Building the Fire - Bells and Whistles for Facebook

The Chicago Fire fan page already has over 17,000 fans with similiar followers over on Twitter with @ChicagoFire.  Improve on these numbers by going above and beyond the expectations on these platforms.  Learn from the successful examples of powerful, international brands to enhance the team's own online presence. 

For Facebook fan pages, there are a number of templating applications that can help turn a normal fan page from standard to outstanding.  TechCrunch lists a number of free and pay services similar to those used in major marketing campaigns to put their best Facebooks forward.  Give the page the professional treatment and create another online destination for the fans.

Building the Fire - No More Fun and Games

Half-time at Toyota Park is set up much like a three-ring circus.  Youth teams play short scrimmages, fans participate in contests with Sparky, awards are handed out to outstanding fans, and all of this while (usually before) players come out for some quick warmups.  The overall effect is chaotic, and it gives the impression that the club has "sold" every inch of the field to anyone willing to pay.  The combined effort is not consistent with a professional sports brand.

This is where I come off as a crumudgeon.  How can he be against youth soccer teams?  Think of all the group ticket sales!  I counter with a challenge to make the youth team events a better experience.  10 minutes to run around in a mini-match?  In the middle of the rest of the marketing chaos?  The club can do better, create a better experience, and promise a better product to youth clubs.  Why not pre-game matches, long before the gates open, with private parties on the stage end/patio?  A better experience all around, with much more opportunities to add value (Sparky / player appearances, cash bar for the adults, live music, etc).  The groups have much less to worry about logistically, and the game becomes much more of an outing.

As for the rest of the events, bring back the on-field MC to control the chaos and rile up the fans for the second half.  Throw T-shirts, have fun with Sparky, bring on some special guests, but with polish and execution. 

Building the Fire - The Season Ticket Family

Season ticket holders are the foundation of any strong fan base.  These are the fans that have bought in to the club and its culture, and there is no room to take them for granted.  They are always your biggest supporters and your loudest critics.  No one else is invested as much as they are invested.  Since the rule of thumb is that it costs much more to generate new sales than cultivate existing ones, the Fire should refocus its efforts to give the season ticket holders the best experience in Chicago sports and give the fans the place in the club community they deserve. 

Give season ticket holders as many opportunities to experience a sense of belonging to the Chicago Fire Soccer Club.  Membership should have its privleges at all levels, not just the higher end.  Season Ticket Membership should mean more than a name on a mailing list, even a season ticket only mailing list.  Cultivate fan relations with frequent opportunities, exclusive to season ticket holders, such as town hall meetings, player appearances, private gamewatch parties, and more.  Give the fans a greater sense of belonging, and illustrate the value of being part of the community.  Give them more of a reason to promote the their season ticket holder status to friends and family.

The exclusion, the velvet rope, is not the point.  Do not ask the fans to pay a premium for premium service.  Let the benefits be the icing on the cake, giving everyone an incentive to be a committed part of the Fire community.

Building the Fire - Embrace Chicago

Fire fans, and soccer fans in general, are very committed to the connection between a city or region and a given club.  MLS fans have flocked to their cities' municipal logos, symbols, and traditions, and many see the league and the sport as a representatives of their hometowns.  In all of American sports, this kind of connection and passion is becoming a rarity.  Many of the trappings of "big-league" professional sports (mercenary free agents, national media coverage) have created a gap between a city's sports franchise and the city itself.  Only college football seems to evoke the kind of local devotion, but few fans have the kind of connection to symbology seen in MLS.

This is where the Fire can reinforce its core values of Tradition Honor Passion by applying those same beliefs to its commitment to Chicago.  The municipal flag, the "Y" (representing the Chicago River), and other historic mottos ("We Will" etc) have been embraced by committed supporters.  The club should go above and beyond, encouraging this connection while making it a priority in all design and communication projects.  The "flag" away jersey is an excellent start, and the fans love it (and the original "flag jersey").  Commit to Chicago's rich identity and tradition, seeing the club as a committed representative of Chicago and its people, and reinforce the strong connections already embraced by the fans.

Building the Fire - On-field MCs

Today's idea is going to be lifted straight from the English Premier League.  I'm not fully invested in the thought that everything in the EPL/Football Leagues be imported, but in this case I'm just giving credit where credit is due.  In my opinion, this is an example of the personal touch that can help improve the overall gameday experience.  Ok, disclaimer off.

