Marketing Plan Assignment Due
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Harlem Heritage
By: Zachary Spaulding, Seba Fuentes, Eddie Ross
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Introduction
There is going to be an NBA game hosted in Harlem, New York that will be like the
MLB Field of Dreams game. This will definitely increase the viewership of the NBA for this
night game. Most people do not watch the NBA every day because it is such a long season. Since
this game is in Harlem it is going to be between the Brooklyn Nets and the New York Knicks.
These are two different NBA teams that have extremely good talent right now. The New York
Knicks have extreme talent but have not won many games this season. The Brooklyn Nets also
have a huge amount of talent, but unlike the Knicks have one of the best records so far in the
NBA. There are a lot of NBA games and with these teams playing each other in Harlem, it would
allow many fans to see a thrilling game between these two exciting organizations. This game is
going to be played outside on one of the outdoor basketball courts in Harlem that will be built to
hold ten thousand fans. This is unlike a regular basketball game because all NBA games are
played inside arenas. There is a need to implement a marketing plan for this game because the
Knicks are not a very good team this year even though they have some amazing upcoming
players with huge talent. Another reason is that even though the Knicks are having a terrible
season, they can still put up a tremendous show against one of the best teams in the league
because of their talent that they possess. A franchise such as the New York Knicks, which has
been decent with five playoff appearances since two thousand, will definitely put on a good show
against the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets have been one of the best teams in the league for the last
three years which will make for an exciting and lively game. This will definitely increase
viewership for the NBA because people usually don’t watch all the games during the regular
season, and this will also help people become more interested in the NBA and want to follow
more upcoming games in the future.
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Executive Summary/Purpose
Our overall goal for this event is brand awareness and an exciting opportunity for fan
engagement and to create excitement, something new for fans of the NBA to be a part of and
experience. Harlem holds deep roots in the history of basketball and the NBA, and it is a great
place to drum up excitement and buzz around a pickup game style NBA game.
The Harlem game will include a couple different interactive activities for fans to partake
in including carnival style basketball hoops for kids to shoot and win prizes at, a halftime dunk
contest by Harlem locals and those who play within the area, and a game prior to the NBA game
of local Harlem teams to promote those who play in the area and allow them recognition on a
national level which they rarely partake in. Tickets will be a flat fee of $150 per person which
allows access to the entire event, with entrance at any time of the day and the event will begin at
4pm with the NBA game tipping off at 7:30pm. The sponsorships and partners handling this
event would be on par with the current partners of the NBA, AT&T, Kia, Draft King, FanDuel,
HP, Gatorade, and a few others.
See Appendix A for location
Overall Marketing Strategies
The overall goal of this event is to bring awareness to the game while generating more
interest for the NBA, promoting attendance and an increase of interest within the NBA season.
The NBA has decided to create this event due to its lackluster TV ratings as of recently as the
NBA has been decreasing in the past few years when it comes to viewership. Within the past two
years, the NBA has lost 25% of their audience, and with this loss of fans and viewers, they have
realized they must do something to generate better ratings and interest fans in watching the NBA
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again. This is happening through a single event located in Harlem, New York, at Rucker Park.
This park is historically known as an area where many professional players today were born,
raised, and played. This event would be the start of an annual game where the two teams can
play blacktop basketball with outdoor seating and fans. These are the current year partners of the
NBA and they would stay the same for the event as they already have current contracts and
would be an effective and positive event for brand awareness and activation.
There are a few different marketing campaigns we will instill to ensure that the event is
not just sold out, but one of the most anticipated events of the NBA year. First of all, the moment
there is an official date and time, there will be TV commercials throughout the entire NBA
season during most games and especially during Nets and Knicks games. Our first and most
important goal is to sell out every ticket to the event and for that to happen, it would require there
to be enough hype and excitement surrounding the game. Commercials will allow for a visual
and realistic basis for how the event will not just look, but how the event will function. Another
big strategy that will be implemented in hopes of generating hype and excitement would include
social media campaigns to excite the younger and social media users of today to connect to the
younger generation and produce excitement amongst them for the event.
