Rmfc Plan Book

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Real Maryland Football ClubMarketing and Advertising

Executive Summary

May 30, 2009

Samuel Youn



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Table of Contents

Introduction……………………………………………………………………………….. 3

Industry Overview………………………………………………………………………... 3

History, Trends, and Outlook…………………………………………………….. 3

Competition………………………………………………………………………. 5

Historical Overview………………………………………………………………………. 6

Product Analysis…………………………………………………………………………. 7

Consumer Research……………………………………………………………………… 9

Advertising /Sales Strategy……………………………………………………….……… 7

Print Advertisements – Flyers……………………………………………………. 10

Grass Roots Marketing…………………………………………………………… 15

Cold Calls………………………………………………………………………… 17

Appendix………………………………………………………………………………….. 20



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Introduction

Real Maryland Football Club is an emerging business in the soccer industry. Having completedtheir first season successfully, Real Maryland Football Club is looking to challenge D.C.

United’s market control, as it is the only other professional soccer team in the D.C. Metropolitanarea. The D.C. metropolitan area boasts one of the largest youth soccer memberships in thenation and the market is hungry for entertaining professional soccer. Real Maryland FootballClub will offer local soccer fans a professional soccer experience through camps, communitydays and professional matches.

Industry Overview

History, Trends, and Outlook

History of the United Soccer League

In 1990, the A League (American Professional Soccer League) was sanctioned as a

Division 2 professional soccer league by FIFA.i

In 2004, the A League became the United Soccer League having formed from the

original A league Teams.

The USL is a second tier professional soccer league behind Major League Soccer (MLS).

There is no merit based system of promotion and relegation between divisions.

Participation in each league is usually determined by fiscal capabilities to carry the

operating costs of expanding into higher leagues.

History of the United Soccer League Division 2

Known as USL-2, the USL-2 is the second division of the United Soccer League.

Sanctioned as a third tier professional soccer league by FIFA, the USL-2 began as the

United Systems of Independent Soccer Leagues (USISL) Pro Soccer League.

In 2005, the league took the name as USL Second Division.

There are currently nine teams in the USL Second Division. The Cleveland City Stars

are the reigning 2008 champions.



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Trends

Major League Soccer is the leader in the professional soccer industry. The inaugural

season was in 1996 with 10 teams. The MLS now consists of 15 teams and looks to

continue expansion to 20 teams by 2012. As a young league, it is estimated that MLS has

lost $350 million dollars since its conception according to a report written in 2004 by

Business Week.ii Professional soccer in the United States continues to struggle as

stadium attendance and television audiences have dropped. The MLS average attendance

in 2008 season is recorded as 16,459 while the USL average season attendance is

recorded as 5,164 and 7,786 during the playoffs. iii

The D.C. metropolitan is a rich market for soccer. There are over 15,000 registeredyouth soccer players Montgomery County (MSI) alone and over 63 teams in themetropolitan elite league (National Capital Soccer League).

Soccer fans in the D.C. metropolitan area are hungry for a local professional team tosupport.

The Professional Soccer Industry

Professional soccer in the United States has a long history dating back to the late 1800’s

and early 1900’s. Currently there are several professional soccer leagues divided into

different tiers of the American Soccer Pyramid. Major League Soccer is the first division

(top tier) of professional soccer followed by the United Soccer League and the United

Soccer League Division 2. Below USL-2, there are several leagues in the fourth tier of

the American Soccer Pyramid including the USL Development League, National Premier

Soccer League and the Pacific Coast Soccer League. There are currently no merit based

systems of promotion or relegation between the different leagues.iv Expansion

requirements set by each division must be met in order to claim a position in each of the

leagues. The Lamar Hunt US Open Cup is a competition dating back to 1915 and has

teams competing from MLS, USL, and USASA.v



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Competition

Primary Competition: D.C. United

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Strengths: D.C. United is considered the

soccer team of the D.C. Metropolitan area

as a team in the MLS. D.C. United has

great local media exposure with Comcast

Sports Nets and ESPN2. D.C. United is

also has a great support group and has an

average attendance of 14,289 as of May 2,

2009.vi Fans are willing to travel long distances to Washington D.C. on game

days. DC. United already has established partnerships with major youth soccer leagues in the area.

Weaknesses: D.C. United does not have its own stadium and uses R.F.K Baseball

Stadium as its home ground. Ticket prices are more expensive starting at $22

topping off at $50. Most fans are not from Washington D.C., rather they come

from the D.C. metropolitan area.vii

Secondary Competition: Crystal Palace Baltimore

Crystal Palace Baltimore is a rival team in

the USL second division. Founded in 2006,

Crystal Palace Baltimore is part of the

development system of the English club,

Crystal Palace. Crystal Palace Baltimore

had an average attendance of 1,293 in the

2008 season.viii

Strengths: A major strength of Crystal

Palace F.C. is its association with a

reputable Crystal Palace in England.

Weaknesses: Crystal Palace Baltimore is located far from our primary market.

Both competitors play at the highest professional level in the United States backed withconsiderable funding. However, Real Maryland Football Club is the only local



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professional soccer team for soccer fans living outside Washington D.C. Real MarylandFootball Club’s partnership with Sporting Gijon of La Liga creates great interest as 4youth players are sent to Spain to train with the professional youth squad. Exceptional players from the professional team are also offered the chance to train with the SportingGijon professional first team.

Historical Overview

In 2007, Maryland Soccer Enterprises, LLC announced ownership of the new Division 2

club, Maryland F.C. ix

Real Maryland Football Club managed only three wins in its inaugural season but boasts

a squad of promising talent led by new Coach Anthony Hudson, the youngest manager in

the United States with an UEFA – A license.

