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SponsorshipProposal

PRT466–Fall2015AlexandraS.Blough

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October27,2015

TimLoweChiefExecutiveOfficerLowe’sFoods,Inc.1381OldMillCirSte.200WinstonSalem,NC27103DearMr.Lowe, TheCarolinaMudcatsminorleaguebaseballorganizationwouldliketoinviteyourcompany,Lowe’sFoods,tobeavitalpartnerandsponsorofourorganization.Lowe’sFoodsisknownforitspassiontoservethelocalcommunityandstriveforexcellentproductsforfamiliestoenjoy.Wewouldlovetheopportunitytoenhanceyourbrandwhilecollectivelystrivingtoenhanceourconnectionswiththecommunity. Attachedinthisdocumentisasponsorshipproposalthatincludesthefollowingitems:historyoftheorganization,promotionalopportunities,signagepropositions,andsocialmediaexposure.TheCarolinaMudcatsareahardworkingorganizationthatisdedicatedtoservingthecommunityandcreatinglifelongfanswithintheprogram.MuchlikeLowe’sFoodsournumberonegoalisconsumersatisfaction. TheCarolinaMudcatsarelookingtoinitiatealifelongpartnershipthatwillallowbothpartiestogrowandbenefiteachotherinapositivelight.WewillprovideLowe’sFoodswithincreasedbrandawareness,positiveimagewithinthecommunity,andloyalconsumerbase.TheCarolinaMudcatsorganizationhasworkeddiligentlytoplanandputtogetherthisdetailedsponsorshipproposalforyourcompany.WelookforwardtodiscussingfutureendeavorswithLowe’sFoodsandtheCarolinaMudcats.Sincerely,SteveBryantPresident/MajorityOwnerofCarolinaMudcats

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TheCarolinaMudcatsOVERVIEW:TheCarolinaMudcatsareaminorleaguebaseballteambasedinZebulon,NorthCarolina.Commonlyreferredtoasjust,theMudcatsaremembersoftheCarolinaLeagueandaretheClassA-AdvancedAffiliatesoftheAtlantaBraves.TheyparticipateintheSouthernDivision.TheMudcatshosttheirhomegamesatFiveCountyStadium.Thefranchisewasestablishedin1978astheKinstonEaglesoftheCarolinaLeaguebutlatermovedtoZebulonandadoptedtheCarolinaMudcatsnameandbranding.

BRIEFHISTORY:

Ø CurrentlyaffiliatedwiththeAtlantaBravesbutpreviousteamsinclude:ClevelandIndians,TorontoBlueJays,NewYorkYankees,andSt.LouisCardinals.

Ø TheCarolinaMudcatsholdeightleaguetitlesearnedin:1935,1947,1962,1988,1991,1995,2004,and2006.

Ø TheCarolinaMudcatsholdtendivisiontitlesearnedin:1988,1990,1991,1995,1996,1997,2002,2005,2006,and2011.

Ø TheMudcatsnameandbrandinghasexistedinZebulon,NorthCarolinasince1991,butwaspreviouslylaunchedinColumbus,GeorgiatwoyearspriorastheColumbusMudcats.

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TheCarolinaMudcatsProgramVISIONSTATEMENT:ToexcelintheMagicofBaseball,provideapositiveatmosphereforfamiliestoescapetoasparklingvenuethatprovidescreaturecomfortsthatenhancequalitytimetogether.WemustprotectourimageofAmerica'spastimeandpresentinnovative,affordable,qualityexperiencesthatwillbepassedtofuturegenerations.Totaketheleadincommunityinvolvementandgivebackwithcharitableactsandrememberaboveall,itisaboutthekids.MISSIONSTATEMENT/GOALS:TheprimaryfocusfortheCarolinaMudcatsistoprovideafun,familyenvironmentforeveryonetoenjoyatFiveCountyStadium.TheMudcatscurrentlymarketthemselvestofamiliesclosetothecityofZebulonandsurroundingcitieslikeRaleigh,Wendell,andKnightdale.

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DESCRIPTIONOFVENUE:WiththehelpandfundsofWakeCounty,FiveCountyStadiumisnowoneofthemostspectacularparksinminorleaguebaseball.Thestadiumiscompletewithafinediningrestaurant,picnicareas,luxurysuitesandsomeofthemostuniqueseatingaround.Itishardtofindasingletraceoftheoriginalstadiumtoday.The60-foot-tallscoreboardfeaturesa300-square-footvideoboardcapableofshowingthree-anglereplays,highlights,fansandtelevisionbroadcasts.

WEEKLYPROMOTIONS:EverynightattheconclusionofaMudcatshomegamechildrenareinvitedtorunthebasesliketheplayersdo.Wednesdaynightsarecurrently“WienerWednesdays”withallbeefhotdogsonly$1.00.ThursdaysatFiveCountyStadiumare“ThirstyThursdays”withspecialsizebeerandfountaindrinksatadiscountedprice.Lastly,Fridaysareknownas“FridayNightFireworks”withaspectacularfireworksshowaftereveryFridayhomegame.PASTATTENDENCE&AUDIENCEPROFILE:InthepastfouryearstheCarolinaMudcatsareaveragingabout210,000fansperannualseason.Therehasbeenaslightdecreaseinyearlyattendancehowevertheaverageamountofspectatorspergamehasstayedwithinthesameballparkatabout3,000.MostCarolinaMudcats’attendeesarefamilieswithchildrenbetweentheagesof3and13yearsoldwhotravelfromtheWakeCountyarea.

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MEDIACOVERAGE:TheCarolinaMudcatshaveapresenceofseveralmediumsofmultimediaoutlets.ThegamesarebroadcastedandstreamedlivefromMiLB.TV.FanscanalsolistentothegamesviaListenLiveonTuneinRadio.TheirFacebookpresenceishardtoignorewith20,793likes.TheMudcats’twitterandInstagramaccountsalsoaccountfor10,000followers.COMMUNITYOUTREACH:TheCarolinaMudcatshavedoneatremendousjobmakingtheirorganizationassessabletotheircommunity.TheyallowforplayerappearancesduringtheregularbaseballseasonfromApril–September.Inadditiontotheplayers,youcanrequestastaffmembertocomespeaktoyourgroupororganizationaswell.MuddytheMudcatisaCarolinaMudcatsstapleandfanfavorite.Heisavailableforpublicorprivateevents.Pasteventappearanceshaveincluded:schoolevents,festivals,youthleaguegames,weddingreceptions,andevencorporateevents.COMPANYSUCCESS:TheCarolinaMudcatsareastaplesourceofsportandentertainmentforEasternWakeCounty.Thefactthattheirattendancerecordsindicatesteadynumbersoverthecourseoftheyearsisagreatsigntheyarekeepingafanbase.Theestimatedannualrevenueofthisorganizationisaround$1,000,000to$2,500,000.FanshavedescribedtheirtimeatFiveCountyStadiumasanincrediblyfunfamilyexperience.TheCarolinaMudcatshavelongtimesponsorshipsandrelationshipswithcommunitybusinesses,whichindicatebothparties,arebenefitingandtheMudcatsareretainingoldsponsorsaswellasintroducingnewsponsorseachyear.

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CompatibilityoftheOrganizationsCOMPARISONOFORGANIZATIONS:BoththeCarolinaMudcatsandLowe’sFoodspridethemselvesonbeingstaplesoftheNorthCarolinaexperience.TheCarolinaMudcatsstrivetoprovidethebestexperienceandproductsfortheirfansmuchlikeLowe’sFoodshasadistinctdesireforcustomersatisfaction.Bothorganizationsrecognizetheimportanceofbuildingagoodreputationwithinthecommunityandemphasizinganintangibleexperienceforitsconsumers. Lowe’sFoodsgrocerystoresreflectthevariedneedsanddesiresofshoppersindifferentareas.Stores,productsandservicesarecontinuallyupdatedtomeetthechangingneedsofcustomers.BothorganizationsareproudtoprovideproductsandservicestoNorthCarolinafamiliesandarerecognizedfortheircommunityinvolvementanddesiretogoaboveandbeyondforcustomerandfansatisfaction.TARGETMARKETS:TheCarolinaMudcatsandLowe’sFoodbothhavethesametargetmarket,whicharelocalfamilies.Itisimportanttomarketbothproductsandservicestodrawfamiliesinandkeeptheminvestedineachorganization.BybringingacustomerfirstbasedgrocerystoretoFiveCountyStadium,localresidentscouldbecomeextremelyinvestedintheirproducts.

