ideas on how to market the cmnt more effectively

[hodgkiss]

hey guys,

since it's so difficult to get the csa's attention regarding a good marketing effort, i thought seeing many csa members actually come to our board, this may be the best way to get some of our great thoughts in front of the people who need to see them. the time is now for this to happen.

1.) it will take money to gather more fans/interest in canada by investing in the correct research, workforce and methods surrounding a proper strategic plan.

2.) along with changing things in the managerial structure, changes also need to be made to the current marketing/pr department for the csa at the moment.

3.) we need a player "role model" to hang our hat on. to inspire young kids - a good ambassador of sorts. making public appearances, marketed on cereal boxes, video game covers in canada etc.

4.) advertising needs to be WAY more effective than it currently is. money was spent on media buys but how effective was it? not so good. there are much smarter ways to spend on a limited budget that can be much better for a good return.

5.) merchandise at games and shops needs to improve drastically. i realize its summer (almost officially) but no jackets and no long sleeve shirts at the match last night. very few pieces even. horrible. there is much money to be made and people wearing merchandise for helping grow the sport yet... it's just a shame.

6.) word of mouth is the best advertising - start changing people's view on the team. lead by example. even when staff and players speak after the game, confidence needs to be set in motion. yes things are changing slowly but still, we need more!

7. more organization with ticket sales. things have improved - it's not a free for all as it was before. things are being more thought out but this could still be much better.

8.) radio/tv appearances by voyageurs and players/alumni needs to happen. i don't think i have ever heard a mainstream radio appearance by a soccer player in toronto. yet hockey players, baseball players... they get lots of air time.

9.) corporate sponsorships. it doesn't appear that the csa will get any more funding unless it is through this channel. and after tfc, vwfc and the impact have taken on some bigger sponsors, its very conceivable that the csa can get some more of the $$ as well. i know they have gotten some over the last few years but really - i think there is a huge untapped market out there for them to explore. by hiring a few ringer sales people, i'm sure they could increase their budgets big time if they really pushed hard.

i will be adding much more to this list. but that is it for now.

[yomurphy1]

Put the CMNT in both FIFA and PES soccer games. Build the brand.

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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=43.897975,-79.260254

[Free kick]

Win.

[Free kick]

Nothing else needs to be said. when it come to international sports, Canadians only follow sports where Canada is winning. they will even follow sports like Figure skating and down hill skiing, if we are winning.

See:

tennis with Raonic, Golf with Mike Weir, cycling with Hejdal. People wont even care how we win (see Ben Johnson) as long as we win. Or see the style of play that our women NT plays or played. Unlike some countries in the world, our culture is a result oriented one.

as far as soccer.

it means qualifying for the world cup and once we are at the world cup, it means playing and performing like we belong there.

The later is key because I recall 1986. We didnt get a bump after 1986 because when we got to the WCQ, we played and performed mostly like we were happy to be there. And looking NOT to be embarrassed.

[hodgkiss]

we can still win and have the general public not know where the next match will be or not know where to buy a shirt.

it's bigger than just winning - although it would certainly help.

[madmonte]

Try not to oversimplify this thread, I see what he is trying to do with it, and it's a good idea and opportunity for us to give REAL feedback. Read his thread again, and come up with some real ideas. From the posts on here, you Voyageurs have a great and unique perspective that the CSA could brainstorm off of, if you try. Go!

[Admin]

Put the CMNT in both FIFA and PES soccer games. Build the brand.

---

I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=43.897975,-79.260254

I was at a meeting once at EA in Vancouver (where the game is made) and they laughed at us for this suggestion.

It's why I have never bought an EA product since.

[Admin]

Nothing else needs to be said. when it come to international sports, Canadians only follow sports where Canada is winning. they will even follow sports like Figure skating and down hill skiing, if we are winning.

See:

tennis with Raonic, Golf with Mike Weir, cycling with Hejdal. People wont even care how we win (see Ben Johnson) as long as we win. Or see the style of play that our women NT plays or played. Unlike some countries in the world, our culture is a result oriented one.

as far as soccer.

it means qualifying for the world cup and once we are at the world cup, it means playing and performing like we belong there.

The later is key because I recall 1986. We didnt get a bump after 1986 because when we got to the WCQ, we played and performed mostly like we were happy to be there. And looking NOT to be embarrassed.

This is simply not true.

Unlike most people here, I have been doing nothing but talking to people about this for about two years straight.

The hit rate for people who find out about the game, and go, is really really high. I don't have a number, or what that number would mean or what it would be measured against, but it's really high.

Especially at the TFC games. Before I got shut down there, I only had like two douche bags out of countless people I talked to. These people emailed me over the next couple of weeks with like "hey we talked at the TFC game..."