See Appendix Table 1
See Appendix logo D
Target Customers
Our primary target audience are adults aged from 35-44, they are the largest proportion of
fans within the NBA, 33% consider themselves an avid fan while 30% consider themselves
casual fans (table 2). This is the largest portion of consumers who consider themselves fans and
also have been in the workforce for substantial amounts of time, meaning a great majority of
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them have disposable income to use on the event for promotional items and team gear. This is
also the age of most adults who have families with middle aged kids ranging from newborns to
teenagers which is a great opportunity for them to enjoy an evening with their family at an
outdoor basketball event. This hopefully leads to kids loving the games and hopefully creating
lifelong fans from young, which also creates a great opportunity for families to make going to
basketball games a large part of their lives. We want to create an atmosphere that translates
towards fans going from the event in Harlem to NBA games at the different arenas around the
states. The next group we are targeting are young adults between the ages of 18-34 they account
for the largest group of fans who consider themselves casual fans with 35%, our goal with this
group is to stir excitement and create a buzz around the league and change them from casual to
avid fans. They are the group that are entering into the workforce and are beginning to attain
disposable income for the first time, and we want one of their areas of spending to be the NBA,
our events, games, and apparel. The last target group we have are the actual fans of the Knicks
and Nets, the nets become an easier group to market to as the team is based in New Jersey and
we want as many fans to come and support their team. This also goes for the New York Knicks
as they play at Madison Square Garden and there are many different opportunities for celebrities
and fans to come to the game and help promote the event.
Social Media
Social Media is going to be one of the largest and most important marketing campaigns
because of its growing influence and impact it is creating in the world today. Instagram, Twitter,
and Tik Tok are the 3 sites where we would do the most promotional work and advertisement.
Many individual teams and players are already quite active on these sites, interacting with fans,
influencers, and other teams to create content to bring awareness and attention to the NBA and
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themselves. Using social media such as Tik-Tok will help us interact and get our message out to
the younger generation as they are the most prominent group on social media. We would use a
multitude of strategies from live streams, player promotional (LeBron, Kevin Durant, Anthony
Davis, etc.), and team interactive activities where we can create hype and excitement for the
event. Social Media will be used as an informational directive providing updates and hype videos
surrounding the event and providing fans an opportunity to learn what the event entails and how
they can get tickets, share posts with their friends, and spread awareness for the game.
See Appendix B for Social Media Site
Distribution
Tickets for this event will be able to be purchased at the beginning of the season when the
event is announced. They will have the opportunity to buy tickets from Nets ticket website,
Knicks ticketing website, or the Harlem exclusive website, all three will allow fans to purchase
tickets for the event. There will be links on social media for fans to click that will take them to
the event website to easily and clearly buy them.
Ticketing
For the Harlem Event our main goal is brand awareness and fan engagement so this
means our ticket prices must be inviting to all people. We have not been able to pinpoint exact
prices for our tickets due to our lack of knowledge of excitement or how many people would
actually come to the event. Rucker Park lacks sufficient seating to host a full event and based on
the time of year certain fans may be less willing to come out to a game depending on the
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weather. With this being said though we hopefully would have around 750-1,000 available
tickets to sell to the public to hopefully max out the event. This does cause our ticket prices to be
higher than we originally wanted, but to offset costs of the event we must charge a little more,
but that price should fall right around our target audience income, it becomes a little harder for
out secondary target audience just because they do not have as much disposable income to spend
on a basketball game.
Implementation Timeline
The NBA season begins during October and from October to March weather is a serious
concern for this event. We would begin advertising and creating the hype and buzz for the event
at the beginning of the NBA season and for the five months leading up to the event we will be
creating many different forms of advertisements from weekly commercials during the NBA
season and weekly/multiple days a week posting on our social media accounts
3-5 months before the event:
• Begin creating content with players, teams, fans, etc. to start getting the hype around the
event posting weekly and surveying ticket sales to understand how many people want to
attend
• Start educating fans and the public about the event including date, time, amenities, cost,
etc.
