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MLB Season Preview

Royals Seek To Use World Series Momentum To Expand, Energize Regional Footprint

After making a run to Game 7 of the World Series, the Royals head into the ’15 season seeking to capitalize on their success and focus on generating support within their league-designated activation zone, which spans Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. Royals VP/Marketing & Business Development Mike Bucek said, “We’ve always had this region, obviously. But with the team’s success, we think now’s the time to try to activate the entire territory.” The K.C. metro area is the second-smallest market in the league, ahead of just Milwaukee. Bucek emphasized this point in saying it is particularly important for the Royals to tap into other markets in the region -- including Omaha, Little Rock, Des Moines and St. Joseph, Mo., among others -- particularly if the club plans to achieve its goal of a double-digit percentage attendance increase at Kauffman Stadium. The team drew 1.9 million fans during the ’14 regular season. The Royals declined to disclose the size of their season-ticket base, but said that full- and partial-season plan sales are up about 35% from ’14 to date.

REACH OUT AND TOUCH SOMEONE: In order to draw fans from around their footprint, the Royals are primed to launch market-specific promotional campaigns, each aimed at bringing fans from particular geographic areas to Kauffman Stadium for specific weekend series. From mid-May through September, the staff has chosen 10 weekend series and designated at least two markets to target for each. The Royals plan to leverage their vast radio network to run ticket promotions for fans who attend two games in a weekend. The team will engage in both TV and out-of-home ad buys in each market ahead of its designated series. Bucek said that the club also is working to secure a hotel partner for the initiative, which would allow it to offer discounted rates for out-of-town fans.

THE MORE THE MERRIER: The Royals’ broadcast reach also is set to grow significantly this season. Fox Sports is expected to finalize a deal with Cox Communications that would expand distribution of more than 130 Royals games on FS K.C. to approximately 1 million additional homes in Arkansas and Oklahoma. Households in those states that previously could only watch 40-50 Royals games per season will now have access to almost the entire schedule. The additional carriage will bring the team’s TV reach to 3.4 million homes. The team also added 11 new affiliated stations to its radio network for a total of 67 stations across eight states.

ROYAL FLUSH: Sponsorship sales have also been strong for the Royals in the wake of last season’s AL pennant. The team has seen a double-digit percentage increase in corporate sponsorship revenue, as it accrued 25 new partners. Bucek said this compares to the 10-12 partners the team might have added ahead of previous seasons. In addition, the Royals have garnered more interest from bigger brands seeking multi-team sponsorship deals. Bucek: "Previously, when partners were looking to do a four- or eight-team deal, Kansas City would not be on that list. But we find ourselves on that list a little bit more and part of those conversations with national and regional companies." He declined to reveal specific brands pursuing deals of this nature, as they are still being negotiated. Bucek added that the team also has been able to significantly increase rates on TV-visible stadium signage.

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On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

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