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Sport, in the United States, is a $410 billion industry (Plunkett Research, 2007), ranking it among America’s largest. Meek (1997, pg. 16) developed the term gross domestic sports product (GDSP) to capture both the breadth and depth of the industry. Details of the industry are presented below. An almost doubling of the industry in the last 5 years ($213–$410 billion) speaks to the significant and rapid growth of the industry. It should be noted, however, that precise calculation of the economic activity within any one industrial sector is difficult (Meek, 1997; King 2002; Pitts & Stotlar, 2007). Before values can be assigned, one must define which segments make up the industry, and just what should be included in each segment.
| Rank | Category | Size |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sport Advertising | $27.43 billion |
| 2 | Spectator Spending | $26.17 billion |
| 3 | Sporting Goods | $25.62 billion |
| 4 | Team/League Operating Expenses | $22.98 billion |
| 5 | Sport Gambling | $18.90 billion |
| 6 | Sport Travel | $16.06 billion |
| 7 | Professional Services | $15.25 billion |
| 8 | Sport Medicine | $12.60 billion |
| 9 | Licensed Sporting Goods | $10.50 billion |
| 10 | Media Broadcast Rights | $6.99 billion |
| 11 | Sport Sponsorships | $6.40 billion |
| 12 | Sports Facility Construction | $2.48 billion |
| 13 | Sport Multimedia | $2.12 billion |
| 14 | Endorsements | $897.00 million |
| 15 | Internet Spending | $239.10 million |
(Information adopted from King, 2002)
Pitts and Stotlar (2007) indicated that an industry comprises a wide variety of related products that are sold to consumers. In most industries, there is an assortment of products types and a significant variance in the consumer base. Therefore, as Pitts and Stotlar (2007) indicated, the best assessment of an industry is to examine the various segments that represent the products and services offered to consumers.
Sport is a collective noun that includes all activities meeting the criteria of active participation. It differs from the term sports, which implies a collection of physical activities. Thus, the sport industry encompasses a vast array of commercial endeavors surrounding specific sports. In Pitts, Fielding, and Miller’s (1994) seminal work, they segmented the sport industry into sport performance, sport production, and sport promotion. The sport performance segment would include all elements related to sport participation and spectating, such as professional and amateur sport, sport education, membership-based sport organizations, and not-for-profit sport programs (municipal sport).
The sport production segment of the industry would include those products needed for the production of sport performance. Some of the elements comprising this segment are sport equipment and apparel, as well as services that enhance performance (fitness trainers, medical care, sport therapy, and sport governing bodies). It is a significant sector: Americans spent more than $60 billion on sports apparel and footwear in 2006 (SGMA, 2006). The last segment contains products and services related to promoting sport. Sport media, merchandising, sport sponsorship, and athlete endorsements are all examples of economic activity that would fall into this category.
Meek (1997) segmented the industry into sport entertainment, sport products, and sport support organizations. While these differ somewhat from Pitts et al., both incorporate all of the major contributors to the economic activity associated with sport. Meek expressed concern about attempts to measure the economic components of the industry. His most important point is that “one cannot ‘double-count,’ or account for the same dollars two or more ways” (p. 16). Furthermore, Meek believes most estimates of the GDSP mistakenly count spending accounted for elsewhere in the economy. For instance, he specifies that player salaries and endorsement dollars must not be included in the GDSP because they are ultimately reflected in the GDSP through the price consumers pay at retail.
Thus, discussion of the calculated value of the sport industry depends on decisions relating to which economic sectors spending should be assigned. Data indicate that only 20% of people use sports clothing for sport participation, so a question arises whether those expenditures should be included in the GDSP or in the footwear and fashion industry. Is the money spent in travel for a golf trip attributable to the sport industry or the travel industry? Sport advertising in newspapers, magazines, and in stadiums demonstrated considerable value, yet Meek indicates they are not part of the GDSP. In conclusion, Meek stated, “in estimating the size of the industry, final consumption is really all that matters” (p. 17).
Kotler and Armstrong (2006) interpret marketing as utilization of a company’s resources for the purpose of meeting consumer wants and needs. They further elaborated on the importance of marketing by stating that “marketing is a social and managerial process by which individuals and groups obtain what they need and want through creating and exchanging value with others. Hence, we define marketing as the process by which companies create value for customers and build strong customer relationships in order to capture value from customers in return” (p. 5). These thoughts can be more narrowly applied to specific industries, such as sport.
