A mock marketing plan created for the current year (2014) of Wolfpack Mens Soccer. It was not officially used, but this plan was created as if the department would implement it to market the program for 2014.

1. 1
NC
STATE
MEN’S
SOCCER
MARKETING
PLAN
Kickin’ it with the Pack
Ryan
Olli,
Wes
Purcell,
John
Purcell

2. 2
Executive
Summary
This
marketing
plan
is
an
overall
all
in
depth
analysis
and
plan
that
will
be
used
to
improve
to
the
image
and
the
brand
of
NC
State
Men’s
Soccer
and
insure
its
flourishing
future.
We
started
out
by
reviewing
and
analyzing
all
of
the
strengths
and
weaknesses,
threats,
and
our
unique
selling
position
to
see
where
we
stand.
We
next
went
over
our
competitors
direct
and
indirect
and
who
their
target
markets
are
to
see
where
we
stand
next
to
them
and
what
we
are
up
against.
It
was
then
key
for
us
to
go
through
our
customer’s
wants
and
needs,
and
our
target
market.
After
all
of
the
research
was
completed
we
then
created
our
marketing
strategies
and
tactics.
All
of
the
work
we
put
into
this
marketing
plan
and
its
correct
implementation
should
pay
big
dividends
for
the
NC
State
soccer
program.

3. 3
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................ 4
Company Description/Mission Statement 4
Background 4-6
SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS ............................................................................................................................... 6
Internal Analysis 6-7
External Environmental Analysis 7
Product Portfolio and Positioning 7
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS ............................................................................................................................ 8
Competitors 8
CUSTOMER ANALYSIS ................................................................................................................................. 9
Section One 9-10
Section Two 10
MARKETING GOALS ..................................................................................................................................... 11
MARKETING STRATEGIES AND TACTICS ............................................................................................. 12-16
IMPLEMENTATION AND CONTROL ......................................................................................................... 16
Action Plan 16
Budge 17-18
Examination 18
APPENDIX ........................................................................................................................................................ 19-23
REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................................... 24

4. 4
Introduction
Company
Description/Mission
Statement
Prepare
student-­‐athletes
to
compete
at
the
highest
level
and
to
inspire
them
to
be
leaders
now
and
for
the
future
by
providing
the
best
environment
to
achieve
their
athletic,
academic,
and
personal
aspirations
as
well
as
providing
support
for
the
professional
development
of
our
coaches
and
staff,
all
within
the
role
of
greater
institutional
relationships
to
the
University.
Our
Goal
● ACHIEVE
national
recognition
for
competitive
excellence,
as
measured
by
ACC
finishes
and
the
national
Director’s
Cup
competition
● GRADUATE
student-­‐athletes
at
rates
that
compare
favorably
to
our
ACC
public
peer
institutions
and
achieve
same
for
the
NCAA
Academic
Progress
Rates.
● CULTIVATE
an
environment
where
NCAA
rules
compliance,
the
pursuit
of
excellence,
gender
equity,
respect
for
diversity
and
recognition
of
achievement
are
fundamental
values
held
by
staff,
coaches
and
student-­‐athletes.
● ALLOCATE
the
financial
resources
required
to
achieve
the
Department’s
vision
of
excellence,
while
operating
successfully
as
a
self-­‐supporting
auxiliary
unit
of
the
University.
● RECRUIT
and
retain
the
caliber
of
student-­‐athletes,
coaches,
and
staff
who
are
committed
to
the
achievement
of
the
Department’s
vision
of
competitive
and
academic
excellence.
● GENERATE
the
funds
required
to
pay
the
annual
scholarship
bill,
facility
debt
and
operating
costs.
● CREATE
an
innovative
branding
program
that
will
promote
the
Department’s
vision
and
tell
the
NC
State
story.
Background
Soccer
began
through
an
effort
of
the
growing
population
of
international
students.
NC
State's
first
international
student
was
from
Japan
and
graduated
in
1896.
He
played
football.
But
it
wasn't
until
after
WWII
that
the
international
population
really
began
to
grow.
Those
students
organized
a
club
team
in
1947.
They
played
exhibition
games
against
teams
from
other
schools
for
two
seasons
under
the
guidance
of
PE
professor
Ed
DeGroat
as
advisor
and
coach.
The
first
players
were
students
from
India,
China,
Norway
and
other