Bring the "voices of the Fire", PA announcers Nick Mitrovich (English) and Juan Lozano (Spanish) down to the field for pre-game and half-time activities/announcements.  Make a show out of it.  Don't try to orchestrate everything or make a "production" out of it, but bring the PA announcers to field level.  Give the proceedings a personal touch.  Put them in front of the fans as fully-fledged club representatives, and have them run the various pre-game activities (youth soccer teams, fan announcements, other ceremonies) from the ground.  Also, the club can get better operational control by reconnecting the over-the-air announcements with the on-the-field actions. 

The club could take things a step further and use this as a completely new opportunity.  Leave the in-game PA duties to the existing announcers, and hire new personalities to take up the on-field role.  In fact, why not find some local TV/radio personalities who follow the club?  Free exposure for them and their stations, some star power for the role, and free advertising for the club during their programs.  Create a new "Voice of the Fire" and create a new public advocate for the club while improving the gameday experience.

Building the Fire - Experience First

Every aspect of the organization that is "fan-facing" must be driven by the fan experience.  Simply "telling and selling" is not enough to convert passersby or increase fan loyalty.  The best place to fully commit to the fan experience is Toyota Park itself.  The club has made a number of improvements in the overall gameday experience, but there is still room for improvement in the fan experience.

Starting at the gates, security and guest services set the tone for the day.  As posted earlier, bringing this personnel in-house would bring them closer in line with the club's culture, helping deliver a consistent, quality experience.  Once inside the park, all club representatives should have a performing mindset.  Every part of Toyota Park is public on gameday, and representatives are never "off the clock" as long as they are wearing their credentials.   

Work to instill the basic values of professional customer service:

• Project a positive image and energy
• Be approachable and courteous
• "Stay in character"
• Go above and beyond

This is basic blocking and tackling for service, entertainment, and hospitality industries, and the club needs to commit to the reality that it is very much in these same industries on gameday.  Encourage employees to think of the fans first, and give them the lattitude to solve issues on the spot, quickly and efficiently, turning concerns into positive experiences.

An addition/example to the above guidelines would be instituting a "5-10" rule.  When a fan comes within 10 feet of a representative, they are acknowledged non-verbally with eye contact and/or a smile.  When within 5 feet, they are greeted with a verbal "hello", handshake, or other gesture.  A bit cold and calculated, yes, but it is should be noted that no moment is too small to an opportunity to improve the fan experience.

Building the Fire - Recruit Passion

Every member of the Fire organization must have the drive to make the club the best it can be.  This is not limited to executives or department heads.  Every single person on the payroll, from the ushers to the ticket reps to the technical director to the president, must share the passion for creating an elite soccer club. 

There are plenty of potential employees that have the drive to "work in sports," but for how many of dream of working in soccer, or even for a Chicago team?  Most are willing to just to get their foot in the door.  The Fire must be selective in recruiting to create and maintain a culture of driven individuals, passionate about building the organization.  That passion is shared by the fans and expected.  No employee should be viewing their roles as "just another job" or "a resume builder."  The club should commit itself to finding and developing outstanding individuals that will commit to the Fire.  100%.  No Exceptions.

Building the Fire - Truly Commit to the US Open Cup

The US Open Cup is one of the main traditions of the Chicago Fire.  Having won the trophy more than any MLS club, it is a central part to the team's history, and should be given the full backing of the organization. 

The start of a successful USOC campaign would be to aggressively bid to have each game at Toyota Park.  Committing to this at the start would place potential USOC dates right along side league matches and potential international friendlies, helping schedule the overall season.  The USOC tournament should be considered a priority, its a priority to the fans, and deep runs into the final rounds should be accounted for ahead of time. 

With this schedule in place, advertising and other marketing messages can be planned well in advance, ensuring that the bid money is well spent.  Promoting the history and tradition of the USOC, positioning it as important as major internationals and the MLS playoffs themselves, bolsters the home schedule, gives fans more value for their season ticket commitment, and create more opportunities for the club.  In short, the club should be clamoring for every chance to promote the Fire and Toyota Park.  USOC home matches are an easy fit for this goal.

As an aside, I am personally against the use of early round USOC matches against "lesser" USL teams to market the club in other parts of the region.  Sending the team away from Toyota Park to play a "home game", regardless of the status of the opponent, dilutes efforts to make Toyota Park a destination for Fire fans.

By giving USOC matches the same priority as home playoff matches, the Fire can show its commitment to its own Tradition.  Give these home games the undivided attention they deserve.  Silverware, banners, and all of the benefits of the promoting a championship club have too much influence over the fanbase to ignore.

