shabazz napier nba rookie campaign 3.doc
TRANSCRIPT
Running head: NAPIER ROOKIE CAMPAIGN
Shabazz Napier NBA Rookie Campaign
Jeremy Sellmeyer
Maryville University
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Index
Situation Analysis………………………………………………...……………………..Pages 3-5
Team Analysis……………………………………………………………………….…..Page 3
SWOT Analysis…………………………………………………………..…………..Pages 3-5
Biography…………………………………………………………………………..........Pages 5-7
Broad Goal……………………………………………………………………...…………..Page 7
Objective…………………………………………………………………………………....Page 7
Target Market…………………………………………………………………..………..Page 7-8
Strategy……………………………………………………………………………………..Page 8
Tactics…………………………………………………………………………………..Pages 8-15
Event………………………………………………………………………...………Pages 8-11
News Release………………………………………….……………….………….Pages 12-14
Public Service Announcement…………………………………………….………Pages 14-15
Media List………………………………………………………………………………....Page 16
Evaluation……………………………………………………………………..……...Pages 16-18
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Situation Analysis
Team Analysis
The 22-30 Miami Heat are fighting to break a tie for 7th place with the Charlotte Hornets
in the Eastern Conference, now at the All-Star Break. The team is 20 games back of the first-
place Atlanta Hawks, and their winning percentage (.423) equates to 11th in the Western
Conference as a comparison. The Heat are fighting to regain stability and momentum this season
and have yet to find the answers they’re looking for after losing free agent and NBA superstar
LeBron James. Franchise favorite shooting guard Dwyane Wade has been off and on healthy but
playing well with the likes of Chris Bosh; both were named All-Stars and both have re-signed to
play with the Heat next season. However, a lot of players and pieces are not falling into place,
and besides the health concerns, the future of the franchise at the point guard position has been
less than secured between an underwhelming Mario Chalmers, experimental Norris Cole, and
rookie Shabazz Napier. The franchise is anything but satisfied, especially after the “Big 3” era
has been cut down to size, and appearing in the NBA Finals for a fifth straight time seems
unlikely this season. Some good news is that the fans did not meltdown at the loss of James and
have been named the #1 NBA fans by Forbes, based on crowd reach, attendance, merchandise,
media, and a slew of factors. The Heat also have a new broadcasting deal with Sun Sports and
were the NBA’s 2014 Retailer of the Year, the fifth time in franchise history. The consensus is it
will be a successful season to secure a playoff spot and garner some depth across all positions.
SWOT Analysis
Strengths.
Napier’s college career/history with UCONN, awards, and 2 championships
Potential to rise and improve (hot run in Wade’s absence in Nov 2014)
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Draft value: scorer, clutch, 3-point shooter, free throw percentage, rebounding at
his position, leader, defender
Attracted James’s attention i.e. franchise rallied to get Napier (value)
Name recognition/well-liked back home and in Miami
History of overcoming socioeconomic status, pressure in school and basketball,
now persevering through D-League and position changes, graduated with degree
Surrounded by a franchise/community of excellence in Miami with a winning
mindset
Hometown hero in Massachusetts and willingness to reach out to community
His mom is his manager/outspoken family man
Good coverage in digital news media like Sun-Sentinel, Palm Beach Post, Miami
Herald, and local news channels’ websites
Fair coverage by fans on Facebook and YouTube (highlight focused)
Weaknesses.
Napier’s current basketball numbers/stock (small point guard, turnovers)
Lack of playing time as the “third” point guard
Two trips to D-League Sioux Falls SkyForce in two months
Lack of sponsorships, endorsements
Heat’s below-average season
Negative comments while at UCONN: “Some nights I go to bed starving” and
“This is what happens when you ban us” shot at NCAA
LeBron James going back to Cleveland, Napier’s response and new expectations
Not at Rising Stars Challenge like other rookies
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Opportunities.
Increased recognition/performance means more sponsorships, money, likeability
Capture attention and more popularity in Miami—a city that accepts newcomers
Embracing Hispanic background in a majority Hispanic fan base
Increased presence on social media personally and by fans
Weak conference could mean a big playoff showing
Still a contender for Rookie of the Year
Threats.