5. 5
countries.
The
athletics
council
voted
to
make
soccer
a
varsity
sport
in
December
1949
and
the
first
varsity
season
was
in
1950.
The
first
coach
was
Bill
Leonhardt
of
the
PE
department.
The
team
played
a
10-­‐game
season
for
about
a
decade.
Kare
Kargas,
in
just
the
second
season
of
the
program,
was
named
All-­‐American
in
1951.
Leonhardt
complained
that
his
team,
and
other
minor
sports,
did
not
get
enough
publicity
despite
good
effort.
Nellie
Cooper,
also
of
the
PE
department,
was
the
coach
in
the
1960s.
He
thought
the
program
didn't
get
enough
support
from
students.
In
1963
the
team
had
a
7-­‐6
record.
Max
Rhodes
took
over
the
program
in
1964
and
coached
through
the
1970s.
He
helped
grow
the
sport
in
the
area
with
a
summer
soccer
camp.
In
1964,
Benito
Artinano
tied
the
NCAA
record
by
scoring
seven
goals
in
a
single
game
against
Appalachian
State.
It
still
stands
as
the
school
and
ACC
record
for
the
most
goals
in
a
single
game.
Rhodes
was
replaced
in
1978
by
lacrosse
coach
Larry
Gross,
who
coached
both
teams
until
1981
when
lacrosse
was
disbanded.
Gross
also
started
the
women's
program
in
1984
and
coached
both
teams
for
two
seasons.
In
1986,
assistant
George
Tarantini,
a
native
of
Argentina,
took
over
the
men
and
Gross
coached
the
women.
The
teams
in
the
'80s
had
great
scorers
like
Chris
Ogu,
Sam
Okpodu,
Sadri
Gjonbalaj.
Perhaps
the
greatest
player
in
NC
State
history
was
Tab
Ramos
(1984-­‐87),
a
U.S.
Olympian
and
three-­‐time
World
Cup
team
member.
He
was
a
successful
professional
player
in
Europe
and
the
U.S.
And
was
elected
in
the
inaugural
class
of
the
NC
State
Athletic
Hall
of
Fame
in
2012
and
a
2005
inductee
to
the
National
Soccer
Hall
of
Fame.
The
heyday
of
NC
State
soccer
was
in
the
late
'80s
and
early
'90s
under
Taratini,
who
was
twice
named
ACC
Coach
of
the
Year
in
'92
and
'94.
In
1990,
behind
the
scoring
of
Roy
Lassiter
and
Henry
Gutierrez,
Taranini
led
nc
state
to
its
only
ACC
championship.
That
team
later
went
to
the
NCAA
semifinals,
where
it
lost
to
UCLA
on
penalty
kicks.
State's
ACC
Players
of
the
Year
are
Somnuk
Vixaysouk
(1971),
Prince
Afejuku
(1980),
Sam
Okpodu
(1982),
Henry
Gutierrez
(1990-­‐91),
Scott
Schweitzer
(1992)
and
Kyle
Campbell
(1994).
NC
State
Men’s
Soccer’s
primary
market
area
is
Raleigh,
but
it
also
reaches
to
surrounding
cities
in
the
Triangle,
including
Cary,
Apex,
and
Holly
Springs.
Being
that
this
soccer
program
is
apart
of
an
established
public
university,
many
across
the
country
support
the
athletics
of
NC
State,
including
its
soccer
program.

6. 6
The
Sports
Marketing
department
at
NC
State
University
has
recently
had
administrative
change,
as
Director
of
Athletics,
Deborah
A.
Yow
has
announced
that
Fred
Demarest
has
been
named
NC
State’s
Associate
Athletics
Director
for
Communications
and
Marketing.
Demarest
brings
20
years
of
experience
from
two
SEC
powerhouses,
University
of
Florida
and
Louisiana
State
University.
In
his
new
role,
he
will
lead
and
manage
the
creative
development
and
delivery
for
NC
State
Athletics’
overall
communications
and
marketing
efforts,
while
ensuring
alignment
and
collaborations
with
the
university's
message
efforts.
Situational
Analysis
SWOT
Analysis
Internal
Analysis
(Strengths
and
Weaknesses)
Strengths
•
On-­‐campus
venue
and
seating
(convenient
parking
is
available
in
the
Coliseum
Parking
deck
● Detailed
explanation:
•
The
schedule
does
not
conflict
heavily
with
football,
volleyball,
women’s
soccer,
or
other
sports,
•
Home
schedule
features
4
in-­‐state
opponents
(UNC-­‐Wilmington,
Davidson,
Wake
Forest,
•
Kay
Yow
Pink
Match
(Saturday,
October
19th
–
Notre
Dame)
is
a
great
way
to
raise
money
for
breast
cancer,
•
Budget
providing
for
increased
advertising
and
incentives
for
4
marquee
events
(Clemson,
•
Local
players
on
the
roster
(12
athletes
from
the
Triangle)
Weaknesses
•
Lack
of
a
“true”
home-­‐field
advantage;
fans
are
not
as
into
the
match
as
they
are
at
other
•
Paid
advertising
is
limited
to
a
handful
of
matches
per
season
(4
marquee
events)