It's not all about winning. It's way more about awareness.

Winning of course would help.

[Admin]

I do have a crafty idea.

It's coming but will take about a year to put in place.

I hope to have a preview of it this summer.

If this is successful, it will dwarf the marketing efforts of the CSA and really really lend a critical hand in filling the stadium.

If there are professional marketing/PR people here who want to know more, please email me.

[Keegan]

This is simply not true.

Unlike most people here, I have been doing nothing but talking to people about this for about two years straight.

The hit rate for people who find out about the game, and go, is really really high. I don't have a number, or what that number would mean or what it would be against, but it's really high.

Especially at the TFC games. Before I got shut down there, I only had like two douche bags out of countless people I talked to. These people emailed me over the next couple of weeks with like "he we talked at the TFC game..."

It's not all about winning. It's way more about awareness.

Winning of course would help.

100%, I talk about this team any chance I get... people who learn are interested and if they can go to the game they go. If it weren't for the Voyageurs the support would be pathetic.. we know that the south end where all the Canada support is concentrated is possible through the work of the Voyageurs, take that away and what are you left with?

Jamie, how many people do you think are there as a result of this group? 16,000 were there last night, subtract 1,000 Hondurans roughly there on their own accord... so out of the 15,000 Canadians there how many or what percentage would you guess? Without the Voyageurs I don't think its unreasonable to say that half the people wouldn't be there. So really wtf good does the CSA do? They may as well give their whole marketing budget to us because they are CLUELESS. This was the biggest game to be played in Canada in 4 years and they couldn't sell it out, its so sad I'm not sure whether to laugh at how bad they are or cry at what a shame that is.

So the CSA's marketing effort, their lame poems, posters and TV commercials got 7,000 fans to the game. Well ****ing done CSA *slow clap*.

[yomurphy1]

I was at a meeting once at EA in Vancouver (where the game is made) and they laughed at us for this suggestion.

It's why I have never bought an EA product since.

So what their a bunch of euro-snobs, this is something the CSA must pursue as part of a marketing strategy. Pay them if you have to.

[jpg75]

it means qualifying for the world cup and once we are at the world cup, it means playing and performing like we belong there.

The later is key because I recall 1986. We didnt get a bump after 1986 because when we got to the WCQ, we played and performed mostly like we were happy to be there. And looking NOT to be embarrassed.

Please watch the opening game against France again.

[Nick]

Put the CMNT in both FIFA and PES soccer games. Build the brand.

---

I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=43.897975,-79.260254

I completely agree and find this so frustrating. Fifa and pes are big beyond belief and i'm sure all of the non "gamers" would in total awe if they only knew how many Canadians buy these games. While the game is missing national teams that are infact better than our own, the one reason I think that we should be included is because we are the only country that has our league (MLS) in the game but not the corresponding national team. Does anyone want to make an online petition to send to EA

[Free kick]

Try not to oversimplify this thread, I see what he is trying to do with it, and it's a good idea and opportunity for us to give REAL feedback. Read his thread again, and come up with some real ideas. From the posts on here, you Voyageurs have a great and unique perspective that the CSA could brainstorm off of, if you try. Go!

I am sorry, but its the truth.

1) money will come from more fans who buy tickets and followers who drive up the numbers for ratings and sponsorships. To do that, you need to WIN

2) Marketing and advertising in sports is never necessary if you are WINNING. Unless the sport is really obscure, like Chess. Teams that lose always talk of poor marketing and adverstiing.

3) In you are WINNING, you create role models. And, more people who aspire to be like their role models. And more eyeballs means more people and top athletes are drawn into teh sport instead of other sports. So, WINNING begets WINNING.

4) merchandizing? people buy merchandise of athletes and teams like Sydney Crosby, Lebron James, Tom Brady, Ronaldo, New york Yankees, Barcelona.. etc. whats the common thread? they WIN or people think they will win.

I see a lot of Manchester United jerseys out there but not as many for Wigan. There might be more Philippinos or Chinese in Canada than Italians in 2012. But whats the difference between Italy's NT and that of the Phillipines or China and do we not see anywhere near the number shirts and kits from the NT's of China and the the Phillipines as we do for Italy?

5) People want to hear (on Tv /radio) from individuals, teams, players or organizations associated with WINNING

6) No corporate sponsorships have ever flowed into athletes , teams or associations that are not WINNING or where there is little HOPE of WINNING.

7) National Organizations or FA's can be run by corrupt bandits (as is the case in many parts of the world). But no one complains if you are WINNING. Whereas if you are not WINNING or perceived to be not WINNING (CSA) , you get accused of some of the stupidest things thats has nothing to do with them.