Pitts and Stotlar (2007, p. 69) defined sport marketing as “the process of designing and implementing activities for the production, pricing, promotion, and distribution of a sport or sport business product to satisfy the needs or desires of consumers and to achieve the company’s objectives.” Thus, the focus of sport marketing falls jointly on the consumers and the company. Yet, priority must be given to meeting consumers’ needs. Ultimately this must be the overall focus of the company. As Farris, Bendle, Pfeifer, and Reibstein (2006, p. 45) noted, “The purpose of a business is to create a customer.” While there are many in sport management who focus on organizational behavior, sport finance, and other worthy topics, it remains clear . . . if you do not have customers, there is no need for the company.
Historically, corporations have been designed to manufacture products and sell them to consumers. Early in the formulation of marketing as a concept, many managers saw marketing as synonymous with selling. However, during the 1960s, a more advanced concept of marketing began to take shape. Mullin, Hardy, and Sutton (2007) discussed this shift in the marketing concept. The traditional concept is product oriented—sell what you make. The new, more modern, idea is customer or market oriented—make what will sell. This concept focuses on the notion that marketing is the key to securing and satisfying customers. A marketing myopia results if you “focus on producing and selling goods and services rather than identifying and satisfying the needs and wants of customers” (Mullin, Hardy, & Sutton, 2007, p. 12).
In a free market economy, consumers have a variety of choices. As a result of customer choice, an estimated 90% of new businesses are unsuccessful (Pride & Ferrell, 2008). The institutions that survive are most likely to be those most adept at meeting the needs and wants of consumers. To accomplish that, you need a well-defined marketing plan. As noted earlier, sport is a multibillion-dollar industry, yet it is amazing how many sport organizations do not have marketing plans for their products and services.
Marketing plans serve several critical roles within the organization. Cohen (1998, p. 3) commented that a marketing plan “allows everyone to see how their actions fit in with the actions of others.” Furthermore Cohen (1998) and McDonald and Keegan (2003) suggest that marketing plans can
Within the sport industry, many executives think of a marketing plan as a corporate “game plan.” For readers with sport participation or coaching experience, this analogy should prove beneficial throughout this workbook.
Considerable debate exists on what should come first, the creation of a value proposition (the product or service) or a study of the marketing environment. Marketing theory leads with a study of the market. This market-first orientation is the most contemporary and it will serve those who have an existing product or service in the market. However, the author’s experience has shown that many sport entrepreneurs start with a product or service idea and then find markets that are appropriate for their offering, eventually customizing the offering based on the targeted consumers. Thus, the structure of this book will start with the value proposition.
The initial step in creating a marketing plan involves a considerable amount of planning. While this may seem obvious, lack of planning plagues many sport organizations. Hiebing and Cooper (2003, p. 1) noted, “The key to writing a good marketing plan is disciplined marketing planning.” All too often, organizations get so involved in tackling their day-to-day management tasks, and they tend to subordinate planning. The impediments to planning are that planning takes time and planning takes coordination (Stevens, Loudon, Wrenn, & Warren, 1997). Time is one of the most precious commodities within most sport organizations, and coordination necessitates getting the organization’s top executives together, at one time, to focus on one issue. When that issue is the future success of the enterprise, its importance cannot be minimized. Stevens et al. (1997, p. 13) noted, “Nowhere in the organization is planning more needed than in marketing. The complexity of today’s environment in terms of social, legal, environmental, economic, competitive, and resource constraints requires a high degree of skill to provide structure to a course of action an organization can follow to achieve desired results.”
Depending on the size and complexity of an organization, the team required to develop the marketing plan varies. In large and complex sport organizations, marketing plans are typically initiated in strategic business units (SBUs) and then forward to top-level executives for inclusion in the overall corporate marketing plan. For example, at Reebok (now a part of the adidas group), one of their SBUs, Reebok Running, developed marketing strategies within the unit, yet in consort with Reebok and Adidas Group top management. In smaller organizations, the chief executive officer (CEO) will most likely be intimately involved in creating and guiding the marketing plan. Illustrations of this concept are seen in many national governing bodies for United States amateur sport. With Taekwondo appearing as a medal sport for the first time at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, the U.S. Taekwondo Union completed a marketing plan to more thoroughly prepare for its future. The “Best Practice” section of this chapter (Organization to Plan) provides an overview of that plan. Regardless of the plan selected, getting organized is a start in the right direction.
The executive summary is the last part of the plan written, but the first one encountered by a reader. Kotler and Armstrong (2006) suggest that an executive summary should provide the reader with a concise review of the entire plan. This also allows potential investors to quickly assess if the enterprise is worthy of consideration. If such a decision is favorable, a reader will continue examining the entire marketing plan. Thus, a significant amount of importance rides on the executive summary. The challenge lies in producing a compelling and succinct summary.
At a minimum, the items that should be covered in your executive summary are
Depending on the length of the marketing plan, a table of contents should probably follow the executive summary, to direct readers through the remainder of the document.
As proposed by Cohen (1998), the remaining content of the marketing plan should include the components discussed below.
The introduction typically begins with the organization’s mission statement, which represents the purpose of the organization. In general terms, the statement should reflect the essence of your business by answering the question, “What business are you in?”
Kotler and Armstrong (2006) defined the value proposition as the set of benefits created to satisfy consumer needs. This includes clarification of the products or services offered, also called the marketing offer. A thorough product and service analysis as well as the market position should be clearly developed in the plan. The writer will want to discuss the unique characteristics of the organization’s product/service, addressing its fit in the marketplace.
This section of the marketing plan is intended to provide an analysis of the environment in which the organization must operate. Cohen (1998) suggests that this section might also be called “environmental scanning” (p. 10). This process is critical for successful planning, and thus, subsequent sections should address this process. In general, the factors that shape the situational analysis include a review of the following: the economic climate, population demographics, product demand trends, industrial technological trends, competitor analysis, and the internal aspects of the organization related to management and employees.
The target market segment of the marketing plan provides for a description of the consumer base. This entails a detailed analysis of the customers who are most likely to buy the organization’s product. Typically, this analysis consists of information related to the purchasing habits of the customers, as well as data on the characteristics of consumers—such as age, gender, lifestyle, and income. These consumer characteristics are used to segment the market, allowing for more direct access and further analysis.
With the proliferation of computer technology, many organizations will create a database to manage this task. This database has also been called a marketing information system. Specific steps in the creation of marketing information systems are provided in Chapter 4.
All organizations need to have clearly established objectives to guide their actions. This is, therefore, a critical aspect of a marketing plan. The old saying, “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there” should provide an understandable rationale for setting marketing objectives. Chapter 5 of this workbook provides more information to assist in the creation of marketing objectives. However, most marketing authorities suggest that a marketing plan should include statements related to an organization’s projected market share, sales volume, profit margins, and product positioning (Kotler & Armstrong, 2006; Cohen, 1998; Hiebing & Cooper, 2003; Stevens, Loudon, Wrenn, & Warren, 1997).
Some marketing scholars separate marketing strategies from marketing tactics. Marketing strategies (Chapter 6) normally refer to what marketing activities an organization plans to undertake, whereas marketing tactics relate to how the organization will accomplish those objectives. However, in most organizations the two components are often tied together in marketing discussions. The suggestion here is that while a marketing plan may engage in discussions that tie the two concepts together, they should eventually be separated. For example, a marketer may develop a great idea about what to do, but problems may arise when implementation is considered. There may also be several methods to accomplish the same action. Separating the concepts allows for more creative solutions.
There has been some discussion in the literature regarding whether the marketing mix, a traditional ingredient of marketing, exists as a marketing strategy or as a tactic. Cohen (1998, p. 13) indicates that marketing mix variables are “really tactical because they are actions taken to accomplish the strategy you develop.” Therefore, the marketing mix (price, product, place, promotion), is presented separately in this workbook in Chapter 7. Through the manipulation of these elements, several variations of strategy can arise. These can be categorized into market actions known as penetration, diversification, new product development, market share expansion, and niche development, among others.
This chapter of the marketing plan should contain information needed for start-up and operational costs, public relations, cost analyses methods and general budget parameters. In addition, managers must be cognizant of the progress made on the accomplishment of the stated objectives. In this matter, criteria and processes must be established for monitoring your progress. As with all organizations, periodic measures must be made in relation to organizational performance.
Finally, a brief passage should be provided to summarize the preceding chapters of the marketing plan. The summary should bring the reader back to the mission of the organization and how that mission will be activated through the actions, strategies and tactics outlined in the plan.
Pride and Ferrell (2008) indicated that the parameters of marketing ethics begin with the laws regulating commerce and expand to include decisions regarding the interaction between personal values and business demands. The primary issue with ethical behavior is that oftentimes the decision as to whether the action is “right” or “wrong“ is not easily discernible.