2 months prior to event:
• Begin to start selling tickets and see the effect of the supply and demand issue
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• Talk with sponsors and realize how they want to promote their brand awareness at the
event and begin coordinating their wants and needs.
• Have a booth and interactive event at All-Star weekend where we answer questions,
provide giveaways of apparel and maybe even tickets, and begin interactive social
campaigns to hype up the event
2 weeks before the event:
• Provide a countdown so fans and the public understand when the event is happening, plus
partner with NBA players to help us spread awareness and have them specifically speak
about the event and its impact on the NBA.
See Appendix C for Implementation timeline
SWOT Analysis
o Strengths: The biggest strength of this event is the strong ties that the NBA
has to both Rucker Park and New York City. For decades the Rucker was home to
future NBA Hall of Famers like Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Julius Erving, and Nate
“Tiny” Archibald. The Rucker was the proving grounds for any aspiring NBA
athlete. Its hallowed courts fostered a flashy, fast-paced style of play which
heavily influenced the modern NBA game. More recently, players like Kobe
Bryant and Kevin Durant have played at the Rucker after achieving NBA
superstardom. Kyrie Irving, the starting point guard on the Brooklyn Nets, even
filmed his portions of his Movie Uncle Drew at Rucker park. Located within
walking distance of Madison Square garden, another tremendously important
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basketball landmark, the Rucker was once dubbed the “Mecca of Basketball”. In
recent years, the once prestigious park began to look a bit tired, so the NBA
helped sponsor a restoration of the court. In a lot of ways, the NBA owes a lot of
its success to Rucker Park and vice versa. The pair work very well in tandem.
o Weaknesses: Seating capacity, adverse weather, and player cooperation
are the three biggest impediments to Harlem Heritage. In regard to seating
capacity, Rucker Park does not have the current capacity to seat 20,000 NBA
fans. As a result, seating accommodations will need to be arranged. That being
said, the NBA could insert temporary bleachers to increase the capacity to 5,000.
The MLB’s Field of Dreams stadium only held 8,000 people, but the average face
value of a ticket was $400 which is significantly higher than any other regular
season game. So, the NBA could easily recoup its building costs with higher
ticket prices. Another potential obstacle to the event would be adverse elemental
conditions. Obviously, the Knicks and Nets would not be able to play a Christmas
game because New York snows during the winter. The game would have to take
place at the end of the NBA season in either March or April to ensure optimal
weather conditions. Finally, players could react negatively to playing in an
unfamiliar atmosphere. All NBA games are played in arenas where fans are
seated a comfortable distance from the court. The NBA may have a difficult time
convincing players to play outside, in a unique fan atmosphere, and on a court
designed for streetball. Still, most NBA players participate in offseason street
leagues like the Drew or Rucker League, so the potential for dissenters is limited.
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o Opportunities: Harlem Heritage presents the NBA with a unique
marketing opportunity and a chance to grow the popularity of basketball,
especially in New York City. Harlem Heritage would allow Rucker Park to be the
center of basketball once again which could revive the streetball scene in New
York. The NBA can get lost in the hustle and bustle of New York, but Harlem
Heritage would allow the NBA to appeal to the local community. By hosting an
event in a local New York City park, the NBA would establish positive
connections with new fans that could result in repeat consumers. New York City
is the most populous city in the United States, so forging positive brand
associations with the community could result in lots of new revenue streams. Plus,
an event of this magnitude would surely draw an increased television interest in
New York. About six million people tuned in to watch the MLB’s Field of
Dreams broadcast on Fox which is very high for a regular season game.
o Threats: The biggest threat to the success of Harlem Heritage would be the
overwhelming number of attractions in New York City. Dubbed the “city that
never sleeps”, New York is home to countless entertainment options. Because the
event would have to take place in Spring, the NBA would face competition from
the Yankees, Mets, Rangers, Islanders, Liberty, Red Bulls, and New York City
FC, not to mention, the plethora of mid-major college basketball programs in the
state of New York. The biggest challenge will be making sure the NBA’s
marketing message is not lost in the shuffle in New York City.
