Festi ball
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Transcript of Festi ball
Meshea Brodie Kate Cowell
Jonathan Unger Mauricio Villareal Lindsey Wheeler
The Business of Beach Volleyball – Then and Now
Beach volleyball is, in almost any metric you measure it, a very successful sport. Its
courts litter most college campuses and community rec centers. It is easy to learn and even
easier to enjoy. It is even by far the most popular sport to be played exclusively on sand
(indoor volleyball having a different rule set). Despite all these inherent advantages,
however, beach volleyball has never achieved prominence in perhaps the most important
area of all – the commercial domain. Throughout its near century of existence, beach
volleyball has struggled to make the leap from fun recreational pasttime to a seriously
viable cash-‐generator.
The sport originated in the late 1910s/early 1920s in Southern California, the place
that remains inarguably the home of the sport today. It remained a purely amateur game
during its nascent years as unified rules began to emerge, the most important of which
being the reduction of team size from six to two. The first tournament with a prize (a
simple case of Pepsi) was held in 1948, and the 1960s represented the first attempt at a
professional beach volleyball league. Foreshadowing the fortunes of future similar
attempts, the venture quickly failed.
Beach volleyball remained on the fringes of the public conciousness until the 1980s,
when the Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) formed as another attempt to create
a unified American league. Since its inception, the AVP has been in and out of bankruptcy,
disappearing and reemerging seemingly at random. The height of the AVP’s popularity was
the early-‐ through mid-‐90s, coinciding with the league’s addition of women’s events to its
schedule. Corporate sponsors and prize money were at all-‐time highs during this period,
but quickly curtailed after only a few seasons. By 1997, the glory days were over and the
AVP crumbled. The league was resurrected a few times in the subsequent decade, but
collapsed again in 2010. It survives now as a shell of its former self, hosting only 2
tournaments in 2012 with 4 planned for 2013.
Considering the AVP’s constant state of flux and lack of brand stability, there is
clearly room in this market for a marquee beach volleyball event. The past failed attempts
at professional leagues have proven that while there may not be interest in professional
beach volleyball as a months-‐long venture, singular events can find success. It is within this
context of competitor uncertainty and under this belief of potential that Festiball operates.
Festiball presented by Skullcandy
Festiball combines several elements that will make it a unique beach volleyball and
sporting experience. Format-‐wise, Festiball incorporates various elements of tournament
play in a new way. The typical professional beach volleyball tournament involves single
gendered teams who have trained together extensively. These pairings are teams in every
sense of the word, despite their small size. Festiball will strip away this team mentality and
encourage an individual-‐based focus. Professional tournaments are also rarely mixed
gender. Past AVP and Olympic results suggest that the women’s game is as big, if not
bigger, than the men’s, so we see no need for the two genders to remain separated. This is
feasible in beach volleyball when teams are mixed with one male and one female. Called
reverse doubles, this way of playing has its own rules that ensure fairness.
To accomplish the goals of individual-‐focus and mixed gender, Festiball will include
eight men and eight women professionals. Over the course of three days, each man will
play one match with each woman and vice versa. By the end of these matches (8 per
participant) a single winner, man or woman, will be named Festiball’s Best of the Beach.
This will be determined by overall record, followed by point differential in case of a tie.
The concept that either a man or a woman could be crowned the top individual beach
volleyball player is an intriguing one that is sure to create substantial buzz. Past
competitions between men and women have been merely spectacle; think Billie Jean King
beating an out-‐of-‐his-‐prime Bobby Riggs in the Battle of the Sexes. Festiball will represent
a legitimate competition that should truly show who is the best individual beach volleyball
player in the world.
In addition to the tournament format, Festiball will bring together the worlds of
sport and music to create a wholly unique atmosphere. During times with no gameplay,
fans will be treated to top musical acts partially leveraged from title sponsor Skullcandy.
