the brand.

Collaborating with new, long-term partners FIS and Tickets.com (TDC), MiLB is working towards the launch of the League’s first-ever national loyalty program: MiLB It’s Fun to Be a Fan Rewards. This session will outline the steps being taken to launch the national loyalty program and what it could mean for MiLB and participating MiLB teams. In addition, the audience will take an in-depth look into the best-in-class examples and traits of successful loyalty programs in various industries that drove sustainable, long-term growth.Bob Legters, Senior Vice President & Chief Product Officer, FISKurt Hunzeker, Vice President of Marketing Strategy & Research, Minor League Baseball

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2 – 3 P.M.UNDERSTANDING HISPANIC FANDOM: BEYOND THE MYTHSAs Executive Vice President of Brands at Wasserman Media Group, Heidi Pellerano currently leads Wasserman’s brand division and multicultural practice, which consults with all brand clients on a wide range of business challenges including sponsorship strategies, negotiations, digital amplification, and measurement across sports, entertainment and lifestyle verticals.

SESSION DESCRIPTIONS

Leveraging her expertise and extensive client research, Heidi will highlight key insights into the consumption of sports by Hispanics in the U.S. The presentation will provide an in-depth look at Hispanic sports fans, including a broad perspective of the sports they consume, how they consume them and their attitudes toward different sources of information and sponsors. In addition, Heidi will debunk some of the misinformation on Hispanics and sports that is guiding many of today’s business decisions and provide some best practices and thought starters on how to win with Hispanic baseball fans.Heidi Pellerano, Executive Vice President of Brands, Wasserman Media Group

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 3 – 4 P.M.BUILDING AND PROTECTING YOUR BRANDLongtime major league communications director and current Executive Director of Chicago Cubs Manager Joe Maddon’s Respect 90 Foundation, Rick Vaughn will discuss the importance of building your club’s brand and protecting it at all times. Everyone associated with your team has the opportunity on a daily basis to enhance your club’s brand or potentially damage what you’ve built. Vaughn will discuss ways to build and protect your brand in your community and on social media and ways your organization can put itself in a position to handle unexpected threats to your brand and organization.Rick Vaughn, Executive Director, Respect 90 Foundation

SESSION DESCRIPTIONS

INTRODUCING THE

NEW & IMPROVEDBASEBALL AMERICA.

ISSUE NO. 1721/170902 • SEPT. 22–OCT. 6, 2017

M A J O R S ◆ M I N O R S ◆ D R A F T ◆ C O L L E G E ◆ l I N T E R N A T I O N A L

®

PRODIGYTHEBRAVES TEEN PHENOM RONALD ACUNA IS OUR MINOR LEAGUE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

MINOR LEAGUE ALL-STARS TOP 10 COLLEGE RECRUITING CLASSES

01.indd 1

9/6/17 12:47 PM

More in-depth features on the players, personalities and trends of the game

Expanded rankings, draft, college and high school coverage

The best insight on the prospects and future stars

BaseballAmerica.com