7. 7
•
UNC,
Duke,
and
Maryland
matches
will
be
played
on
the
road
this
season
External
Analysis
(Opportunities
and
Threats)
Opportunities
•
Head
Coach
Kelly
Findley
is
continuing
to
build
momentum
with
the
program
•
Early
season
matches
usually
draw
strong
attendance
figures
due
to
nice
weather
•
High
number
of
youth
teams
and
soccer
clubs
in
the
area
•
Continue
to
place
a
larger
emphasis
on
the
student
section
–
potentially
increase
SWPC
point
events
Threats
•
Relying
on
the
Student
Wolfpack
Club
to
help
drive
attendance
•
Student
attendance
is
driven
by
freshmen
and
sophomores
–
once
students
move
off
•
Once
the
weather
cools
down,
attendance
may
drop
campus
they
do
not
attend
as
frequently
Examine
product
portfolio
and
positioning
• On
campus
students,
easy
to
access
and
it
is
free
for
them
• Great
promotions
every
game
and
you
will
not
be
disappointed
at
the
experience
weather
the
team
wins
or
not.
• Cheap
for
fans,
lot
of
games
are
half
off
with
promotional
offers
• Kickin’
it
with
the
Pack;
our
catchy
tag
line
will
make
you
want
to
come
check
us
out

8. 8
Competitive
Analysis
In
the
triangle
area,
the
NC
State
soccer
team
has
several
direct
and
indirect
competitors.
Some
of
the
direct
competitors
are
other
local
college
soccer
teams,
such
as
UNC
–
Chapel
Hill
and
Duke.
Also,
the
professional
soccer
team,
the
Carolina
rail
Hawks,
is
a
direct
competitor.
One
of
the
factors
limiting
our
brand
compared
to
UNC
and
Duke
is
that
they
have
been
more
successful,
with
a
longer
tradition
of
excellence.
The
Railhawks,
being
a
professional
franchise
is
the
highest
level
of
soccer
in
the
state
of
North
Carolina.
They
also
have
more
money
for
promotional
opportunities,
a
nicer
stadium,
and
has
very
accessible,
easy
parking.
Indirect
competitors
are
also
working
against
NC
State
soccer,
Such
as
NC
State
football
because
there
is
a
greater
widespread
interest
in
this
fall
sport.
Capital
area
soccer
league
and
Triangle
Football
Club
have
a
large
draw
that
pulls
attendance
away
from
NC
State
soccer.
All
soccer
players
and
the
families
involved
with
these
two
leagues
are
usually
traveling
on
the
weekends
for
soccer
tournaments
away
from
Raleigh.

9. 9
Customer
Analysis
Section
1
Soccer
equipment:
Total
Consumer
Market
Balls-­‐
$87.6
m
(2013);
$63.5
m
(2003)
+
27.5%
Shoes-­‐
$213.2
m
(2013);
$198.6
m
(2003)
+7%
Total-­‐
$300.8
m
(2013);
$262.1
m
(2003)
+13%
Demographics:
Total
fans
age
13+:
37,965,000
Age
Group
-­‐ 13-­‐17:
8.5
-­‐ 18-­‐34:
31.6
-­‐ 35-­‐49:
23.6
-­‐ 50-­‐64:
20.6
-­‐ 65+:
15.7
-­‐ MEDIAN
AGE:
41.0
Gender
-­‐Male:
55.1%
-­‐Female:
44.9%
Geographic
Location
-­‐Northeast:
18.9
-­‐Midwest:
19.7
-­‐South:
38.8
-­‐West:
22.6
Income
31.7%
of
fans
have
income
of
$100,00+
Social
Media:
8,030,00
Facebook
followers
3,986,000
Twitter
followers
18.5%
à
%
of
fans
who
participate
in
Soccer
at
any
level
14.6%
of
US
population
45-­‐54
(Baby
boomer
age)
still
participates
in
this
sport
When
marketing
for
any
business
or
sport
it
is
essential
to
identify
who
exactly
your
market
is.
College
Soccer
is
unique
in
the
fact
that
while
it
is
not
one
of
the
2
or
3
revenue
sports
in
college,
its
popularity
is
rising..

