Bay Covering

[The Adelaide Connection]

My brother, through a connection at his bank, ended up working as an event staff member for Crows and Power games last year and this year he asked if I wanted to do it. I couldn't see why not, the work is mainly in ticketing and you can nominate not to work on any given weekend, so I put my name down for this season.

Anyways I got the job and headed down for the training yesterday and during the day we had representatives from the Crows and Power come and talk us through various things. I was most impressed with the Power rep and the changes they have made to their ticketing to really try to get their numbers up over the next four years (when I get the document with all the categories I will post some more). But the biggest revelation was that this year the Power will be taking on Bay Advertisements for certain fixtures.

For those who haven't seen them, basically they cover a whole bay of seats (like a big billboard) which not only generates $$$ but pushes the rest of the crowd together to make the ground feel and look fuller. They actually used these at the SANFL grand final last year (which they had about 36,000 from memory) and it meant that the rest of the ground was almost completely full.

They obviously try to place the covers in spots that are not popular for fans to sit in and that show up well on TV (such as the forward pockets and the bay in line with the point post behind the goal). The Power will be putting in up to 12 of these covers depending on the fixture (obviously none will be put in for the Crows game and possibly Collingwood game).

My question is would you be happy to see the Bulldogs do the same thing? The initial reaction will probably be that they are ugly, but in my opinion so is seeing huge pockets of empty seats. For fixtures like the Freo and Port Adelaide games I think it would be a good way to generate extra sponsorship and assuming Etihad didn't try to take a huge slice of the pie I would be all for it.

What do you think?

[Rocco Jones]

I think it's a great idea for the fixtures you have mentioned. I hope we do it.

[mighty_west]

Is this what you're talking about TAC?

I can't see why not, there are alot of free seats at games you mentioned anyway, anyway of generating more sponsorship.

http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/7523/3981883124a335fc8067.jpg

[jazzadogs]

Sounds like a good idea to me, would be interesting to hear what Etihad thinks about it though.

[Twodogs]

http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/7523/3981883124a335fc8067.jpg


Are they actual or virtual banners on the seating? I seem to remember in the rugby World cup here in 1999 the stations were using virtual banners to make it look like entire bays of seating were advertisments.

[GVGjr]

My question is would you be happy to see the Bulldogs do the same thing? The initial reaction will probably be that they are ugly, but in my opinion so is seeing huge pockets of empty seats. For fixtures like the Freo and Port Adelaide games I think it would be a good way to generate extra sponsorship and assuming Etihad didn't try to take a huge slice of the pie I would be all for it.

What do you think?

It's a shame that the grounds for the VFL aren't more suitable to this.

For interstate games with low attendance it would be a good idea but people are funny about their regular seats. Would help us attract additional sponsors I would have thought but Etihad might want the revenue for themselves.

[Throughandthrough]

Is this what you're talking about TAC?

I can't see why not, there are alot of free seats at games you mentioned anyway, anyway of generating more sponsorship.

http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/7523/3981883124a335fc8067.jpg

They are a thick canvas covering.

They had 4 of them during the SANFL finals last year; they look pretty good.

Just curious, where did you find that photo Might West?

[mighty_west]

They are a thick canvas covering.

They had 4 of them during the SANFL finals last year; they look pretty good.

Just curious, where did you find that photo Might West?

i just googled SANFL 2009 pictures, or something like that.

[AndrewP6]

If they bring us more cash, then I'd be OK with it... but they're ugly. And I dare say Ian Collins and Co. would want a slice of any financial pie... I say continue to promote our brand heavily, thereby putting more bums on seats, and negating the need for giant advertising tarps...it's not like people wouldn't know the seats were empty. Pushing crowds into certain areas only looks good for TV purposes. However, the bottom line rules many decisions...

[Flamethrower]

Good idea, but we would only need it once this season - against Fremantle in round 17. It seems like a lot of trouble to go to for a one off.

[Throughandthrough]

i just googled SANFL 2009 pictures, or something like that.


No probs.


Ir's just that I took the photo!


(and i'ts not very good.)

[The Adelaide Connection]

Is this what you're talking about TAC?

I can't see why not, there are alot of free seats at games you mentioned anyway, anyway of generating more sponsorship.

http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/7523/3981883124a335fc8067.jpg

Yep this is what I was talking about and as mentioned they are thick canvas that go over the seats. I like this idea MUCH more than the virtual banners that they superimpose over the bays because I guess that they are a little more sinister, in that they can place them anywhere at any time and have them cycling through different sponsors. These ones being fixed obviously don't move or flash (which I find pulls your eye even more) like the bloody annoying changing signs at AAMI. I was happy to see that those changing signs were not there yesterday, hope they dont put them back.

Obviously in a perfect world we will grow the brand and have no need for such gimmicks, but unfortunately there are a few fixtures that we will not sell out and we might as well generate $$$ in other ways.

I think the Dogs could use these in a manner like Port, placing them based on the pulling power of the game. Aside Freo I think that a few could certainly be placed versus the Swans and Brisbane and perhaps even North Melbourne.

I wonder what sort of figure these banners would attract? It would have to be significantly more than fence or other signage.

[Throughandthrough]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2589/3981874568_df0a132916.jpg

[Doc26]

Looking into a crystal ball what might happen when the corporate value of such banners surpasses the value of members reserved seating areas, particularly in high media exposure areas such as across the wings ? Could members ultimately get pushed out of preferred areas in favour of corporate advertising or will virtual marketing overlays suffice ?

[Twodogs]

Just curious, where did you find that photo Might West?


i just googled SANFL 2009 pictures, or something like that.


No probs.
Ir's just that I took the photo!



That's a bit weird!



Do do do dooo, do do do dooo. ( that Twighlight Zone theme is a bit hard to write out phonetically but the X-Files theme is even harder-Barm Barm Barm Barm Barm bum bum )