Mario Chalmers, Norris Cole—point guards at Heat
Overshadowed by Heat players, famous coach, president, other rookies
Napier’s agency focused on star players instead of him
Miami fans leaving Heat for other teams and sports
Negative perceptions from his past statements
Can’t develop/potential stifled and stock drops
Poor performance could stunt NBA career before it gets going
Biography
Shabazz Napier was born on July 14, 1991 (now age 23) in Roxbury, Massachusetts just
outside of Boston. He was raised by single-mother Carmen Velasquez and has an older sister,
Titana, and an older brother, Timmie. Napier grew up poor in the projects, surrounded by drugs
and alcohol, and his mom worked hard to keep him off the streets. Growing up, he would even
stay at older friend Will Blalock’s house to avoid trouble. Blalock taught Napier all about
basketball and sharpened his game along with his five friends, four of which made NBA
appearances later on. Napier would use his speed and dribble to develop into a strong-shooting
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point guard. Struggling to make grades in high school, Napier moved to an academy his junior
year before coming back home to win the State Basketball Championship his senior year.
He went on to play for the University of Connecticut for four years, winning two national
championships in 2008 and 2011, and despite the opportunity to leave for the NBA, he decided
to finish and receive his degree in Sociology for his mom. The accolades he received in college
are: 2014 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player, 2014 First-team Consensus All-
American, Bob Cousy Award Winner, 2014 American Athletic Conference Player of the Year,
2014 First-team All-AAC, 2013 First-team All-Big East, and the Husky of Honor Award in
2014. During that time, he played in 143 games averaging 13.7 PPG, 4.0 RPG, and 4.5 APG and
became the only Husky to ever score more than 1,500 points and 500 assists. Napier also
developed close relationships to coach Jim Calhoun, who was like a father to him, and Kemba
Walker, who was like a brother to him.
Napier entered the 2014 NBA draft to become a professional basketball player and was
drafted in the first round as the 24th overall pick to the Charlotte Hornets. On draft night, he was
traded to the Miami Heat per interest generated by LeBron James and president Pat Riley to play
as the new point guard there. Weighing in at 6’1” and 175lbs, wearing his patented #13, Napier
is smaller than most point guards and has had less than perfect numbers as a rookie. He has
appeared in 41 games with 9 starts, averaging 20.1 minutes per game, 5.1 points per game, 2.6
assists per game, 2.3 rebounds per game, and a player efficiency rating of only 8.91 (second-
lowest among point guards). His field goal, three point, and free throw percentages are all below
his college standards, and he’s been sent down to the D-League twice to appear for the Sioux
Falls SkyForce and iron out his skills as the Heat see fit. Napier did make a good run in Dwyane
Wade’s injury absence in November and scored a career-high 17 points against the Clippers.
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Currently, he has rebounded from his latest stint in Sioux Falls and has recalibrated his game to a
more aggressive role in Miami.
Broad Goal
To increase awareness of Napier in the Miami area with large fan groups, boosting his
popularity and positive brand image for growth to occur.
Objective
“To have an effect on the awareness of Hispanic/Latino families who are Miami Heat
fans; specifically to increase their understanding of Napier’s personal characteristics and attitude
toward community by 10% within 4 months.” As a growing city and region, Miami already loves
the Heat above all other major sports teams, but with 70% of its residents being Hispanic/Latino,
we want to capitalize on a large ethnic group with a story and event that will be tailored to their
cultural background. In the same way that Napier’s beliefs and background align with this
market, we feel confident that even in a small campaign we can capture positive attention that
will pay big dividends because of cultural ties.
Target Market
Our target is Hispanic/Latino families in the greater Miami area, with more emphasis on
parents (30-45). With that median age in Miami being 38.8 years old, and consisting mostly of
foreign-born Latinos, we want to tailor our message in a way that connects with that culture and
their story. There is also a great deal of family households (70.3%) in Miami, so we understand
that what we market needs to be kid-friendly and family-friendly. All together, this market feels
culture is its heart and soul, so we won’t be half-trying to be diverse, and they also value stories
above statistics, which works perfectly in our instance. These Latino families want things
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brought on their level and their neighborhoods valued, so we have created a campaign that
reflects those aspects and gets people motivated to stand behind and alongside Napier.
Strategy
Shabazz Napier is an athlete, and a point guard for the Miami Heat, but he is much more
than just a basketball player or a chance to win for Miami again. Growing up, Napier knew
hardship growing up in the projects and always stuck by his family no matter what. When he
went to college, he promised his mom that he wouldn’t sell out for the big time early but would
graduate with a degree, and he did. He honored his word, and he knows the value of work and
community, which is why he returns home often. His mom is never far from his heart—she is his
manager even—and he never forgets who got him to the big time. Napier can be seen in his old
gyms teaching kids how to shoot and spending time with them to talk about a much better life
that they can have through discipline. He may not have tons of money to give, but he always
gives what he can with his time because he knows the value of community and how that
community can bring you through.