In today’s competitive market, success in sales often comes at the expense of ethical decision making. For example, exaggerated claims are often made for the performance characteristics of sport products. While often backed up by data, that data may be of limited scientific merit or may have been conducted through grants provided to the research firm, suggesting a potential conflict of interest for the researchers. Advertising in recent years has featured carefully worded comparisons to competitors’ products. Many marketing campaigns thrive on carefully crafted "truths." At times, marketing managers may be pushed to rush a product to market, even before safety testing is complete. In these cases, some corporations decide that it will be cheaper to pay out-of-court settlements for incurred injuries than to halt manufacturing and product design.
Other examples and ethical dilemmas arise that test sport marketers. A scheduled promotion with the Los Angeles “Laker Girls” may be successful in filling an arena, but you must decide if the organization condones what many believe to be the exploitation of women as sex objects. The violence in ice hockey could certainly be used in marketing campaigns to sell more tickets; however, promoting violence may not be the most ethical marketing strategy.
Much of the responsibility for marketing ethics lies in the hands of upper management. If marketing or sales people who behave in what most would consider an unethical manner are rewarded or not punished, others may believe that this behavior is acceptable. “Most experts agree that the chief executive officer or vice president of marketing sets the ethical tone for the entire marketing organization” (Pride & Ferrell, 2008, p. 99).
Rocky Mountain Sports Academy (RMSA) provides the community with a complete youth sports program for participants from kindergarten to high school through positive learning and team experiences. RMSA is the area’s leading provider of youth sports experiences, and seeks to make this experience affordable and available for all members of the community. Rocky Mountain Sports Academy now serves more than 24,000 participants in seven sports throughout the area.
Rocky Mountain Sports Academy possesses a commanding percentage of the total market share. This is based on the estimated number of participants compared to participation levels in other programs, both public and private. This share percentage drops in high school due to increased competition from other organizations as well as in-school programs offered through the public school system.
Specific goals of the marketing plan:
Started in 1988, Rocky Mountain Sports Academy (RMSA) provides sport and athletic programming to the youth of Northern Colorado. The Mission of RMSA is to provide all youth with the highest quality education and team experience through sports participation. Participants are treated with respect through the opportunity to experience growth in the areas of, teamwork, sportsmanship, fair play, skill development, and interacting with others. The goal is to create a positive environment that fosters improved self-confidence and self-esteem through experiences in sports activities.
The “Rocky Mountain Sports Academy experience” is designed to offer the following to each participant:
The parents and guardians of the participants also realize benefits. They are able to offer their children a positive, well-supervised experience as they learn the skills described above that does not necessarily require their time.
In recent years, school-sponsored sports programs have been significantly reduced, severely limiting the number and range of sport activities offered. Based on a recent study, 59% of the people in the Weld County area surveyed believe the public school system fails to meet their sports experience expectations. Driven by economics, most notably with the passage of state legislation limiting school funding, many sports programs have not survived increasing economic pressures on the public school system.
The need for youth sports programs is validated and magnified by information that attributes long-term value to participants in these programs. Numerous studies document the direct value of youth participation in sports. These studies indicate a direct correlation demonstrating that involvement in sports results in reducing the potential to become involved in drugs, sex, crime, and gang-related behaviors. Research indicates the economic, social, and personal value of “investing” in the lives of children in a positive and constructive manner avoids the social and penal system costs that may later result. To meet this need, Rocky Mountain Sports Academy offers an experience that serves as a personal “sports reference” for participants throughout their lives. These important benefits continue to validate the Rocky Mountain Sports Academy concept.
| Potential Customers | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public School Students | 1,947 | 2,064 | 2,188 | 2,319 | 2,458 | 6.00% |
| Private School Students | 388 | 423 | 461 | 502 | 547 | 8.97% |
| Home School Students | 107 | 125 | 146 | 171 | 200 | 16.93% |
| Total | 2,442 | 2,612 | 2,795 | 2,992 | 3,205 | 7.03% |
A number of other programs offer youth sports experiences. None of these programs offers the extensive range of experiences or infrastructure of Rocky Mountain Sports Academy. Some programs do, however, offer specific attributes some participants and parents find attractive. This is particularly true for those who seek a higher level of competition and competitive screening of participants.
Direct competitors to Rocky Mountain Sports Academy include:
| Competitor | Average Program Price |
|---|---|
| Rocky Mountain Sports Academy | $85 |
| Babe Ruth Baseball | $120 |
| No. Colorado Volleyball | $150 |
| City of Greeley Basketball | $90 |
| ASA Softball | $95 |
| Colorado Youth Soccer | $110 |
| AYSO Soccer | $105 |
| Theo’s Gymnastics Academy | $135 |
Program Reputation—Rocky Mountain Sports Academy is considered to be the premier choice for youth sports related experiences. There is now a generation of participants that send their children to participate in the program.
