Aug. 2, 2013
DALLAS (SMU) - Following the 2012 season, the SMU Athletic Department sent out a survey to find out what fans think of SMU Athletics and SMU Gamedays. Intelligent. First-Class. These two words and others that were prominent in the fan survey results helped shape the marketing plan this year.
This year's promotional materials use academic words to describe "How SMU Does Gameday", but they were placed on top of photos that show SMU fans are anything but stuffy. "Soiree" shows the fun of the fans tailgating on The Boulevard. "Entourage" shows children at play with Peruna on the grassy hill in the south end of Ford Stadium. The contrast of "big" words with fan-friendly imagery shows that SMU football is relatable and accessible to everyone.
The irony was not lost on Dallas residents as season and single-game tickets are on track to set records with this aggressive campaign that includes billboards, kiosks, posters, schedule cards and a direct mail campaign, as well as an increased focus on social media. Dallas has responded. The Mustangs have already sold over 1,600 new season tickets since May thanks in part to fans taking advantage of the new designated sections, including young alums, Cox School of Business, Dedman School of Law and the Varsity Zone for former SMU letterwinners.
Tradition. The Band. The Boulevard. Friends. These words also came up frequently throughout the survey, so the campaign puts an emphasis on the gameday elements that continue to make Saturdays not just about football, but about friends, old and new. The Mustangs are proud to call Dallas their home because of the cool mix of people who come together from all over the country to support the team. Even the fans who are alums of other schools have adopted the Mustangs on Football Saturdays, and the proud alums enjoy sharing the long-time traditions that make up a unique gameday experience at Ford Stadium.
Every person sees the gameday differently, from the team getting fired up as they take the field to the "Best-Dressed Band in the Land" providing that special college atmosphere to the spirit squads leading the fans who provide the home field advantage. They all fit together to create the best fanbase in the new American Athletic Conference, as SMU earned the No. 1 ranking because of the strong loyalty fans have for their Mustangs no matter what. It's this passion that makes the SMU experience a main focus every year for the athletics' staff. This included bringing in sports marketing agency, Old Hat Creative, to analyze the data to guide this out-of-the-box marketing campaign.
"We attended a game last year, talked with fans and absorbed SMU's gameday atmosphere. We found that SMU had something going on that really set them apart from any other team we had worked with." said Zac Logsdon, owner of Old Hat Creative. "We developed a campaign that focuses on what makes SMU so unique."
One of the most unique elements of the experience is the pregame tailgate area on The Boulevard. This is where fans come together for a celebration like no other. With only six or seven home games each season, SMU fans make the most of them, including the legendary Mustang Walk into the stadium, inflatable games to entertain young fans, high fives and photos with Peruna, the coolest mascot around, free face paint to intimidate opponents and so much more. There's just something about Boulevarding that makes the gameday even cooler. If you don't know what that means, Come See How SMU Does Gameday.
Logsdon and his team put together a comprehensive report based of their findings from the survey, on-campus visit, social media chatter and message board threads. This information continues to be integrated into the decision-making process to provide the best gameday experience for SMU fans.
"We wanted an outside perspective from a company that specializes in marketing sports teams," Athletic Director, Rick Hart said. "The information Old Hat provided was so valuable that we have really increased our efforts to receive feedback from fans 365 days a year."
The best way to be heard is talking directly to Hart, who started a weekly column in April called "Straight From The Hart" where he answers questions submitted via Twitter (@AD_RickHart), the website and via email at smumustangs@smu.edu. On gamedays, fans can use GuestAssist to communicate directly with staff. The GuestAssist app is available for download for most phone platforms and fans can also simply text issues, questions, concerns or comments to 214-516-7010.
In order to provide the best fan experience, SMU Athletics will continue to make changes to improve what has already been built by the coaches, the team, the staff, the spirit groups and, most importantly, the fans.
The season kickoffs with a huge game against Texas Tech under the lights at Ford Stadium at 7 pm on Friday, August 30th. Wear your best white Mustang gear for the annual "Whiteout" and for your chance to be on ESPN, showing the country why SMU fans are No. 1.
Tickets start as low as $15 for groups of 10 or more and season tickets are also still available. Never been to a game? Call us so we can plan the perfect gameday for you at 214-768-4263. Everyone is welcome at the SMU soirees.
