A great idea with reps from The Advertiser, Sunday Mail, Total SANFL, Life FM, 5RPH and SAFooty all there along with a representitive of South's sponsors Angas Securities who gave them the boardroom for the lunch (and exisite food and drink it was too, thank you!) and David Kavanagh (South's General Manager), Robert Pyman (league coach) and Phil Herden (Marketing Manager).
I thought it was fantastic that the South Adelaide Football Club recognise the internet as very important part of the media.
A very enjoyable day with South giving the media presentations as to what they're doing, where they're going and how they're getting there, it was a very good informal session with feedback also given from media back to South.
Things discussed were possible future night games, sorts of players recruited, policy of all players having off field interests such as employment/study and emphasis placed on keeping quality players long term, working with local leagues, enhancing Hickenbotham Oval, etc.
Also saw the heritage guernsey South are wearing this week and it looks great. South unlike the other club that is as old (Port) is only club to have kept the same colours.
Ben Kavanagh spoke of South's strategic goals.
Phil Herden spoke of marketing initiatives South have started.
Robert Pyman spoke about the footy side of things.
The one thing they all shared in common was their desire to get as close to the people from the South be it through players, coaching staff or general marketing and memberships.
It was a great lunch, I was impressed as to how approachable and easy to talk to the GM, Coach and Marketing Manager all were about anything to do with Footy, of course all media reps were great to talk to as well and it was good to put some faces to names.
I was very impressed with South's goals and ideas to get there and they come across as an extremely professional organisation not only looking at this year or the immediate future but long term plans to get more people involved with the club.
South gave comprehensive hanouts detailing their strategic goals, marketing ideas as well as a flyer and some pics of what Hickenbotham Oval will look like soon, I'll provide a summary:
South have 5 core pillars of their strategic plan:
1) Relationships
2) Finance
3) Facilities
4) Support
5) Football
By the end of 2007 we aim to have achieved the following ...
1) Relationships - "Provided leadership and services to the football industry in "The South" and optimised relationships with key stakeholders".
2) Finance - "Met or exceeded budget"
3) Facilities - "Completed a major redevelopment that has catapulted our premises to the forefront of any SANFL Club facility".
4) Support - "Be ranked in the top three SANFL Clubs for pro rata growth in both membership and home game attendances".
5) Football - "Improved on 2006's performance".
Summary of Key Outcomes:
1) Relationships
- External Relations - the Board work with Management to enhance and improve our image and standing with centres-of-influence such as the SAFC Zone, sponsors and government.
- Internal Relations - the Board work with Management to enhance its image and standing with the various groups within the club - to present and encourage united synergy.
2) Finance
- confidential
3) Facilities
- Complete revamped facility upgrade by Christmas 2007.
- Revamped facility upgrade completed on or under budget.
4) Support
- Revamped membership packages constructed.
- New database with state-of-the-art communication abilities introduced.
- Restructured external communication arrangements delivered.
- Increase financial membership by at least 18%.
- Increase home games attendances of at least 10%.
5) Football
- League team finishes in the top three at the conclusion of the finals series.
- Senior list is strengthened.
- More game-time is played by local players in the seniors and reserves.
- Junior list is strengthened
- Continued participation by junior players in senior ranks while still maintaing highly competitive junior sides.
2007 SAFC Marketing Initiatives
Membership
- 24 step Membership Strategy launched
- Revamped packages from 2006
- New Family Pricing Structure
- Incentives for early & new signups
- New Benefits including "Members Only" items
- Discount Voucher Book for Ticket Holding Members to encourage "upsizing"
- Ability to join up via Club Web Site
- New Zone Membership (4 game ticket) for GSFL, KIFL & SFL members
- Revamped (chepaer) Junior Membership
- Sponsored Free Junior Membership offer targeted to specific groups (NAB Panther One)
- New "state of the art" membership data base
Home Matches (General)
- Continuation of Eater Game at Encounter Bay
- Request for Sunday games for matches at Hickenbotham Oval - "Sunday's The Day for PANTHERS FOOTBALL"
- Expansion of Arena Car Park for 100 new spaces
- Theming of each home game targeting particular community area (see below)
- Home Match Poster for members, local shops to promote games
- Thursday Night interactive promotion at Centro Colonnades before each home game
- New nickname for Hickenbotham Oval as the "The Jungle"
- Update of music list played over PA breaks, include "Welcome to The Jungle" into pre-game
- Continuation of 2006 initiatives (Jumping castle, cheer squad banners & panther roar over PA for each South goal)
- Football Giveaways by players after a home win
Home Games (Match by Match)
April 7 - Eagles (Encounter Bay)
- Local Media Giveaways (VH Times & Great Southern Radio)
- Free Junior Supporter Packs
April 22 - Norwood (Kids Day)
- Free Junior Supporter Packs
May 20 - Glenelg (History Day)
- Link in with SA History Week promotions
- 1877 Replica Guernsey
June 3 - Sturt (Sponsors Day)
- Special networking function for sponsors
June 17 - Central (Family Day)
- Ticket giveaways to local child care centres, kindergartons, primary schools
June 24 - North (Zest McLaren Vale Rivalry Round)
- Link in with SANFL Promotions
- Incorporate Zone invites (500 tickets in total across 17 district clubs in our zone)
- Legends game pre-match
July 8 - Port (nab Auskick Day)
- all nab auskick players in zone invited to game and participate in pre-match parade
August 5 - Port Seniors Day
- Liaison with Senior Citizen groups to be involved in the day
- Possible Past Players event
August 12 - West (Community Day)
- Liaison with City of Onkaparinga to involve community groups on the day
Community
- Incureased involvement in Southern community events during summer (Southern Xmas pageant, Tour Down Under, Australia Day concert & Onkaprainga Be-Active events
- Membership of Onkaparinga Community Network
- Involvement in Southern Success Business Forums
- Free hire of Club South function facilities for community meetings
- Working with City of Onkaparinga re Community Day game v West on August 12th
Schools/Junior Development/Auskick
- Crows Trainee now under Marketing area
- Closer liaison with Junior Development Manager ie Zome promotional fund, AFL Player clinics, Panther League & Be-Active Mini League)
- Close liaison re nab Auskick program in Panthers Zone - All nab Auskick participants to receive as part of kick:
- Panthers Team Poster
- Panthers Home Match Poster
- Panthers Sticker Sheet
- Free Junior Membership Offer (nab sponsorship)
- Invitation to nab Auskick themed home game (July 8 v Port)
Media
- Weekly articles now written in both Victor Harbor Times & Southern Argus
- Weekly article in Southern Boot (Game program for SFL)
- Regular liaison with Southern Times (Messenger) journalists re stories
- Work with Great Southern Radio in Victor Harbor (Encounter Bay Broadcase & regular interviews)
- Media Lunch with mainstream media held in CBD
- Personally still doing weekly SANFL segments on Radio TAB, Coast FM, Great Southern Radio & Life FM X 2.
Communications
- Panthers Press Pass - weekly E-mail update
- Media Guide - upgrade of Sponsors Directory
- Jungle Juice - Home Match News Sheeet
- Panther Radio - 30 minute weekly Podcast on the Panthers
Images of what parts of Hickenbotham will look like in the near future:
Home Match Panther Poster:
