Sport marketing students score a goal in pitching promotional night plan to Maine Mariners team
Students in Aimee Vlachos’ Sport Marketing course recently had the opportunity to participate in a real-life sports marketing promotion for the Maine Mariners team, Portland’s newest professional hockey franchise.
Vlachos, M.S., instructor in the Department of Sport and Recreation Management, contacted the Mariners’ Vice President of Operations Adam Goldberg over the summer to ask if the students in her course could create a promotional night for the team. According to Vlachos, Goldberg was excited about the idea, as area college students compose a target demographic for the Mariners.
Students Coleman Hebert (’19), Sydnee Bessler (’19), Ryan Beatty (’19), Shannon Upton (’21), Sam Murray (’20) and Spencer McEvoy (’20) met with Goldberg in September to pitch three potential ideas to him. The winner was a “College Fight Night” themed event, playing on the friendly rivalry between USM and UNE. The students’ plan included a T-shirt give-away to all students who purchase a game ticket, a five dollar food voucher and the opportunity to skate on the ice after the game. Vlachos’ students also planned that during the game, students in attendance would be selected at random to come down to the ice to participate in activities such as water pong and human bowling. Moreover, there would be a friendly competition, led by respective team mascots, to determine, by using a noise meter, which school could cheer louder. The students also planned that the schools’ presidents would throw out the first puck at the game.
Vlachos’ students presented their final marketing plan to Goldberg and his staff at Cross Insurance Arena on November 30. Goldberg commented that he was thoroughly impressed with the professionalism and preparedness of the students and told them that the “College Fight Night” promotion will run in November of 2018.
The students were then provided with a behind the scenes tour of the facility.
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