Challenge
As an NBA team and arena owner in a mid-sized media market, the Sacramento Kings are constantly looking for innovative ways to engage fans, drive incremental ticket sales to games and events, and maximize the marketing budget. Though a highly successful franchise with a loyal fan base, the Kings increasingly faced strong competition for their fans’ discretionary entertainment dollar so were looking for some progressive, and more direct, ways to interact with their customers. They decided to implement and test a mobile marketing strategy.

The Kings had multiple objectives for the project. The first was to find a single, integrated, easy-to-use platform that would allow them to leverage the growing power of mobile marketing via SMS text messaging, voice, and the web. Second, the ROI and efficiency metrics had to exceed existing marketing efforts. Lastly, major team sponsors had to see real value from the various mobile promotional campaigns.

Solution

After an unsuccessful test run with another vendor, the Kings undertook a thorough assessment of the marketplace and selected Mobile Commons to address their mobile marketing needs. Ease of use, powerful features, data integration capabilities, carrier agnostic, client strategy, and customer support were cited by the Kings as key factors in the selection of Mobile Commons.

Utilizing the Mobile Commons platform, the Kings quickly began launching creative and entertaining campaigns that incorporated both SMS text messaging and voice alerts.

Results

To date the Kings have seen great results from their mobile efforts. Key metrics are up across the board including enhanced renewal rates among season ticket holders, higher per capita ancillary income, moving ticket buyers “up the value chain”, and increased ROI on marketing spend when compared to other forms of advertising. Critical sponsors have also been very pleased with the tangible results they’ve experienced. Mobile has now officially become a key part of the Kings ongoing marketing strategy.