These will include both local acts representing the flavor and culture of Miami (the host
city, explained later) and nationally-‐recognized artists. The musical acts will provide a fun,
festival-‐type atmosphere to the tournament, while also helping it find its own niche and
identity. Beach volleyball has not proven commercially viable when relying on gameplay
alone, so the hope is that the musical side of Festiball will supplement and increase interest
in the gameplay.
Miami will serve as host to Festiball because of several advantages it holds. Firstly,
South Beach is already one of the largest and most popular beaches in the country. It has
substantial infrastructure (hotels, restaurants, other attractions) nearby that would make
running the tournament much easier. Miami is also a sought-‐after destination for our main
target market of college-‐aged adults. Holding a beach volleyball tournament on the East
Coast will also add to the distinctiveness of Festiball, as most major tournaments have
traditionally taken place in Southern California. It is time that the East Coast volleyball
scene receives the major tournament and event it deserves.
The Nitty Gritty – Timing and Logistics of Festiball
Festiball will take place between Thursday, October 17th and Saturday, October
19th. The falltime placement of Festiball gives East Coast residents, especially college
students, a good chance to enjoy one last bit of beautiful weather before winter rolls in.
These dates do not conflict with any other major beach volleyball tournaments currently
scheduled, as the AVP has not yet announced dates for it’s four planned events. They also
take into consideration the popularity of the NFL as a Sunday TV-‐viewing ritual. Shifting
the event to Thursday-‐Saturday, instead of Friday-‐Sunday, avoids the pro football
juggernaut and should help keep ratings strong. On Thursday and Friday, each player will
compete in three matches and gameplay will run from 3:30-‐9:30 p.m. Saturday will include
two matches per person and run from 6:00-‐10:00 p.m.
While live music will fill the cracks between gameplay throughout the entirety of
Festiball, the most important scheduling moments for the musical side of the event are the
headlining Thursday and Saturday concerts. Both will begin roughly 30 minutes after
gameplay has concluded for the day. Musical acts will be covered and explained later in
the document.
Food and drink options will be provided through a partnership with South Florida
Food Trucks (miamifoodtrucks.com). We believe this will provide Festiball with another
distinctive aspect, while maintaining the beachy look and feel that is present in our
creative. South Florida Food Trucks provides quick, high-‐quality food and is the perfect
local partner for Festiball.
The NBC Family – Television Programming Possibilities The NBC family of networks represents a logical choice to be the broadcasters of
Festiball. Beach volleyball, because of its Olympic sport status, already has close ties with
NBC because of the station’s own Olympic deals. This means that knowledgable,
experienced production crews and announcers will be available to make the presentation
of the matches top-‐notch. In recent years, NBC has also reaffirmed its commitment to
sports programming by creating the NBC Sports cable channel. This channel would
provide the perfect setting for the opening rounds of Festiball, while the final day of play
could then be transferred to the main NBC station. The effect of this relationship would be
the realistic and gradual escalation of Festiball’s prominence. It is unrealistic to think that a
major broadcast network (or even ESPN) would carry three straight nights of volleyball
programming during the fall, no matter how compelling. One climactic night of primetime
tournament play is an easy sell, however, as is two days of gameplay on a cable sports
channel. The concert aspects of the event will be streamed live to an NBC Sports Youtube
page, where fans can view the shows and interact with other.
Other Spectrum Branding Aspects
When we sat down and began to think about what to do to make Festiball great, we
tried to allign our thinking with the idea of spectrum branding. We felt that in today’s
fractured media environment, it would be necessary for Festiball to have impactful
promotion in the most avenues possible. A major part of this would be a Festiball-‐specific
website, which is obviously a must for any event. Festiball.com, our prominent digital
presence, would act partly as a relationship management tool, promising potential
customers exclusive offers from partners. Another perk of membership would be the pre-‐
release of singles and full streaming of albums leveraged from our Skullcandy partner and
local Miami bands. Our invitation video series, as well as our “Skyball” TV spot (both
documented later), would also be posted to Festiball.com, along with feature stories about
both the athletes and bands attending. We believe that Festiball can create its own sense of
community and brand loyalty online much in the way that events like the U.S. Open or
Bonnaroo do.
Festiball, as a major event in the Miami area, will already be a positive economic
driver for the region. However, we hope that Festiball can also spread to community
outreach and create programs beneficial to Miami youths. The sport of beach volleyball
can be used as a catalyst to teach children about the benefits of an active lifestyle and
healthy living, as well as the qualities of teamwork and dedication. Clinics will be held in
the weeks leading up to the event that bring pro beach volleyball players together with
children in the area. On the few days before the Thursday kick-‐off of Festiball, some of the
participants will be flown in early to lead these clinics in what should also be a great PR
opportunity.
Key Sponsors Title: Skullcandy
Skullcandy is the title sponsor of Festiball, with the official event name being “Festiball presented by Skullcandy.” The full title will appear in any mention of the event during broadcast and in all promotion. Skullcandy was chosen because it represents the intersection of sports and music much in the same vein as Festiball itself. The brand has an exclusive line of sport-‐specific headphones and has endorsed many athletes (ie. James Harden, Kyrie Irving) in the past. Festiball’s youthful target market already alligns with that of Skullcandy, and much of the positioning of the two brands will be similar. Skullcandy will also be important in leveraging connections to musical acts that will fill our schedule. Supporting: Mikasa
Mikasa will be the exlusive provider of volleyballs during Festiball. Mikasa is a proven brand within the industry and guarantees the event legitimate and high-‐quality equipment. Aesthetically, their current line of beach volleyballs fits well with the color scheme and overall intended look of Festiball. Mikasa volleyballs carrying the Festiball logo should be a huge seller.
Minor: Oakley
Oakley is the preferred brand for beach volleyball sunglasses and already sponsors such athletes as Olympic gold medalist Keri Walsh. The brand also provides a line of board shorts and other apparel that will be used in conjunction with the Festiball logo. Minor: South Florida Food Trucks
South Florida Food Trucks is a fitting catering partner for Festiball, as explained previouly in the document. Both the South Florida Food Trucks brand and the logistics of our tournament are compatable. Minor: Vincere Sports Sand Sock
Vincere Sports is a relatively small business with a product that appeals directly to fans and players of beach volleyball. The sand socks are highly useful for playing on sand that is not optimal temperature and are also easily branded with the Festiball logo. These sand socks provide us with a unique fashion merchandising option. TV/YouTube commercial “Skyball”
Bands for Festiball Rita Ora
Profile: Rita Ora is a British singer-‐songwriter and actress born in Yugoslavia. She is 21 years old and has been in the music business since 200. She made her first appearance on Craig David’s track, “Awkward,” and appears in Tinchy Stryder’s music video in 2008. She started singing in bars in and around London and got her big break in 2009 when A&R told Roc Nation about Ora. A few days after she flew out to New York and met Jay-‐Z, later making a cameo-‐appearance in his 2009 music video, “Young Forever.” Jay-‐Z signed her to Roc Nation and set up a deal for her with his sponsor Skullcandy Aviator Headphones. Most Popular Songs: How We Do (Party) R.I.P. Hot Right Now Leveraging the Sponsor: By having Ora kick off Festiball as the main act, her concert will leverage the title sponsorship of Skullcandy, who she represents. She is young and diverse, which will attract a younger audience for the opening day of the tournament. She was nominated for best UK/Ireland Act, Best New Artist, and Push Artist at the 2012 MTV Europe Awards and is making a splash in America with her catchy songs. Her song, “How We Do” is the perfect song to kick off the tournament and set the fun, lively atmosphere we hope carries throughout the three day event.
Local Bands
Profile Suenalo is a reggae meets rock band that has long been prevalent in the local Miami scene. They describe themselves as being a “multicultural cocktail” with latin funk, fusion and jam band all rolled into one. The band uses sounds form Puerto Rico and Cuba for inspiration in their songs. Their main belief is music should move the audience and eight full-‐time members originating from multiple cities in South Florida came together 10 years ago to do just that. The band currently has three albums released and has won two Miami New Times best of Miami awards: Best Latin Rock Band in 2005 and Best Latin Band in 2011. They have also traveled to New York, New Orleans, North Carolina and Ohio to perform. Target Audience Adults 18-‐40 Popular Songs Come Home Elegua Suenalo Fela Reason chosen: Miami has a high Latino population and this band’s music will appeal directly to many locals, some of which were born in Puerto Rico or Cuba and have family still living there.