Sponsorship Base—We have developed a stable and loyal sponsor base from both private and corporate sources.
Facilities Relationships—We depend on access to athletic facilities including gyms, soccer fields, football fields, softball, and baseball fields. Close relationships and reciprocal maintenance agreements with public and private schools and church facilities are an invaluable asset to the organization.
The Internet—Our website, http://www.RockyMountainSportsAcademy.com, promises to be a significant technological solution for Rocky Mountain Sports Academy in the area of registration, communication, and information delivery. The website has demonstrated the ability to provide more extensive and current information at reduced costs. We can reduce the need for printed materials, voicemail communication equipment, and staff payroll time.
Capital Requirements—Rocky Mountain Sports Academy continues to make impressive improvements in the management of financial resources. Additional funds are needed to maintain the quality of the experiences offered and to meet future program demands. The Fundraising Foundation’s strategy is to provide significant financial resources for Rocky Mountain Sports Academy. The future depends on these resources, in addition to revenues from participants and traditional fundraising events.
Facilities—Our need for facilities is growing beyond what is now available. This is one of the most urgent challenges facing Rocky Mountain Sports Academy. This essential component is threatened by increasing program needs, combined with recent restrictions and fees for the use of public school facilities. Indoor facilities are virtually at capacity for basketball and volleyball games and tournaments. They are insufficient to support flexible and convenient practice schedules. Outdoor facilities are adequate, but the increasing demands of soccer present a concern in this area as well. New and innovative alternatives must be explored and implemented to provide additional facilities to support the demands of the program. One alternative is to form alliances with public facilities to take on the management and maintenance of these facilities in exchange for scheduled use. Other potential options may include constructing wholly-owned facilities for the Academy.
Training and Education for Coaches and Officials—Individuals often have their first coaching experience with Rocky Mountain Sports Academy. This presents the need to adequately train these individuals to enable them to better understand Rocky Mountain Sports Academy’s philosophy, their responsibilities, potential liability issues, and appropriate behavior with participants. A more positive experience for participants, coaches, and officials with an increased awareness of responsibilities are some of the goals. The resource demands of this training effort are tremendous.
Staff Challenges and Attrition—The Rocky Mountain Sports Academy’s staff experiences tremendous pressure due to workloads, dealing with parents, and addressing the issues of the program. These factors, combined with concerns regarding compensation, have resulted in undesirable turnover in important positions.
Rocky Mountain Sports Academy competes for participants in a community with a high number of options. Based on this challenge, Rocky Mountain Sports Academy must continue to demonstrate that it successfully offers a meaningful experience to participants, with short and long-term benefits, in a manner that effectively meets consumer needs. The following summarizes potential opportunities:
Geographic Service Area—Rocky Mountain Sports Academy continues to be a precedent-setting organization that attracts attention from surrounding communities. Decisions regarding the service area will impact financial requirements and potentially open new revenue opportunities. This growth strategy must be managed and orchestrated in a manner that will add strength to the program.
Soccer Interest—Soccer is the single fastest growing sport in terms of participation (based principally on the growth in the Hispanic population). With some participation decrease in boy’s football, this increasing interest in soccer is the most predominant reason for program growth and has added a more even balance to gender participation. There is an increasing demand for indoor soccer programs.
Program Expansion—Program expansion also requires consideration and evaluation. This may include adding sports such as Lacrosse to the current menu or looking at offering sports to older age groups, potentially including adult sports programs.
Community Education—Rocky Mountain Sports Academy must continue to tell its story to the community it serves. This message is one that reinforces the philosophy and the purpose for its existence. A well-informed community may effectively ensure public facilities are available for use based on reasonable expectations placed on Rocky Mountain Sports Academy.
Philosophy Changes—The willingness of the public school and other partners to provide their facilities for use by Rocky Mountain Sports Academy. The precise ramifications of this situation are not known, but all potential outcomes must be considered as plans are made for the coming years.
Alternative Programs—The increasing impact from other programs, ranging from organization-sponsored to club sports, poses a threat to a segment of Rocky Mountain Sports Academy’s market. These organizations target the highly skilled and committed players and coaches and are eroding the depth and breadth of Rocky Mountain Sports Academy’s participant and coach resources.
