Volume 2, Issue 8
May 14, 2003

Ticket Sales 101 In Columbus

College Night generates over $34,000 in ticket sales for Blue Jackets

  NSF
"Inner Circle"

Execs from teams & corporations such as the Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Jets, GMR Marketing, Pittsburgh Penguins, Toronto Blue Jays, Arizona State University, Tickets.com, San Diego Gulls & Fresno Grizzlies ARE IN!!!...ARE YOU???

(Click here for more info)

Contact: Marc Gregory, Director of Advertising and Promotions, 614-246-4625, [email protected]

Organization: Columbus Blue Jackets 

Program Title: College Night

Objectives: Three main objectives:

1. To attract college students to Blue Jackets games with an affordable ticket price and added value elements.
2. Continue to build the Blue Jackets fan base in Ohio by reaching out to colleges/universities throughout the state.
3. Provide an opportunity for team marketing partners to activate their partnerships with the Blue Jackets.

      -  Ticket to the game ($43 face value)

      -  Admission to a post-game concert at PromoWest
         Pavilion, a concert venue located across the street from
         Nationwide Arena ($12 perceived value)

      -  Blue Jackets hat or T-shirt ($15 perceived value)

Along with the benefits listed above, five college students won the opportunity to participate in an intermission promotion.  Hundreds of pizza boxes were spread across the ice, with one box containing a replica diploma.  The first student that found the box with the diploma received a $3,000 scholarship; the runner-up contestants each received a $500 scholarship, courtesy of Pontiac/GMC.

Media: WWCD-FM CD 101, the FM home of the Blue Jackets broadcasts, and Time Warner Cable were local media partners.  "College Night" was promoted via print purchased in various college newspapers, flyers/posters distributed on campuses, 30-second spots on local cable TV, Blue Jackets' in-house media, radio promotions, e-mails and direct sales by the Group Sales Department targeting student groups.

Partner: The program allowed for Pontiac/GMC to activate their partnership with the Blue Jackets. Pontiac/GMC was able to display a Pontiac Vibe, pass out collateral materials, and put on other activities at PromoWest Pavilion.

Results: The "College Night" promotion sold over 1,550 tickets and generated over $34,000 in revenue. The demand was so great for "College Night", that the Blue Jackets sold out of the $43 seats. They then included $32 seats in the package - sold out of those too - so they put remaining students in $22 seats. The pricing plan did not change when they switched the seats.

"College Night" also allowed the Blue Jackets' marketing partners to successfully tap into a key demographic.

Looking Ahead: With the success of this season's "College Nights", the Blue Jackets plan on running the promotion at least twice next season!