Cost of the Event
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The biggest cost for the NBA would be to install adequate seating provisions. Installing
larger grandstands typically costs upwards of $1,000 per seat. So, the NBA would have to spend
$5 million in order to construct grandstands that could hold 5,000 people. The MLB’s Field of
Dreams is comparable as it had an 8,000-person capacity, but Major League Baseball stadiums
are built to seat more fans than NBA arenas anyway. Furthermore, the MLB spent $8 million to
construct the Field of Dreams, so the NBA spending $5 million dollars to modify an existing
structure seems akin. Plus, the NBA Players Union already invested $500,000 into the recent
Rucker Park renovations. Thus, the NBA would not be opposed to an investment of this
magnitude, especially when it contributes to a project already funded by the players.
Revenue
Ticket sales would be the NBA’s critical revenue stream. As I mentioned earlier, the Field of
Dreams tickets cost about $400 at face value. The NBA could rationalize $1,000 tickets to fans
because Harlem Heritage is in New York, not Iowa, and NBA tickets are typically more
expensive than those available for purchase in the MLB. Plus, because the venue is more
exclusive, and historic to the NBA, a ticket to Harlem heritage would cost more than one to the
Field of Dreams. If the NBA were to sell out the event, the league would cover the $5 million
construction costs. NBA jerseys cost upwards of $100 dollars depending on the quality of the
player. So, the NBA could sell customized jerseys commemorating the event for $100 dollars,
hats for $30, and T-Shirts for $40. Additionally, to offset some of the construction costs, the
NBA could bring in sponsors like the Field of Dreams did. Ultimately, the NBA could generate a
sizable profit from Harlem Heritage.
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References:
Axson, S. (2021, October 11). NBPA's Michele Roberts helps propel Rucker Park new look with $500,000 from Union. USA Today. Retrieved November 24, 2021, from https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2021/10/06/michele-roberts-backs-rucker- park-new-look-500-000-union/5998913001/?gnt-cfr=1.
Crupi, A. (2021, May 20). NBA TV audience down 25% as expanded playoffs cast a wider net. Sportico.com. Retrieved November 24, 2021, from https://www.sportico.com/business/media/2021/nbas-ratings-down-25-1234630272/.
ESPN Internet Ventures. (n.d.). ESPN. Retrieved November 24, 2021, from http://www.espn.com/nba/attendance.
How to buy bleachers. Aluminum Bleachers Costs - How To Buy Bleachers | GT Grandstands. (n.d.). Retrieved November 24, 2021, from https://www.gtgrandstands.com/bleachers-costs.
If you build it, they will pay: 'field of dreams' tickets cost $1,400. WTTW News. (n.d.). Retrieved November 24, 2021, from https://news.wttw.com/2021/08/12/if-you-build-it- they-will-pay-field-dreams-tickets-cost- 1400#:~:text=Tickets%20have%20a%20face%20value,temporary%20stadium%20in%20D yersville%2C%20Iowa.
Staff, written by. (2020, December 10). NBA sponsors 2020-21. SportsKhabri. Retrieved November 24, 2021, from https://sportskhabri.com/nba-sponsors-2020-21/.
T-shirts. NBA Store. (n.d.). Retrieved November 24, 2021, from https://store.nba.com/t- shirts/d-1216636888+z-970881-1115783577.
Taylor, E. (2021, August 12). They built it, now people are coming. Pinstripe Alley. Retrieved November 24, 2021, from https://www.pinstripealley.com/2021/8/12/22621323/yankees-mlb-field-of-dreams-iowa- stadium-construction-dyersville-movie-white-sox.
Wikimedia Foundation. (2021, October 10). National Basketball Association on Television. Wikipedia. Retrieved November 24, 2021, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Basketball_Association_on_television.
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Appendices: Table 1: NBA TV ratings per season
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Table 2: Age and level of interest per age group
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Appendix A: Location of event
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Appendix B: Social Media Advertising
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Appendix C: Implementation Timeline
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Appendix D: Brand logo