Rockets Marketing hurts attendance

It is hard to market a team that plays as ugly as the Rockets do.

I think that most people would rather watch the game on the tube then go to the Summit and watch that crap they call basketball.

DaDakota

 

The problems...

#1- Marketing to the WRONG market. I actually think marketing to kids is good. If kids convince their parents to take them to a game, the kid must go with a parent, so that's a few extra tix sold on parents alone. The problem I have, is that the Rockets commercials are ONLY ON ROCKETS TV TELECASTS. In other words, they are advertising to the diehard fans who go the game anyway. That is a waste of time and money. Go advertise on other TV channels to draw a different kind of audience, that isn't already attending.

#2- Lower tix prices. Yes I know money is an issue. But the Rockets avg ticket price is 54 bucks. We average what, around 12k a game? Is it crazy to cut ticket prices to about 40 bucks (3/4th the avg cost) assuming that the discounted tix would mean a sellout of 16k? 16k of 40 dollar tix is the same basically as 12k of 54 dollar tix. The gate revenue would be the same, but there would be more people at the game. Moreover, 4k extra fans means more concession revenue. I know that Chuck Watson gets most of that money though. But still.

#3- I also think that providing some kind of shuttle service via Metro would be a good idea. At Enron Field the Metro shuttle service is very popular with all the fans who live in the suburbs. Most of Houston's population is outside of the loop. By providing fans in Sugar Land (A HUGE BBALL part of town), Katy, etc the ability to go the game without directly worrying about traffic would definitely help. As it is right now, people who live in the outer regions of Houston, barely have time to come home from work, then drive to the CC to make it on time for the game.

 

I guess they are taking a long-term plan and want to build the fan base from the start. By the time we are in another rebuilding process (10-15 years later), those children will be grown men and can afford to pack the Rockets stadium every single night.

 

They hope to become a better team when those children grow up. Right now their marketing is focused on children because it's easier to lure them to watch their crappy basketball style.

 

I can't really speak to any of your points, but I will say this -- I *LOVE* having lots of kids at the games. As a former San Antonio resident, I can tell you that they market heavily to the children, and it pays off big-time. They consistently have fantastic fan support. I've been to all but two games this season, and at some of the games, my section has been filled with kids. When it is, I'm so much happier to be there because the kids are so into the game. They aren't complaining and b****ing like so many of the "adult" fans do. They boo the other players, and cheer louder than anyone for the Rockets. They aren't so self-conscious and caught up in whining and everything -- instead, they are having a GREAT time, making the building rock, and making the viewing experience more fun.

I wish there were more kids at the games. I love it!

But as far as attendance, I can't really speak to that . . . I will say this though -- why can't people buy tickets and bring their kids? Why does everything have to be so freaking "sophisticated" and "upmarket" and "high-brow" . . . blue-collar it up. The sophisticated fans are what's wrong with the attendance -- At least five times this season the people in front of me have moved because they can't stand the cheering . . . THAT is why you come to a sporting event -- to cheer, not to sit quietly and maturely. Man, bring some immaturity and childishness out there. Our stadium fans usually suck. I was at a game recently (in some fairly nice seats too -- the $30 or so), and one kid in front of me was standing up cheering. The lady three rows behind nearly had a coniption fit yelling at him to sit down. He was up, he was animated, he was cheering. The game was close, it was late -- it's the time to stand up and cheer. But instead, our fans take the "sophisticated" road and sit through the thing like it's a m-f-ing symphony. I think the Rockets need to try MORE to get the fans to be less uptight and less bland, and really try to get the fans to be wild and be crazy and stand and cheer and not be self-conscious. That's the way Dallas fans (bandwagoners, I know, but still) and San Antonio fans are -- they are CRAZY!! Perhaps some craziness and childishness could help our team too . . .

 

Sorry but some of ya'll are a bit off base.

1. If you want to boost attendence (volume of particpants) you appeal to the kids. As stated they drag not one parent, but two friends (or more) and two adults (or more) along with them. they also eat more, spend more on souvies and regardless of the outcome drag the same group back every month or so.

2. The price of the ticket is inconsequential at best. We have more unsold low price tickets every game than unsold medium to high priced tickets. Plus, the goal is to INCREASE attendence not INCREASE ticket revenue (although that would be nice also). Hence the strategy is right on the demographics they are aiming for.

3. We are trying to fill the upper bowl, and lower end seats every night. The lower bowl with some exceptions is sold out but with fewer attendees. (See above for reason why.)

4. Broadening the attendence is done by opening up very attractive gate rates to groups. It not only packages 10,20 or more attendees at one point of purchase, but it allows the organization to fill seats on games that are not as well attended. This is also done by offering tandem ticket sales where you buy a ticket for a greeat game ... Dallas for instance ... with two or three others that maybe be shorted in attendence ... Golden State ... .

5, Your point is well taken by the seemingly sequestered mix of electronic media. Keep in mind that the marketing approach "can be" hampered by other factors. Not the least of which "may be" the inability to buy quality time on some networks due to wavering or inconsitent agreements and contracts.