More examples:

When you WIN, such as when we won the Gold Cup in 2000, you have 20K fans show up at Commonwealth stadium for our first WCQ game against T & T. Otherwise, 4 yrs later at the same venue against Honduras we get 9K of which a sizable amount were Hondurans.

[Admin]

100%, I talk about this team any chance I get... people who learn are interested and if they can go to the game they go. If it weren't for the Voyageurs the support would be pathetic.. we know that the south end where all the Canada support is concentrated is possible through the work of the Voyageurs, take that away and what are you left with?

Jamie, how many people do you think are there as a result of this group? 16,000 were there last night, subtract 1,000 Hondurans roughly there on their own accord... so out of the 15,000 Canadians there how many or what percentage would you guess? Without the Voyageurs I don't think its unreasonable to say that half the people wouldn't be there. So really wtf good does the CSA do? They may as well give their whole marketing budget to us because they are CLUELESS. This was the biggest game to be played in Canada in 4 years and they couldn't sell it out, its so sad I'm not sure whether to laugh at how bad they are or cry at what a shame that is.

So the CSA's marketing effort, their lame poems, posters and TV commercials got 7,000 fans to the game. Well ****ing done CSA *slow clap*.

That would be a very difficult call to make.

As much as we complain about the CSA, we don't have anything like the reach they have.

We sold about 2000 tickets to the game. Maybe just under. That number could be considered higher if you encompass connections to us. Probably another 500 of which I know for sure, perhaps more like 1000.

We have a slowly building network of dedicated people, not a wide reaching ad campaign. It's different and they are both valuable.

If I had a minimal budget and just car rentals, I could have sold out the south end easily. I didn't even get the only thing I truly wanted which was guaranteed ticket security so I took no risks. Nope. Ended up getting screwed on the US game, and it's my own fault. There is clearly complexity involved here in the TM system, BMO Field, CSA ect... and all the various agreements that exist.

My goal is to now only focus on one thing. The supporters section. As anyone can attest to the trauma of Honduras in Montreal, I think I can be forgiven for obsessing over numbers. It's now about quality not quantity.

112, 113, 114. If you want your assigned seats, don't want to stand and sing for 90, buy your tickets someplace else.

The rest of the stadium is not my problem, not my job and I am not doing customer service for the public again. Supporters only.

[Admin]

So what their a bunch of euro-snobs, this is something the CSA must pursue as part of a marketing strategy. Pay them if you have to.

Given that there effectively no space limitations anymore, there is no excuse for them not to be there other than the production cost of putting it in.

But its' made here FFS.

I doubt the guy that was running it is still there. English guy.

[Admin]

I am sorry, but its the truth.

1) money will come from more fans who buy tickets and followers who drive up the numbers for ratings and sponsorships. To do that, you need to WIN

2) Marketing and advertsing in sports is never necessary if you are WINNING. Unless the sport is really obscure, like Chess. Teams that lose always talk of poor marketing and adverstiing.

3) In you are WINNING, you create role models. and more people who aspire to be like their role models. And more eyeballs means more people and top athletes are drawn into teh sport instead of other sports. So, WINNING begets WINNING.

4) merchandizing? people buy merchandise of athletes and teams like Sydney Crosby, Lebron James, Tom Brady, Ronaldo, New york Yankees, Barcelona.. etc. whats the common thread? they WIN or people think they will win.

5) People want to hear (on Tv /radio) from individuals, teams, players or organizations associated with WINNING

6) No corporate sponsorships have ever flowed into athletes , teams or associations that are not WINNING or where there is little HOPE of WINNING.

7) National Organizations or FA's can be run by corrupt bandits (as is the case in many parts of the world). But no one complains if you are WINNING. Whereas if you are not WINNING or perceived to be not WINNING (CSA) , you get accused of some of the stupidest things

Man, don't go all Charlie Sheen on us here.

Of course winning is good.

It's just not the only thing that matters. If things were done differently that stadium could have been sold out.

[StartingEleven]

Please watch the opening game against France again.

Was going to sugest the same thing, should really try and watch all the games, even against the USSR and Hungary, they did compete.

[strobe_z]

Y'know as someone who's been a Voyageur since 2000, I know how important winning is. If the team wins, we'll get more fans... point of fact. That's how I became a Voyageur, and I know that's how many of the "old-timers" here did as well (and Kudos to those that have been Voyageurs since '86 even if you didn't know you were~).

However, I agree that awareness is KEY. We would get more support from Canadian fans if there was a concentrated and sustained effort to get the word out. As I've said several times over the last couple of days, we're not fighting hate for the Canadian National team, we're fighting apathy. The best way to get people to care is to show them other people care.