Real Maryland begins its second season in 2009 and aims to reach the playoffs of United

Soccer League Division 2.



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Product Analysis: Real Maryland F.C.

Ownership and Management

Real Maryland F.C. is owned by Maryland Soccer Enterprises, LLC. Victor Moran is the

principle owner of the club. Moran previously managed an amateur club, Club España,

in the Northern Virginia Soccer League.x

The General Manager for Real Maryland F.C. is David Noyes. Noyes graduated from

Stonehill College in 1999 and has professional soccer experience as a goalkeeper in USL

2 and as a goal keeping coach.xi

Professional Team

Anthony Hudson is the Head Coach & Director of Academy Programs. Hudson was

newly hired to start the 2009 season. Hudson has professional top flight experience in

England and in the Netherlands as well has previous coaching experience as assistant

coach of Wilmington Hammerheads.

Matt Pasquinelli is the Assistant Head Coach and Goalkeeping Coach. Pasquinelli

played collegiate soccer at Berry College and played professional soccer for the DetroitExpress of NASL/ASL.xii!Wilfredo Guevara is the Assistant Head Coach.!Real Maryland F.C. consists of 23 professional players with a wide range of age,

ethnicity and experience. Real Maryland F.C. hosts several international players from

Cuba, Brazil, England, France and Bolivia. There is an abundance of youth on the team

from former collegiate soccer stars such as award winning defender Jonathan Borrajo of

George Mason University and former captain of UMBC, Daniel Bulls. Real Maryland

F.C. also boasts experienced veterans such as Haitian international, Marc Herald-Gracien.

Gary Brooks is currently the leading scorer of Real Maryland F.C. and is 5th in scoring in

USL2 with two goals in three appearances.xiii!Stadium

Maryland Soccer Plex was Real Maryland F.C.’s home ground for its inaugural 2008

season.



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A unique partnership between Maryland Soccer Enterprises, LLC and Richard

Montgomery High School of Montgomery County allowed Real Maryland to use an

artificial turf field at the Richard Montgomery High School Campus.

Maryland Soccer Enterprises agreed to pay a lump sum of $300,000 to contribute to the

costs of creating a new artificial turf field. In return, Saturday’s and Sunday’s of the USL

2 season are reserved for Real Maryland F.C. practices and games.xiv

Mascot

Real Maryland F.C. is also nicknamed “Monarchs” or “Los Monarcas.” This nickname

reflects Maryland’s colonial past under Lords Clavert and Baltimore.

Youth Programs

Real Maryland F.C. offers youth programs for youth as young as 7 to 20 years of age. \

Real Maryland boasts a strong youth program with Super Y League teams and a partnership with Sporting Gijon in La Liga in which four youth players are offered thechance to train with the Sporting Gijon youth squad.

Trends

Before the creation of Real Maryland F.C., D.C. United was the only professional soccer

team in the D.C. Metropolitan Area.

Real Maryland F.C. struggled during its inaugural season finishing in last placed with

only three wins. Real Maryland F.C. has taken a new approach to its 2009 season under a

new general manger and head coach.



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Consumer Research

Primary Market: Boys and girls ages 6-18.

• Members of youth soccer programs in the D.C. Metropolitan area.• Passionate about soccer and summer camps.• There are over 15,000 registered youth players in MSI (Montgomery

Soccer, Inc)• Over 63 Clubs in NCSL (National Capital Soccer League)

Secondary Market: Men and women ages 18 +

• Passionate soccer fans involved with local soccer organizations.•

D.C. United followers looking for a local team to support.

Advertising/ Sales Strategies and Objectives

Our main goal is to introduce Real Maryland Football Club as a new professional soccer team inthe D.C. Metropolitan market, increase game day attendance and summer camp registration, andto create brand awareness. We plan on doing this through grass roots marketing, flyers, and coldcalls to local youth soccer team managers.

Based on the analysis of our potential market we have created short term and long-term goals.

• In one season increase game day attendance by 25% and summer campregistration by 40% through our grass roots advertising and cold calls.

• In three seasons establish Real Maryland Football Club as the local professional soccer team with consistent soccer camp membership andincrease of game day ticket sales by 50% and a decrease in D.C. UnitedTicket sales by 20%.

Print Advertisements - Flyers

• Our campaign will use flyers made through Photoshop which will be posted at locallibrary, restaurants, schools, parks and shopping centers.

• Flyers will seek to catch the eye with bold RMFC colors ( red, black, yellow).• Flyers will feature pictures professional players of RMFC take during USL Division 2

games to emphasize the professional quality the team brings.• Game day flyers will have limited text that identifies who, what, when and where.

• Summer Camp Flyers and Club Night Flyers will offer large graphics as well assubstantial text for details about the events.



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Print Advertisements











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Grass Roots Marketing

• Real Maryland FC interns and volunteers will post flyers throughout the D.C.metropolitan area on a weekly basis.

• RMFC car magnets featuring the teams crest will be given to all spectators during game

day for free. Magnets are of high quality costing the club 25 cents each. Soccer car magnets are popular among the area, where youth clubs display their own team names oncars. Car magnets will attract the interest of many people as the RMFC crest is verycatchy and professional.

• A large informational summer camp tarp will be displayed at Richard Montgomery Highschool to attract local interest.

Sales - Cold Calls

• A complied list of over 300 local coaches will be used to make cold calls in regards toReal Maryland Football Club Summer Camp and Game days.

• Cold class will follow a created prompt which aims to find the needs of coaches and their

teams. The prompt will offer several solutions and offer both game day group ticket salesas well as

• Cold calls will be followed up by personal meetings with the coaches and team members.Meetings will be held most likely after a team practice where a short announcement can be made to parents and children. Flyers will be passed out to individuals with car magnets.



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Documents

Rmfc Plan Book