The Sports Business Daily, sister publication of SportsBusiness Journal, and the University of Massachusetts-Amherst Sport Management Department last week named the Houston Texans and Dayton (Ohio) Dragons as recipients of the 2002-2003 PRISM Awards.
The PRISM Awards are given annually to teams in the major and minor league categories that demonstrate excellence in sports franchise management in five areas: strategic planning, innovative marketing, community relations, customer service and employee relations.
"Both the Texans and the Dragons stood out for their strategic planning and ability to incorporate their overall mission into all facets of their operations," said UMass assistant professor Steve McKelvey, who spearheads the PRISM program. "Both teams also distinguished themselves in their innovative and creative approaches to marketing and the servicing of fans and sponsors alike."
 |
| Barbara Bush was among the celebs who suited up for the Texans’ campaign. |
The Texans were recognized for their detailed attention to the game-day experience, as well as their memorable "Got Tickets?" outdoor promotional campaign, which featured Texas celebrities such as George and Barbara Bush, Roger Clemens and Mary Lou Retton.Upon learning that his team had been honored with the PRISM Award, Texans owner Bob McNair said, "I set an ambitious objective of creating the most valuable, most respected sports team in the world and it is great to have achieved so much so quickly."
The Dragons, who are owned by Mandalay Sports Entertainment and began play in 2000 as the Class A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds, were lauded for their "fan-centric" philosophy.
Mandalay Sports Entertainment Executive Vice President Howard Nuchow said, "Every single thing having to do with the [fan] experience, we realize we have to 'up' every year."
Previous winners of the PRISM Awards are the NHL Washington Capitals and Sacramento River Cats of the Pacific Coast League (2001), and the NBA Orlando Magic and Chicago Wolves of the former IHL (2000).
This was the first year that The Sports Business Daily partnered with UMass in determining the winners.