Legal and Liability Issues—Rocky Mountain Sports Academy continues to be exposed to liability issues in many aspects of the experience it provides. The potential concerns range from health and safety issues to various forms of verbal or physical abuse. In an increasingly litigious society, there is always potential for legal action.
The “Elite/Advanced” Sports Dilemma—Providing competitive environments for athletes with higher skill levels who seek to be in an intentionally competitive arena is in question. The threat of not offering this option is that these athletes may be drawn away from Rocky Mountain Sports Academy by alternative programs. Some of the most highly trained and experienced coaches can also be attracted to these other programs. This issue challenges some of Rocky Mountain Sports Academy’s most basic philosophies.
Rocky Mountain Sports Academy offers a unique experience for children that want to have an enjoyable sports experience. All youth between the ages of 5 and 18 can participate in one or more sports throughout the year. Their participation is not dependent upon their previous experience, skill level, or athletic ability. Everyone can play. The breadth, depth, and overall quality of the sports experience we offer cannot be matched within our market. Based on significant demographic changes and the expanding Hispanic population (a lager portion of which is at the lower end of the economic spectrum), cost containment will be a primary objective. We work with parents and guardians to add to their child’s sports experiences. Rocky Mountain Sports Academy exists to create a cherished childhood memory for each participant.
Rocky Mountain Sports Academy provides valuable team and social experiences for the increasing population of public, private, and home-schooled youth. RMSA offers young people the opportunity to participate in a variety of team sports throughout the calendar year. Beginning in kindergarten, these experiences provide a source of recreation and simultaneously improve athletic skills, health, and fitness as they offer experiences in teamwork, sportsmanship, fair play, cooperation, and leadership. Increased self confidence is just one of the many intangible benefits this program offers.
The objective is to provide this valuable experience to as many children as possible in a positive and supportive manner. A positive, constructive, and meaningful experience is the sought-after result of the Rocky Mountain Sports Academy experience. This experience may assist individuals to better understand the necessary skills that life demands and empower them to realize the choices and options available to them.
Rocky Mountain Sports Academy is a for-profit organization and must continue to devote a portion of the budget to promotion to continue to ensure broad participation and return on investor capital. Strong participation ensures that Rocky Mountain Sports Academy can meet stated revenue objectives. Strong participation also means that Rocky Mountain Sports Academy offers sporting programs to all skill levels across a broad spectrum of programs, ensuring that anyone who wants to participate can participate.
The Rocky Mountain Sports Academy marketing mix consists of a pricing strategy that fosters participation while adequately funding operations and a promotion strategy that ensures continued participation in our programs. Rocky Mountain Sports Academy strives to be the premier provider of sports experiences for children in the areas served. Programs are in place to simultaneously serve the needs of out-of-district participants in a manner that is positive for these participants and enhances revenue streams for Rocky Mountain Sports Academy with minimal additional costs.
The goal of the marketing strategy is to effectively represent the unique value of the program to potential participants. A particular focus will be directed on the many benefits of involvement in the program, rather than associated costs. The marketing strategy will continue to identify the needs of the market and communicate with this audience in the most compelling and positive manner possible.
Ongoing efforts continually attempt to understand how Rocky Mountain Sports Academy can maintain the quality and integrity of the program within the finite financial resources of participants and the community of donors and supporters. This challenge is increasing. As costs continue to increase in a number of areas, the demands and expectations of the participants and their parents do as well. Rocky Mountain Sports Academy is constantly working to improve the program through improvements and changes in its structure and implementation. Quality and efficiency are just two goals of these changes.
The marketing strategies of market penetration (maintenance of market share), market expansion (adding adult programming) and new product development (adding new sports) will be pursued based on continued attention to the quality of the experience, in conjunction with identifying opportunities to expand the participation of the programs where possible.
The purpose of the Rocky Mountain Sports Academy marketing plan is to serve as a guide to the staff and the Board of Directors to continue to improve the organization and its ability to serve the youth of Weld County. We must successfully activate the marketing plan to accomplish our goals. Failing to implement even one of the programs could be devastating to our success. Rocky Mountain Sports Academy will have weekly “milestones” meetings to review current milestone status, funding status, and status of the actual programs. For Rocky Mountain Sports Academy, it is critical to maintain consistent focus on implementation, not only in order to maintain strong programs, but to maintain strong relationships with participants and other funding sources. A specific implementation calendar provides the milestones to assure the attainment of the objectives and overall program quality.