Tactics
Event
The focal point of our plan is our event, “The Shabazz Napier Summer Slam,” which will
draw in the community of Miami, especially the one right around the heart of American Airlines
Arena (601 Biscayne Boulevard). We want to gain support of the Hispanic and Latino
population, and fortunately for us, Little Havana, the heart of the Cuban community, is less than
three miles away. Centrally located between the two is where the event will take place, Jose
Marti Park (351 Southwest 4th Street), a small, hidden gem located near the Miami River with
lots of amenities (swimming, indoor gym and basketball courts, outdoor courts). A well-liked
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spot in need of some R & R, Jose Marti has played host to Miami Heat events in the past, like the
HEAT Hispanic Heritage Month celebration (annually in October) in 2012. Despite close
similarities to an event like that, our plan includes opening up and expanding some features to
allow the community to connect solely with Napier.
For starters, The Shabazz Napier Summer Slam will be open to not just kids but their
parents, too, as a key component of connecting with multiple age groups via a single event. The
date for the event will be Saturday, June 20, from 10am to 3pm over the summer time but at a
time of day that is reasonable for people to sleep-in and relax on the weekend. We are also
encouraging people to come and go as they please, but they may find too many things to do at
the Slam to want to leave. June 20 is also a key date, right after the time the NBA Finals will end
and before the NBA Draft the following week. Food, family, and community will be the main
components with Shabazz being the kicker. Local cuisine from Little Havana restaurants like
Morro Castle will be served as well as world-famous Azucar Ice Cream Company to keep
everyone cool. Tents will be outside by the park benches to serve food for those who just want to
eat and relax, but with music and Hispanic flags making a scene, we are sure to keep participants
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on their feet. The usual park facilities and amenities will be available with added trash and
bathroom facilities being rented, but the Shabazz angle will heighten a typical Latino party into
something more.
In partnership with NBA Cares and the Miami Heat, Napier will be the only Heat player
on the scene. This way he can sign autographs and be hands on with kids and for the unveiling of
the updated courts, which will encourage people to come early and stay for lunch and play, but
being the only celebrity eliminates any threats and attention on someone else. We’d also like his
mother, Carmen Velasquez, to be with him throughout the day in support of his achievements
and their heritage, and her Puerto Rican background has allowed Napier a contact point with the
Puerto Rican National Team and Hispanic fans everywhere. If his older brother and sister could
make it down as well, the family could celebrate the event together as a direct correlation of the
type of people we want to participate in this endeavor.
The benefit for NBA Cares is they are the only organization besides the Heat to
contribute and will get to have name and visual recognition on the big court update. Due to the
location of the outside basketball courts, which are underneath the highway, trash piles up and
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the equipment gets banged up, so we’d have to rely on this project to get done by Heat
volunteers, NBA Cares volunteers, and Napier because there are a number of courts. We also
need volunteers to help run basketball drills and shout-a-rounds with Shabazz at the event. We
don’t want to replace everything about the courts, an extremely expensive endeavor, we want to
clean them up and patch and paint them and the hoops to match the quality of the indoor courts
and the look and feel of the Heat courts. The Heat would benefit from the new red-and-black
color scheme and center court logo to look like the Arena, as would NBA Cares having their
logo along the side with a #13 right on the first court. This will also be the unveiling site and
debut of the “Shabazz Napier Community Court” in partnership with the Miami Heat and NBA
Cares as a way to let the community of players and people know that we can do something to
help out, even improving the quality of their park. Napier will re-open the new court at 10am to
encourage people to come early and stay late and get people engaged for as long as possible.
Once the courts are unveiled, families can watch as their kids participate and learn from an NBA
rookie through fun and simple drills. Food will be opened up at the same time to prevent
bottlenecking and overcrowding, plus the whole park will be available to enjoy as families want.
Napier will also get to stop and eat after a while to be able to relax and sign autographs and take
pictures with fans. With the grunt work being accomplished in the week leading up to the event,
we can give due diligence to the Heat and NBA Cares who will be supporting us, while still
focusing on Napier as the face and backer of the change.
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News Release
The first way we’d like to get media involved is to put out a news release to key
reporters, specifically in the sports and basketball fields who will appreciate a Miami Heat event
that can benefit the local community. As a franchise, the Heat already have 53% of Miami adults
on their side, so a release like this can create a story that people will latch onto and either want to
participate in or pass it on to others in their neighborhood. The idea and story we are portraying
is one that Napier can feel comfortable with and one that plays into his personal interests through
family, community, and giving back—all are also integral parts of our plan and strategy.