Rachel Goodrich
Profile: Rachel Goodrich is an American musician based in Miami, Florida who pioneered the “Shake-‐a-‐billy”. Her music is an “eclectic blend of vaudeville-‐inspired indie pop, swing-‐jazz and country-‐folk.” The New York Times called her the queen of the Miami indie rock scene after her first self-‐released album, Tinker Toys, came out in 2008. She has been active in the music industry since 2007. Popular songs Light Bulb (featured in an episode of the TV series Weeds and a Crayola commercial) Piggy Bank Ukulele Water Target Audience 13-‐30 Reason Chosen: Goodrich is a young singer that will appeal to a younger audience who might recognize some of her songs from the MTV show My Life as Liz. She has a unique voice and style to her songs that is hard to forget. Her music will also be very family friendly to draw people of all ages.
MaWoN
Profile: MaWon prides itself on being a global band with Caribbean flavor. Their lyrics are meant to spark change, and leave the audience with a popular message. They play reggae, but are not an official reggae band. They also play some Haitian rhythms and sometimes sing songs in Spanish. They have played in New York, Boston, Haiti and Montreal. Target Audience: 35-‐50 Reason Chosen: Their Caribbean style reflects the laidback culture typical of the beach. Also, the band will appeal to a wide variety of cultures in the melting pot of Miami from Haitian, French, Irish, Cuban, Italian, Indian and American. They also offer a positive cultural message and work closely with various relief organizations, which will be a positive aspect to highlight in PR for the event.
MayDay!
Profile: MayDay! has been a thriving band in the local Miami scene and across the nation. They are an alternative hip-‐hop band that caught the attention of Cee-‐Lo Green, collaborating with the well known singer, and have opened for Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and Method Man. The six member band has made its mission to prove to the world musicians from Miami can compete culturally with the best vocal talents across the nation. Their production hype and deep lyrics keep people intrigued past the first song. Popular Songs: Groundhog Day Target Audience: 15-‐35 Reason Chosen: They are a well-‐known band on the local and national scene that will draw a teenage audience with their alterative hip-‐hip style. The five person band have performed together for years in some of the top venues in Miami.
Origen
Profile: Origin is a popular Spanish band where the group pays homage to their heritage with powerful future inspired rock en Español beats. Each member comes from a different country including: Ecuador, Venezuela and Mexico. Their album, Origin, had each member contribute lyrics and music. The band will soon release a second single and a music video. Target Audience: 13-‐40 Reason Chosen: The band offers unique music that will appeal to a cultural variety, particularly the Latin American community.
Jay-‐Z
Profile Jay-‐Z (real name Shawn Corey Carter) is one of the most financially successful hip hop and rap artist in America. He has sold over 50 million albums worldwide and has 14 Grammy Awards. He is also a record producer, entrepreneur and actor. “Reasonable Doubt” and The Blueprint are groundbreaking rap albums, both ranked in the Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. He is the former CEO of Def Jam Recordings, one of the three founds of Roc-‐A-‐Fella Records and the founder of Roc Nation. Most Popular Songs: Brooklyns Finest New York State of Mind Hard Knock Life Leveraging the Sponsor: By having Jay-‐Z as the closing act on the last day of the tournament, his concert will leverage the title sponsorship of Skullcandy, who he represents. Jay-‐Z is one of the greatest hip-‐hop artists and rappers of the 20th and 21st century, drawing a wide fan base for the final music event. He holds the record at 11 for the most number one albums by a solo artist on the Billboard Hot 100. Rolling Stone ranked him as the 88th greatest artist of all time.
Print ad to be run in magazines such as ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Rolling Stone, DiG, and other sports/popular culture publications
“Skyball” Television Storyboard