10. 10
According
to
SBR.net,
college
soccer
has
a
total
of
3,796,500
fans
ranging
of
all
ages,
genders,
geographic
location,
and
incomes.
8.5%
of
fans
are
in
their
teenage
years
ranging
from
13-­‐17.
College
Soccer
is
now
almost
equal
in
popularity
to
College
Baseball.
The
largest
percentage
of
fans
by
age
group
is
those
14-­‐27
at
31.6%,
with
the
remaining
fans
(59.9%)
being
45
and
older.
In
terms
of
gender,
it
is
more
evenly
distributed
that
the
majority
of
major
sports
in
the
US,
having
55.1%
of
fans
being
male,
and
44.9%
being
female.
Section
2
The
target
market
for
our
soccer
program
ranges
from
youth
soccer
players
and
fans
in
the
area
all
the
way
to
older
adults
that
have
a
passion
for
soccer.
We
plan
to
reach
each
of
these
markets
and
anywhere
in-­‐between
to
meet
our
goals.
We
know
that
we
can
certainly
appeal
to
these
audiences
so
there
is
no
reason
why
we
will
not
be
able
to
get
them
excited
about
coming
out
to
games
and
being
a
part
of
our
great
experience.

11. 11
Marketing
Goals
The
goals
of
our
organization
are
to
develop
a
premier
men’s
soccer
program
that
is
recognized
nationally
and
create
an
increase
in
the
exposure
of
the
program.
NC
State
Men’s
Soccer
strives
the
be
the
best
collegiate
team
in
the
ACC
and
amongst
the
best
in
the
NCAA
year
in
and
year
out,
along
with
developing
a
prominent
presence
in
our
market.
Our
marketing
plan
will
help
us
to
meet
these
goals
through
the
use
of
various
marketing
strategies.
We
will
implement
our
strategies
with
different
marketing
tactics
that
we
feel
will
enable
increase
the
value
of
our
program;
as
well
as
achieving
our
set
objectives.
The
Men’s
Soccer
Program
at
NC
State
University
is
in
the
growth
stage
in
the
product
life
cycle.
Having
identified
the
stage
our
product
is
in,
we
plan
to
gear
our
marketing
efforts
to
gaining
more
of
our
market
share,
in
hopes
of
simultaneously
stimulating
and
maximizing
profits.
A
SWOT
analysis
identified
a
major
threat
to
our
program
being
a
reliance
on
freshmen
and
sophomores
students.
With
that
in
mind,
we
plan
on
utilizing
different
elements
of
the
marketing
mix
to
implement
strategies
and
achieve
our
overall
goals.
Our
first
strategy
will
be
based
around
the
promotion
and
public
relations
elements
of
the
marketing
mix
as
we
look
to
establish
a
presence
amongst
NC
State
students
and
avid
fans.
We
will
enhance
our
product
through
the
developing
a
consistent
fan
base,
while
concentrating
our
exposure
efforts
through
promotions
and
media
outlets.

12. 12
Marketing
Strategies
and
Tactics
The
first
marketing
strategy
we
will
focus
on
is
reaching
out
and
educating
NC
State
students
about
the
Men’s
Soccer
program.
By
reaching
out
to
this
market
and
positioning
our
program,
it
will
in-­‐turn
help
us
to
achieve
our
goal
of
creating
and
increasing
exposure
of
the
NC
State
Men’s
Soccer
program.
Goal:
Create
and
increase
exposure
of
NC
State
Men’s
Soccer
program.
Strategy:
Reach
out
and
educate
NC
State
Students
about
the
program.
Tactic:
Collaborate
with
the
“Pack
Pride”
twitter
account.
See
Appendix
1:
Consistently
around
campus
there
are
small
signs
that
show
the
time
of
the
soccer
games,
only
on
game
day.
The
fact
is
that
you
don’t
reach
the
maximum
amount
of
students
through
this
marketing
tactic.
Social
media
is
the
not
only
free,
but
the
best
way
to
reach
our
target
market
of
college
students.
Pack
Pride
is
currently
one
the
major
current
twitter
account
that
covers
NC
State
Athletics,
but
largely
does
so
only
for
three
sports,
men’s
basketball,
football,
and
baseball.
Our
tactic
would
be
to
collaborate
with
the
“Pack
Pride”
twitter
account
in
hopes
that
we
reach
out
to
their
28,000+
followers,
in
hopes
of
increasing
exposure
of
the
NC
State
Men’s
Soccer
program.
Pairing
with
Pack
Pride
would
be
an
excellent
and
efficient
way
to
reach
a
large
market,
which
we
already
know
has
an
interest
in
NC
State
athletics
already.
Goal:
Create
and
increase
exposure
of
NC
State
Men’s
Soccer
program.
Strategy:
Reach
out
and
educate
NC
State
students
about
the
program.
Tactic:
Create
and
utilize
a
personal
Twitter
and
account
for
NC
State
Men’s
Soccer
See
Appendix
2:
Again
like
I
have
said
previously,
social
media
is
the
most
effective
way
to
reach
the
target
market
and
execute
the
strategy
of
reaching
out
and
educating
NC
State
students
about
the
men’s
soccer
program.
Pairing
with
Pack
Pride
will
enable
us
to
gain
exposure
to
significant
amount
of
our
market,
but
creating
our
own
Twitter
accounts
will
allow
us
to
personalize
our
promotional
tactics.
For
instance,
having
a
weekly
trivia
about
the
soccer
team
or
program
in
general
and
the
first
to
answer
the
question
correctly
over
social
media,
wins
free
memorabilia.
We
will
reach
out
to
alumni
of
NC
athletics,
local
organizations,
and
“Pack
Pride”
to
retweet
our
account
to
gain
more
followers
and
increase
exposure
even
more
to
our
market.

13. 13
Goal:
Create
and
increase
exposure
of
NC
State
Men’s
Soccer
program.
Strategy:
Reach
out
and
educate
local
community
and
about
the
program.
Tactic:
Railhawks
Play
the
Pack
See
Appendix
3:
The
Carolina
Railhawks,
a
local
professional
soccer
team,
may
just
be
NC
State
men’s
soccer
team
main
competition,
but
a
combined
event
could
gain
exposure
for
both
programs.
This
event
would
take
place
at
NC
State
soccer’s
home
stadium
located
in
the
heart
of
campus.
They
would
compete
in
an
exhibition
game,
which
would
encourage
fans,
largely
families,
of
the
Railhawks
from
the
surrounding
cities
of
Cary,
Holly
Springs,
and
Apex.
Instead
of
going
against
the
competition,
collaborating
with
them
would
help
reach
out
and
gain
exposure
from
the
local
community.
Goal:
Develop
a
premier
Men’s
Soccer
program
in
the
ACC
and
NCAA,
year
in
and
year
out.
Strategy:
Increase
ticket
sales
and
attendance
Tactic:
ACC
Bundling
Package
See
Appendix
4:
The
men’s
soccer
team
plays
a
total
of
17
games
per
season,
but
on
average
only
4
of
those
games
are
home
games
against
ACC
opponents.
While
the
out-­‐of-­‐conference
games
can
offer
good
competition,
the
ACC
games
offer
elite
competition
with
the
inclusion
of
built
in
rivalries
between
the
players
and
teams.
We
plan
on
offering
a
special
package
that
allows
customers
to
purchase
the
“ACC
Bundle”
where
they
will
receive
tickets
to
the
4
ACC
home
games.
This
package
will
be
offered
at
$85,
which
will
allow
customers
to
get
a
discount
from
the
original
price
per
game.
Due
to
the
fact
that
these
games
in
particular
bring
the
greatest
entertainment
value
and
have
the
most
intense
fan
base
amongst
soccer
games,
it
is
more
likely
that
these
customers
will
enjoy
our
product
and
not
only
return
for
ACC
games,
but
for
out-­‐of-­‐conference
games
as
well.
Goal:
Develop
a
premier
Men’s
Soccer
program
in
the
ACC
and
NCAA,
year
in
and
year
out.
Strategy:
Increase
ticket
sales
and
attendance
Tactic:
Season-­‐ticket
Specials
See
Appendix
5:

14. 14
The
best
way
to
obtain
committed
fans
for
the
long-­‐term
is
through
consistent
viewership.
Being
that
collegiate
soccer,
including
NC
State,
are
very
rarely
televised
the
only
way
to
view
the
game
is
live
at
the
stadium.
We
are
going
to
offer
a
“Season-­‐ticket
Special”
in
order
to
drive
consistent
attendance
and
ticket
sales.
The
package
will
include
season
tickets
to
all
home
games,
an
NC
State
soccer
t-­‐shirt,
an
NC
State
soccer
gym
bag,
as
well
as
the
opportunity
to
meet
and
receiver
signatures
from
the
players
and
coaches
prior
to
the
home-­‐opening
game.
The
package
will
cost
just
$280,
offering
a
great
value
to
fans
and
families
around
the
triangle
area.
By
doing
this
we
will
gain
committed
and
potential
long-­‐term
fans
that
will
result
in
increased
ticket
sales
and
attendance.
If
we
are
able
to
gain
more
attendance
and
committed
fans,
it
will
make
for
a
great
environment
for
the
home
games,
which
will
result
in
more
soccer
recruits
choosing
to
come
and
play
for
NC
State
so
they
have
the
opportunity
to
play
for
the
best
crowd
in
the
ACC.
It
becomes
a
cycle,
where
increased
long-­‐term
fans
results
in
a
great
crowd
environment,
which
will
in-­‐turn
result
in
higher
talented
players
coming
to
play
for
NC
State
creating
a
better
product
that
fans
want
to
come
see.
Goal:
Develop
a
premier
Men’s
Soccer
program
in
the
ACC
and
NCAA,
year
in
and
year
out.
Strategy:
Increase
ticket
sales
and
attendance
Tactic:
World
Cup
Night
See
Appendix
6:
Soccer,
more
than
any
other
sport
in
the
United
States,
has
the
most
diverse
fan
base.
While
popularity
of
soccer
has
increased
in
the
United
States,
it
still
is
largely
focused
on
the
World
Cup
and
the
US
National
Team,
rather
than
Major
League
Soccer,
English
Premier
League,
or
La
Liga.
The
problem
is
that
the
World
Cup
only
occurs
every
4
years,
which
means
between
that
time
interests
in
soccer
declines.
In
order
to
reach
our
diverse
target
market
and
remind
our
fans
of
the
World
Cup,
we
will
make
a
“World
Cup
Night”
for
one
of
the
out
of
conference
games
where
we
would
bring
in
a
food
trucks
offering
atypical
food
options
(Chinese,
Greek,
Italian,
French,
German,
Mexican)
and
encourage
fans
to
dress
like
their
favorite
international
team.
This
will
bring
absolutely
drive
ticket
sales
and
attendance
to
a
diverse
population
which
will
hopefully
lead
to
these
same
fans
attending
future
NC
State
Men’s
soccer
games
as
well.
Goal:
Develop
a
premier
Men’s
Soccer
program
in
the
ACC
and
NCAA,
year
in
and
year
out.
Strategy:
Increase
ticket
sales
and
attendance
Tactic:
Loyalty
point
reward
system
See
Appendix
7:

15. 15
For
NC
State
Athletics
loyalty
points
are
given
to
those
who
attend
Football
and
Men’s
basketball
games,
which
will
add
up
and
give
you
a
higher
chance
of
getting
tickets
to
the
most
desired
and
competitive
games
(UNC
vs.
NC
State,
Duke
vs.
NC
State,
etc).
Many
attend
some
of
the
less
competitive
football
and
basketball
games
in
order
for
them
to
have
a
better
chance
of
getting
a
ticket
to
the
most
popular
games
of
the
year.
Our
tactic
is
to
work
with
NC
State
to
include
men’s
soccer
as
an
event
in
which
students
can
gain
loyalty
points
to
put
toward
the
more
popular
football
and
basketball
games.
This
will
result
in
a
large
increase
in
attendance
for
NC
Students,
because
not
only
do
they
get
to
support
their
school
and
student-­‐athlete
peers,
but
also
you
receive
another
benefit,
which
will
increase
the
value
of
attending
games.
In
order
to
increase
attendance
at
less
popular
out-­‐of-­‐
conference
games,
we
could
make
those
games
worth
more
loyalty
points
than
other
games.
We
also
plan
to
have
a
special
game
each
year
in
which
you
have
the
opportunity
to
gain
three
times
the
amount
of
loyalty
points
in
which
you
would
receive
at
just
a
normal
game,
in
order
to
drastically
increase
attendance
for
these
particular
regular
season
games.
Goal:
Develop
a
premier
men’s
soccer
program
in
the
ACC
and
NCAA,
year
in
and
year
out.
Strategy:
Create
the
best
environment
for
Men’s
Soccer
in
the
ACC
Tactic:
Craziest
Fan
Competition
See
Appendix
8:
As
discussed
earlier
in
the
marketing
plan,
there
is
a
cycle
to
developing
a
premier
men’s
soccer
program
at
NC
State
University.
In
order
to
recruit
the
best
players
and
put
the
best
possible
product
on
the
field,
it
is
essential
that
we
create
the
best
home
environment
for
men’s
soccer
in
the
ACC.
A
tactic
in
which
we
hope
to
achieve
this
is
to
have
a
promotion
of
“Craziest
Fan
Competition,”
in
which
at
halftime
4
fans
are
chosen
from
the
crowd
to
come
on
the
field
and
act
like
the
craziest
NC
State
fan
for
a
minute,
and
the
winner
is
determined
their
attire
and
crowd
noise
to
the
support
of
one
of
the
candidates.
The
winner
will
receive
a
free
NC
State
soccer
memorabilia
package,
which
includes
a
t-­‐shirt,
hat,
and
gym
bag.
This
event
will
drive
for
more
of
an
intense
and
supportive
atmosphere
which
will
help
reach
our
strategy
of
becoming
the
best
environment
for
men’s
soccer
in
the
ACC.
This
will
result
in
better
talent
coming
to
play
for
NC
State,
which
will
in-­‐turn
increase
attendance
to
watch
the
highly
touted
players.
Goal:
Develop
a
premier
men’s
soccer
program
in
the
ACC
and
NCAA,
year
in
and
year
out.
Strategy:
Create
the
best
environment
for
Men’s
Soccer
in
the
ACC
Tactic:
If
NC
State
wins,
everyone
wins
See
Appendix
9:

16. 16
In
order
to
create
the
best
environment
for
men’s
soccer
in
the
ACC,
we
need
to
give
fans
a
reason
to
care
about
the
team
and
their
success.
Our
tactic
will
be
to
pair
with
Marco’s
Pizza,
a
pizza
chain
located
very
close
to
campus,
where
if
NC
State
wins
and
you
attend
the
game
you
earn
half
off
any
size
pizza.
In
order
to
be
able
to
obtain
this
promotion,
you
will
have
to
show
your
ticket
stub
from
the
game
to
prove
your
attendance.
This
will
not
only
drive
attendance
to
the
game,
but
will
give
students
and
fans
a
reason
to
have
a
passion
for
the
success
of
the
team
as
they
would
benefit
from
their
success
as
well.
Unlike
NC
State
football
and
basketball,
which
are
televised
and
popular
nationally,
soccer
is
not
so
developing
the
pride
of
the
soccer
team’s
success
can
be
difficult.
We
believe
this
tactic
will
do
an
amazing
job
and
developing
a
passionate
fan
base.
In
the
long-­‐term
we
may
look
to
use
a
variety
of
different
restaurants
to
include
promotions
rather
than
just
Marco’s
Pizza,
which
could
result
in
an
increase
in
sponsorship
revenues
for
the
team
and
program.
Implementation
and
Control
Action
Plan
January
2015
-­‐
Reach
out
to
Pack
Pride
twitter
account
February
2015
-­‐
Create
our
own
twitter
handle,
@NCStateSoccer
and
reach
out
to
alumni
to
create
interest
through
retweets
March
2015
-­‐
Reach
out
to
Carolina
Railhawks
about
a
exhibition
game
at
Dail
Soccer
Field.
July-­‐August
2015
-­‐
Market
to
initiate
Craziest
Fan
Competition.
If
successful,
then
continue
to
do
it
throughout
the
entire
season.
-­‐
Market
the
ticket
stub
promotion
with
Marco’s
Pizza
to
fans
and
attendees
-­‐
Market
and
offer
ACC
Bundling
Package
-­‐
Market
and
offer
Season
Ticket
Special