So, while we can't do much about the winning, we need to show people that it's OKAY to support the Canadian National team. I've had some small experience with this in growing the supporters group for FC Edmonton. There remain pockets of support that need to be brought together in order to create the critical mass required, because it's not the first 3 guys that stand up and look like fools that are hard to get... it's the 4th through 10th that are important.

I think we are very close to being that critical mass. I've seen this group grow from being barely able to muster up a Christmas card list to being able to organize an away trip to Cuba and a unified supporter section several thousand strong.

I agree that we need to come up with a marketing push because if we show people WE care then they'll feel like THEY should care.

[madmonte]

I was at a meeting once at EA in Vancouver (where the game is made) and they laughed at us for this suggestion.

It's why I have never bought an EA product since.

Try again this year, and show them footage of the Canadian soccer fans from the Honduras game. Lots has changed in the last few years! But really, Honduras isn't exactly in the game either, and they made the World Cup

[madmonte]

100%, I talk about this team any chance I get... people who learn are interested and if they can go to the game they go. If it weren't for the Voyageurs the support would be pathetic.. we know that the south end where all the Canada support is concentrated is possible through the work of the Voyageurs, take that away and what are you left with?

Jamie, how many people do you think are there as a result of this group? 16,000 were there last night, subtract 1,000 Hondurans roughly there on their own accord... so out of the 15,000 Canadians there how many or what percentage would you guess? Without the Voyageurs I don't think its unreasonable to say that half the people wouldn't be there. So really wtf good does the CSA do? They may as well give their whole marketing budget to us because they are CLUELESS. This was the biggest game to be played in Canada in 4 years and they couldn't sell it out, its so sad I'm not sure whether to laugh at how bad they are or cry at what a shame that is.

So the CSA's marketing effort, their lame poems, posters and TV commercials got 7,000 fans to the game. Well ****ing done CSA *slow clap*.

Aye, I talk about it, I facebook it, I'm trying to gain converts. Believe it or not, it's way harder to do in Alberta than out in Ontario. You think noone THERE cares? lol...Ontario is like footie heaven compared to alberta

[madmonte]

I am sorry, but its the truth.

lol we're disagreeing on a few threads today! Oh well, hope you don't take it personally, I don't...our passion is the same, Canadian soccer. On this issue I agree with socceronly. Winning is one thing, and a strong way to build awareness, but it's not the ONLY way. I see where you are coming from, though. Pittsburgh Penguins almost had to move cities until they got Crosby and Malkin, so yeah I get it. you have to have something TO market and advertise, yes.

But it's not as though we can't build more of a fan base than we currently have based off of a few other factors.

1) A sense of loyalty and national duty. They were trying to tug these threads in their bus ads that noone liked. It was a smart idea, but lacked execution, cuz noone knew what they heck they were advertising for!

2) Key star players. Which they do try to do as well. Easy to do when you have Sidney Crosby or Lionel Messi.

3) And most important...people have to become soccer fans. This is what takes time, and thank god we now have 3 MLS teams, in a league people are actually starting to care about, in an evolving north american culture!

I don't care if our national tiddlywinks team is 140-0, undefeated all time, I still ain't going to the stadium to watch that ****! Even if it is canada vs usa.

Find ways to tap into the european obsessiveness over the sport. Show north america why it's the most beloved, exciting game worldwide. I think this has started to happen already.

In some ways, we are on the right track. Winning comes from this too. With brand awareness and fans, more youths take the sport up. Then they develop. Then they become good national team players. THIS process has only really just begun in Canada on the club level. What I'm anxious for it 10-15 years from now.

[hodgkiss]

would the director of business development be ethan gage's relative?

or pure coincidence?

Business Development Department

Sandra Gage

Director, Business Development

Richard Scott

Director, National Teams Communications

Dominic Martin

Marketing Manager

Michèle Dion

Communications Manager

[hodgkiss]

quick breakdown of current revenue for the csa...

43% of the budget comes form membership fees! (wouldn't want to go here - keep it affordable for kids to play)

17% through sponsorship (this can certainly increase)

18% through grants (this can increase)

5% gate receipts (play more at home)

2% merchandise (this si disgusting - this is a huge priority)

15% for rebates, user fees and competitions (not sure what this is exactly)

there are some extremely weak areas here - things that could be fixed very easily

[killgod]

The ****ing shirts!!!!

These cheap templates are not something anyone but a hardcore fan wants to wear...but wait, we have the styling anniversary kit that everyone wants...surely they could just red/white that up...

People want that kit, they don't want our basic template shirts that have no appeal as an actual shirt. People wear the Holland kit, the England kit, etc, because they are NICE ****ING SHIRTS!