"Ideas that Work" is a periodic feature developed for The NCAA News by the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators. Individuals interested in contributing information may telephone Trip Durham of Elon University at 336/278-6708.

Kids Take Over the Park
Rice University
Mike Pede, assistant athletics director for marketing and promotions, and
Kim McDougall, marketing assistant

This promotion was named Collegiate Baseball's "Promotion of the Year" after it attracted nearly 200 children in its first year.

Children and parents alike responded enthusiastically to this promotion. It was not costly, although it did require patience among the staff and organization on the part of the marketing team.

Children 14 and under were given the opportunity to "take over the park" as each child was assigned a duty to perform during a half-inning at a Rice baseball game. Forms were created and made available at the baseball park souvenir shop for children to indicate their preference of duties. They chose from among the following: field preparation, music, program sales, helping with the radio broadcast, singing the national anthem, staffing the souvenir shop, serving as ushers, leading the seventh-inning stretch, measuring pitch speed, public address, scoreboard operation, statistics and taking tickets.

Because of the lighter demand in the first year, Rice gave the children six weeks to turn in the forms with their preferences. The next year, it was first-come, first-served. The children were notified by mail, and then by phone, of their duties and time slot two weeks before game day. Selected children were required to RSVP to the notice.

Participating children met one hour before the start of the game. Each participant was given a name tag that included his or her name, duty and time slot. The sponsor also provided each child with an "I Took Over Reckling Park" T-shirt.

The children and/or parents were instructed to meet the marketing department representative one-half inning before their assigned time slot at a specified place. The children then waited in a suite (or a specified secure area) with snacks and beverages (providing the children with snacks is a tradeoff for them being in the right place, in the right time and being well-behaved). Between each inning, the children then went on duty and, with the guidance of a full-time employee, performed the specific duty.

Hawaiian Night/Aloha Saturday
University of Colorado, Boulder
Chris May, associate athletics director for marketing and revenue development

In an attempt to create more excitement at home volleyball matches, every Saturday home match for the Colorado women's volleyball team was designated as Hawaiian Night. The idea stemmed from the attire for each match worn by Buffalo head coach Pi'i Aiu, a Hawaii native. All advertising for those matches called for fans to come in their Aloha shirts and other Hawaiian-like paraphernalia. Coaches, managers, athletics department staff, parents, press row workers, ball shaggers and the mascot Chip all participated and urged the fans to join in.

Advertising for the matches had a Hawaiian theme -- flyers for campus and local youth and community organizations, newspaper ads, BuffVision spots, and press releases. In-game activities centered on the Hawaiian theme as well. Colorado volleyball T-shirts with Hawaiian art were created and given to the first 300 fans at early season matches. They also were thrown into the crowd between games at every match and used as prizes for contests.

Those contests included hula-hooping, limbo contests and Hawaiian serving contests, in which participants tried to serve the volleyball over the net and into a baby pool. Hawaiian music was played over the arena audio system and the dance team performed to surfer/beach style music.

The promotion created a more exciting atmosphere in the Coors Event/Conference Center and proved to be popular with fans.

Shirt Off Your Back Day
Arizona State University
Tim France, promotion manager

Concept: Arizona State baseball raffles off jerseys that the team no longer uses on a regular basis. The team and coaches wear the jerseys for the last regular-season game and autograph the jerseys for raffle winners directly after the game. Raffle winners have the opportunity to meet the players when they receive the jerseys. The promotion not only fosters fan relations but also raises money to benefit the athletics program.

Promotion: Beginning about eight games before the last regular-season home game, raffle tickets are available for fans to purchase ($5 per ticket or $20 for five tickets). The number of tickets that can be purchased is not limited. Information about the raffle drawing is posted in the same location where tickets are purchased. The display is further enhanced by displaying an example of the actual jersey.

On the day of the raffle, several winning numbers are randomly drawn and announced over the public address system at every half-inning break until all 29 jerseys (25 players and four coaches) have been won. Winners then present their winning raffle ticket to the marketing information booth at the entrance to the stadium and are presented with a coupon naming the player or coach whose jersey has been won. After the game, those with coupons are allowed onto the playing field to meet the players and receive the autographed jersey.