17. 17
October
2015
-­‐
Start
to
market
and
reach
out
to
food
trucks
and
bands
about
coming
to
the
World
Cup
Night
on
October
28th.
-­‐
Market
Loyalty
Points
Game
of
the
Year
all
throughout
the
month
Budget
As
with
any
project
or
plan
for
an
organization,
money
will
be
a
big
factor
in
the
creation
and
implementation
of
the
entire
process.
Some
things
require
a
greater
amount
of
budgeting
while
other
things
can
be
done
almost
expense
free.
In
preparing
our
goals,
strategies
and
tactics
for
completing
those
goals
and
strategies,
the
necessary
financial
means
have
been
estimated.
The
great
advantage
of
the
first
two
tactics
is
that
they
use
social
media.
Social
media
is
an
amazing
marketing
tool
because
not
only
does
it
reach
a
significant
amount
of
our
target
audience,
but
also
it
is
also
absolutely
free,
so
there
is
no
budgeting
required
for
these
tactics.
The
Railhawks
are
a
professional
soccer
team,
which
means
they
should
receive
compensation
to
play
in
this
game
because
it
takes
away
from
practice
time
and
other
possible
revenue
earning
opportunities.
The
thing
is
that
this
tactic
does
help
market
and
promote
the
Railhawks
to
a
growing
demographic
of
soccer
fans,
collegiate
students.
In
order
to
compensate
them
for
coming,
we
will
split
the
profits
60%
(Carolina
Railhawks)
and
40%
(NC
State
Men’s
Soccer).
This
won’t
make
it
necessary
to
budget
money
for
this
event,
but
will
just
have
to
adjust
our
expectations
for
revenues
from
this
event.
The
ACC
Bundling
package
is
not
an
event
that
costs
money,
but
is
one
that
will
just
give
discounts
to
those
who
buy
tickets
in
bulk.
It
will
save
customers
an
approximate
$15
for
buying
the
package,
so
it
is
important
to
budget
accordingly
to
make
sure
we
don’t
overestimate
how
much
revenue
is
coming
in
from
these
events
based
on
the
average
ticket
price.
The
season
ticket
special
will
offer
discounts
like
the
ACC
bundling
package,
so
we
will
need
to
avoid
overestimating.
The
package
will
include
the
costs
of
a
t-­‐shirt
($10)
and
gym
bag
($10)
for
all
those
who
purchase
the
season
tickets.
We
are
going
to
assume
that
100
people
will
purchase
season
tickets,
which
means
we
will
need
to
budget
$2,000
for
this
promotional
tactic.

18. 18
World
Cup
Night
will
be
the
most
costly
of
our
marketing
tactics.
Paying
the
food
trucks
to
attend
the
events
will
cost
approximately
$200
per
food
truck,
because
their
sales
will
encourage
them
to
come
already.
The
hiring
of
bands
will
cost
$500
per
band.
We
plan
to
hire
6
food
trucks
and
2
bands,
which
means
we
will
need
to
budget
$1,200
for
food
trucks
and
$1000
for
bands
(Total:
$2,200).
Loyalty
Reward
Night
will
cost
absolutely
nothing
because
it
is
only
giving
students
the
opportunity
to
gain
access
to
other
NC
State
sporting
events.
We
will
need
to
budget
$0
to
cover
this
event.
The
Craziest
Fan
Competition
will
be
giving
a
t-­‐shirt
($10)
and
gym
bag
($10)
to
one
lucky
fan
at
each
home
game
throughout
the
season.
Being
that
there
are
14
home
games,
we
will
have
to
allot
$280
total
for
the
season.
The
partnership
promotional
package
between
Marco’s
and
our
ticket
stubs
will
again
be
a
free
promotion
because
Marco’s
benefits
from
marketing
as
well.
If
this
promotion
leads
to
success
for
Marco’s
it
could
actually
lead
to
revenues
for
the
Men’s
Soccer
program.
In
total
we
will
need
to
budget
a
total
of
$4,480
for
our
marketing
tactics,
which
is
cheap
compared
to
other
major
NC
State
sports
like
football
and
basketball;
but
the
fact
is
that
our
sport
doesn’t
bring
the
type
of
revenue
that
these
other
major
sports
do.
Evaluation
These
plans
are
not
100%
guaranteed
and
cannot
be
assumed
to
have
immediate
success.
We
feel
that
our
plan
is
very
practical
and
attainable,
and
with
the
right
resources
can
be
implemented
successfully.
The
best
way
to
monitor
success
and
evaluate
our
tactics
is
to
gain
feedback
and
complete
research
on
how
effective
our
plan
has
been
once
implemented.
Simply
we
want
to
achieve
or
goal
to
create
and
develop
exposure
of
the
men’s
soccer
program
as
well
as
develop
a
prestigious
soccer
program
that
contends
in
the
ACC
and
NCAA
on
an
every
year
basis.
After
the
first
year
of
implementation
we
will
gather
information,
reevaluate,
and
make
necessary
changes.

19. 19
Appendix
Appendix 1:
Appendix 2:

20. 20
Appendix 3:
Appendix 4:

21. 21
Appendix 5:
Appendix 6:

22. 22
Appendix 7:
Appendix 8:

23. 23
Appendix 9:

24. 24
References
Tim
Peeler
NC
State
Athletics
Marketing
Department
www.collegesoccernews.com
SBR.net