Ø BOTHorganizationsaimtobenefitandbetterthecommunityØ BOTHorganizationsmarketservicesandproductstofamilies

TheCarolinaMudcatsandLowe’sFoodsvisionsalignverywellwhichwouldcreateanidealrelationshipwithinthecommunity.Theconceptofbringingfamiliestogetherandprovidingexcellentcustomerserviceassuresthesebrandsalignperfectlyandwouldserveasidealpartnersforasponsorship.

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SPONSORSHIPPACKAGEOFFERING:Ø SIGNAGE:

1. Lowe’sFoodswillreceive4visiblesignssurroundingFiveCountyStadium(Scoreboard,ConcessionStand,andEntrance/ExitGates).

Ø MARKETINGMATERIALS:2. Lowe’sFoodslogoandmarketingwillbeprevalentinprintoutshandedoutatgamedayeventsandpromotions.

3. Lowe’sFoodslogowillbeprintedasthelabelonallwaterbottlessoldthroughtheconcessionstandatFiveCountyStadiummainconcessionstands(excludingprivatevendors).

4. Lowe’sFoodswillbethesponsoringnameforanactivityforfansduringthe7thinningstretch.

Ø PRODUCTBOOTHATGAMES:5. Lowe’sFoodswillbeabletohaveaboothorstandsetupservingsamplesoftheirownsignatureproductsandcoupons,incentives,etc.

Ø MEDIACOVERAGE:6. Lowe’sFoodswillreceivetwoadvertisementsduringbreaksthroughonlinestreamingsystemsandannouncementsthroughoutthelivegamebroadcast.

7. Lowe’sFoodswillhaverecognitionthroughtheCarolinaMudcatsofficialTwitter,Facebook,andInstagramaccountswithatleastthreepromotionaltweetsperweek.

Ø WEBVISABILITY:8. TheLowe’sFoodlogoandsloganswillbeontherotatingscrollingbannerontheCarolinaMudcatsofficialwebsitehomepage.

9. TheLowe’sFoodlogowillbeseenonapageofallofficialsponsorsoftheCarolinaMudcats.

Ø CO-SPONSOROPPORTUNITIES:10. Lowe’sFoodswillhavetheopportunitytoco-sponsorwithPopeFarmsfromKnightdalewhoarealargeproduceroflocalagricultureandproducetotheeasternpartofWakeCounty.

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TOTALPACKAGEVALUE:$150,000

ACTUALSPONSORSHIP

INVESTMENT:$125,000

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EvaluationofSuccessFANFEEDBACK:

Ø ThroughsocialmediaplatformsfanscantakesurveysandgivefeedbackabouttheirexperienceatFiveCountyStadium.Wedotheseaftereveryhomegameseries.

Ø SurveyswillnowincludequestionsdirectedattheinfluenceofLowe’sFoodspresenceandpromotionalactivitiesatthestadium.

USEOFPROMOTIONALMATERIALS/COUPONS:

Ø Lowe’sFoodscankeeptrackandloghowmanypromotionalmaterialscollectedfromCarolinaMudcatsgamesarebeingredeemedintheirstores.

REPORTSATLOCALSTORE:

Ø TheclosestandmostnewlyrenovatedLowe’sFoodsisinKnightdale,NorthCarolinaabout10minutesawayfromFiveCountyStadium.

Ø Wecanlookatreportsofproductsalesatthisstoreandassessthesuccessofthesponsorshipbasedoffofincreasedsales,foottraffic,andcustomersatisfaction/loyalty.

MEASURINGMEDIAEXPOSURE/MEDIAPRESENCE:

Ø Wehavetheabilitytocloselymonitorhowmanypeopleourpromotionaltweets,posts,andFacebookadvertisementsarereaching.Withalargepresenceonsocialmediawecanseehowmanyconsumers“like”or“retweet”certainpromotionalsalesandifthey’reredeemedinlocalstores.

Ø WecancloselyloghowmanytimesLowe’sFoodsismentionedinprintandmediabecauseofbeingassociatedwiththeCarolinaMudcatsorganization.