Although not well disguised behind a news piece, the event itself does not come off as showy or
fake in its intent and is still inherently newsworthy to Heat fans and our market. The Shabazz
Napier Summer Slam name could come off as pretentious, but the details are of Hispanic
community and having a good time with family, not about Napier. His name recognition was not
something we wanted to avoid, even in the event name, simply because his brand needs some
strong attention as well as his character. By including a quote of his personal views and
involvement with partners for this event, we can help reveal his character and background
concerning our target market but also how he’d like to be apart of his new home in Miami. And
in that sense, we can help pull back from large affiliations and selfish attention because the story
we’re telling is one of a kid and a local fan base that have a lot in common and who want to be
there for each other. This release will be sent out to many of the Heat reporters, ones who cover
similar events and want the scoop on all Heat activities; many of the large players are on the
media list. The idea behind including the Hispanic title of the event is also intentional, and we’re
also going to heavily pursue translating the entire release into appropriate Latino vernacular for
the Spanish affiliates of these popular news sites.
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Contact: Jeremy Sellmeyer FOR RELEASE ON MARCH 1, 2015
Cell: 314-825-8123
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @jeremysellmeyer
The Shabazz Napier Summer Slam: A celebration of Miami’s Hispanic community
MIAMI, March 1, 2015 – In partnership with NBA Cares, the greater Miami area can join rookie Shabazz Napier just outside Little Havana at Jose Marti Park to celebrate the local community this summer. The Shabazz Summer Slam (or El Shabazz Donquear de Verano) will bring together the large Hispanic and Latino population near South Beach as a way to commemorate the cultural differences that make Miami unique and show support for the community of fans.
What: Free Hispanic food/ ice cream from Little Havana, family time at the park, meet Shabazz Napier and play basketball on a special court!
Where: Jose Marti Park (351 SW 4th Street, Miami, FL 33130)
When: Saturday, June 20, from 10:00am to 3:00pm
Who: Hispanic families (bring your kids!) and local Heat fans
Why: To celebrate the Miami community and show support to our fans
“The idea started as a way to connect with fans and my heart,” explained Napier. “My mom is Puerto Rican, and we stick closer together than anyone because of that love and that culture. I can think of no better way to say ‘thank you’ than to just have a day that fans can enjoy and bring our culture to life.”
The U.S. Census Bureau indicates that nearly 70 percent of the Miami area and surrounding counties are Hispanic/Latino, which has built the largest Hispanic fan base in the NBA. These fans can feel at home just outside the heart of Cuban culture at Jose Marti Park with American Airlines Arena only minutes away.
(1)Miami Heat volunteers, NBA Cares volunteers, and Napier will be working hard to update the outdoor courts at Jose Marti and to provide an experience that gives back to the community.
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Napier and his family will also be unveiling the updates at the event, and fans will be able to meet the rookie and receive an autographed picture.
About the Miami HeatFormed in 1988, as one of the NBA’s four expansion franchises, the Miami Heat is an American professional basketball team based in southern Florida. The team plays out of American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami as part of the Eastern Conference, Southeast Division. Micky Arison is the owner, Pat Riley the president, and Erik Spoelstra the head coach. The Heat have won 11 division titles, five conference titles, and three league championships (2006, 2012, 2013). For more information, visit http://www.nba.com/heat/home.
# # #
Public Service Announcement
The second way we’d like to attract media attention and have a communication with our
target audience is through a 30-second radio public service announcement. The Miami area uses
a lot of traditional media, and radio is a great way to reach segmented audiences like families and
our Hispanic population through specific channels. It was key for us to then contact some of the
long-standing names in Heat broadcasting history that also have diverse channels. Both of our
immediate radio contacts are sports guys, which will corner our sports fans market, but “La Voz”
is a Spanish talk show host during the daytime on AM stations that go direct to Hispanic
households. It’s a two-fold effect that can help us get our message to different subgroups within
our audience and immerse us in Hispanic culture. As the PSA itself goes, we are not paying to
interrupt a show or advertise, so it had to be punchy right at the start. The meat of our message
gets out the main information of who, what, when, where, why, and how, but then we added an
appeal for listeners to hear us out. What is going to get people to come? What’s essential to
know? Those are the hooks we used to help paint a more specific image without overloading
with facts. We also closed it out with intrigue and a call to action in order to create more interest
and engagement among listeners who are motivated to participate in this event.