FYI: The budget this year is the biggest its been for a long,long time. Next year is going to be crazy!

 

"2. The price of the ticket is inconsequential at best."

You are kidding right? I know tons of people who would go to games if ticket prices were at least reasonable.

"We have more unsold low price tickets every game than unsold medium to high priced tickets."

Becuase those seats suck. who the he11 wants to sit with your head hitting the roof and BEHIND the basket. Wi ould much rather wach a game on TV or in a sportsbar (and actually get to see everthing that is going on) than pay 30 bucks for a "cheap seat"

 

At least we have the new arena next year... The CC has to rank as one of the worst arenas in the nation. Despite being the smallest arena in the NBA, you still don't feel anywhere close to the floor, unless you fork over 150+ bucks.

 

and it seems darker than most arenas (or is it just me?)

 

Agreed.

Only the center court is really lit up.

 

Next year you'll have curious fans coming to the new arena just to check it out. Hopefully the Rox will start winning more games by then...

Does anyone have any clues on what it wil be called?

 

Iso Arena

 

Come on now, I thi nk the "tickets are expensive" excuse is way overused. Face it, NOWHERE in the NBA are you going to get the stereotypical "good" seats for the $5 you are wanting to pay. I would venture to say you've never sat in the $10 seats at the CC -- they are really pretty damned good. You have a nice view of the court, the price isn't so bad, and so what if it's at the end of the floor, rather than half-court . . . someone has to sit there -- not every seat can be a half-court seat.

Personally, I think people are just making excuses for not going to games. "Tickets are too expensive" . . . well, there are lots of $10 and $13 seats . . . "Yeah, well, I don't want to sit there . . . those seats suck . . . I want to sit at half-court on the lower level" . . .

I've sat almost everywhere in the arena -- lower level, upper level, corners, ends, half-court, 3/4 court, etc. Personally, I don't find the $10 to be that bad at all. The view is really pretty good, and it's fun to be there in the first place. You just have to realize that there is no way that anywhere in the NBA are you going to get those half-court seats for really cheap prices.

 

the commercials are quite boring. when i see a rockets commercial i don't want lullaby music. i want to hear "get off my a$$ and scream" music and see spectacular plays on my tv, not just still pics. how can anyone get pumped up watching our beloved rockets hang out with kids. uh oh, i don't suppose that's why our players play with the IQ of 10 year olds?

 

Is it really going to be called the Iso Arena? Is that official?

ONE mroe thing. I know this has been killed, but Mavs fans knew what their jerseys were like by this time. Are we (FOR SURE) going to have new jerseys next year, and if so, then how come we haven't seen them yet? Are they going to be a surprise thing?

I think Tim knows about these things.If you could help, that would be great, thx.....

 

I'm sorry, but I really must disagree as to children at the game.

It's okay to bring kids who are old enough to understand the game, but many of them don't really know what's going on and are instead just excited to be somewhere - to them, a Rocket game could just as easily be the circus or Disney on Ice. They'll cheer when the Rockets throw the ball into the 3rd row or jack up airballs because the game literally doesn't matter to them. They'll boo when Tim Ducan makes a spectacular dunk because to them he's just the bad guy. You think they're great fans because they're excited, but they'd be just as excited at McDonalds. They are not fans - they are just noisemakers. Noise can be good and noise can be bad, but when noise is random and indiscriminate, it's just annoying and distracting, not fun.

And when these kids aren't making senseless noise, they're running up and down the ailses and spilling their food all over you. Or they're crying and screaming because daddy won't buy them something. All of this is bound to happen because their attention spans are short - there's nothing wrong with that, but it's a fact. They're incapable of appreciating a game or even following it. Some fans.

Now, there are hundreds of places where kids can go in a city like this to be kids and I'm fine with that - I don't mind them screaming and crying and running around at Chuck E Cheese or Astroworld or the Children's Museum or wherever.

But the Rockets game is an adult place! They sell beer and wine. They tickets are expensive. The coaches draw technicals for cursing and the players draw blood every now and then.

You know what I hate? I pay $45 for an upper deck seat at the game - I'm a student, so $45 is a lot of money to me for one ticket. But for a guy pulling down six figures, $45 is nothing, so he can afford to bring his kid and his kid's friends to the game. So my $45 goes down the pipes because I can't enjoy the game with kids constantly screaming, jumping up and down in front of me or kicking my seat from behind me, and sloshing their cokes and nachos everywhere. You may think it's cute because you can afford to attend a few more games this year, but for me, that's it.

What I'm saying goes not only for Rockets games, but also for movies and restaurants - don't force your kids on other people. Until they're mature enough to behave, just find a baby-sitter.

 

Since Tim is the director of marketing...



oeilpere is dead on the money, btw.

Besides, you guys think that the Rockets will turn around attendance this season? You're fooling yourselves. I heard the latest numbers on attendance and they are up - just under 13K per game - and the ticket packages as well as the group sales are significantly improved.

So, it's headed in the right direction but, like winning, it takes time.

 

LOL !!!!!