Miami HEAT
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601 Biscayne BoulevardMiami, FL, 33132
786-777-1000www.nba.com/heat/
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEKill Date: June 21, 2015Contact: Jeremy Sellmeyer, Public Relations (314) 825-8123/[email protected]
Miami Community to Celebrate Hispanic Culture with Shabazz Napier This Summer
ATTENTION MIAMI! LOOKING TO HAVE SOME FAMILY FUN IN THE SUN THIS
SUMMER? ON JUNE 20th MIAMI HEAT ROOKIE SHUH-BAZZ NAY-PEER WILL JOIN
N-B-A CARES TO CELEBRATE WITH THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY AT JOSE MAR-
TEE PARK. LITTLE HAVANA WILL COME TO LIFE WITH FREE LATIN FOOD AND
MUSIC, PLUS A CHANCE FOR KIDS TO MEET AND PLAY BALL WITH NAY-PEER.
THERE WILL ALSO BE A SPECIAL SURPRISE PROJECT UNVEILED AT THE PARK
THAT’S SURE TO TURN UP THE HEAT. TO LEARN MORE, PLEASE VISIT “N-B-A DOT
COM SLASH HEAT.”
Contact: Jeremy Sellmeyer/Public Relations: 314-825-8123/[email protected]
# # #
Media List
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1. Jason Jackson, Radio Talk Show Host (Sirius XM Radio 207 ch. 86) “Off the Dribble”, Facebook: The Jax Show, @TheJaxShow
2. Ira Winderman, Senior Columnist and Miami Heat Blogger for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 954-356-4635, [email protected], @IraHeatBeat
3. Jason Lieser, Sports Staff Writer for the Palm Beach Post, 561-820-4767, [email protected], @PBPjasonlieser
4. Joseph Goodman, Miami Heat Reporter and Writer for the Miami Herald, [email protected], @JoeGoodmanJr
5. Michael Wallace, ESPN.com writer and blogger “The Miami Heat Index”, @WallaceNBA_ESPN
6. Jose “La Voz” Paneda, Spanish Radio Broadcaster for the Miami Heat and WQBA-AM, 786-777-4118, @LaVozDelHEAT
7. Andrea Brody, Sports Reporter for WPLG Local 10 News, [email protected], @andreabrodywplg
Evaluation
The simplest way to break down evaluation with our plan will be by numbers, but in a
way that captures the attitudes and responses we’re after. It’s important for us to create buzz and
an event that will be meaningful to be apart of and to measure, and we’ll be able to check that in
various ways. For starters, the radio PSA will be the first thing released, and we’ll want to
examine the number of stations it plays at, total reach, number of times it plays per station, and
the basic platform statistics of what was heard. We will be able to code and see the audience it
reached as well, but we won’t know what message was understood until event day—when
people go from listeners to participants. In the same way, the news release can be checked via
audience reach and circulation, our own page views combined with all other media page views,
time spent on page and click-through rate. Also, outside of basic responses to the piece itself and
the analytics of how much or often it gets viewed and by whom, we’ll want to see its true effect
on event day to see if and how it influenced people to take action.
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At the event, initially we’ll be able to look at the most basic level of number of people
who came and participated based on food numbers and autographs. How much food we do or
don’t have left will give us an estimated number of people as will how many photos are left over
from autographing or how many people came in an hour to get a photo or something signed. We
also want to key in on our two media pieces by getting participants to answer simple surveys at
the event with questions asking how they heard about the event, reactions to it, their favorite
part, attitudes about Napier before and after, etc.—the keys behind measuring awareness of
Napier’s image. Not everyone is in love with having to answer questions, so we’ll have a special
item that he can autograph like his jersey or a basketball, and every family or individual who
submits a survey has a chance to win. In this way, Napier can give one more thing away to be
charitable, and we can collect big data. These survey numbers will also help us capture the types
of people who came to be a part of The Shabazz Napier Summer Slam (white/black,
Hispanic/Latino, age, number of kids, location, Heat fan or not) along with another method of
verifying total number of participants.
Post-event, there’s a good chance that our free invitation to the community spurs
coverage stories or press releases similar to what we put out or even media pieces. Those are out
of our control but can be useful toward evaluating broad awareness of numbers of people
communicated to about Napier. We may not be able to gather intensive information about
attitudes formed, but we can again gauge the reach and demographics of the audiences
communicated to as well as whether the messages were positive or negative or even shared on
social media. They’re traceable to an extent, but within the context of our communication plan,
we will only be able to evaluate the success of our objective through event-day measurements
and the attitudes and opinions we can verify.