Building the Fire - Respect 90 Minutes

There is nothing more important than the action on the field during a soccer match.  Every fan of the sport respects soccer's unique trait of uniterrupted action for two 45 minute halves.  As a soccer organization, these 90 minutes are your brand.  Without the action, there is no organization.  It is the center of everything.  There should be nothing more important than what is happening on the field, and committing to that truth can be difficult. 

There is the perceived need to monetize the game experience as much as possible, from passive sponsorships to active advertisments and announcements.  The former is a fundamental part of modern sports business, but the latter can become a distraction and dilute the soccer experience.  The club should commit itself to providing a pure soccer experience.  Forgoing the in-game advertising revenue should be viewed as a challenge to find new sources of revenue and deepen existing advertising relationships. 

Anyone can sell the captive audience, but by creating more scarcity in advertising inventory, the club is forced to find higher-paying, higher-quality advertising partners.  By reinforcing the message that the game is the center of attention, the club strengthens its soccer brand, strengthening its appeal to fans.  

Building the Fire - Open up the Parking

Another loud criticism of Toyota Park: the parking situation.  $15 to park in an unpaved lot in the middle of Bridgview can, and has, been a tough sell to Fire fans, so how can we turn this weakness into a strength?

Find a way to renegotiate the parking contract with the owners, the Villiage of Bridgeview.  Offer a lump sum at the beginning of the season, representing all of the potential parking revenue for the Fire season, and hopefully, they would be willing to take a discounted fixed payment to not worry about the variance in parking reveune.  Give them an opportunity to hedge their bet on the Fire's ability to draw a crowd and better forecast their annual municipal budget.

Village deal or not, get a name brand to sponsor the parking lot, essentially naming rights, free advertising, and the right to distribute marketing material.  Free parking sponsored by, for example, Continental Tires, a league wide sponsor.  Cars pull up and receive their "parking pass", a bright glossy flyer with the company logo as well as special offers or product information, perhaps some space for Fire offers as well.  It would be a great opportunity to turn "$15 please" into "Welcome to Toyota Park!  Go Fire!" 

Use the parking flyer revenue to offset as much of the price set by Bridgeview as possible, preferably free.  Sponsorship revenue can quickly turn into customer exploitation without a complete discount to the lots.

Lastly, open up the lots as early as possible.  There is a large, and growing, tailgate culture at Toyota Park, and this is the one thing that committed fans of all backgrounds seem to have in common.  Allow these fans and families the chance to get ahead of gameday traffic and spend their day at Toyota Park.  Encourage this dynamic as much as possible, and it will help grow a loyal, committed fanbase.     

Building the Fire - Bring the Academy Front and Center

The club deserves a lot of credit for the current success of the fledgling Fire Academy program.  They seem to really understand its role in player development and have generally, minus the occasional setback, progressed above and beyond their MLS peers.  There is a strong foundation in place, and there is some recent silverware to show it, but the Academy still needs to play a more central role in club operations.  The players, and especially their families, need to be completely incorporated into the Fire family.  They all need to be viewed as just as important to the club as the first team players, and promoted with passion.

On the logistics side, the Fire should take every chance to schedule Academy matches on Saturday afternoons prior to evening first-team matches.  Open up the parking lots early with free parking to give fans the incentive to come support the youth team.  Create an all-day festival atmosphere that brings the Academy, their families, and friends, closer to the supporters.  This creates more opportunities to turn Bridgeview into a destination on match days.  This could also apply to PDL and U-20 teams to maximize the first-team home schedule

It should go without saying that players and their parents should have free admission to Toyota Park for as long as they are in the program.  The opportunity to create lifelong ties to the club, and the overall message of commitment to the development programs, far outweigh the ticket costs.

Back to promoting the Academy, club coverage should extend down to at least the U-16 level.  Promoting the youth programs would provide deeper coverage for the website while increasing exposure.  Again, the goal of the Academies should be to become THE premier youth development system in the region, if not the continent.  Big-league media exposure is one platform that local club soccer and prep sports cannot provide.  For player discovery, this is a competitive advantage for the Fire and should be leveraged as much as possible.

With full incorporation of the development programs, the club can illustrate its commitment to Tradition Honor Passion, develop new marketing opportunities while strengthening existing initiatives, as well as continue their path towards creating an elite player development program.

Building the Fire - Focus Online Marketing

Granted, the Fire have made a great step forward in the 2010 season with their online media.  Andrew Hauptman has basically gone on record saying that he is much more concerned about the team's online presence than their writeups (or lack thereof) in the local papers.  Today's post attempts to refine this strategy, turning the current shotgun method (twitter, facebook, En Fuego on blogger, emails, website, and now even foursquare) into a laser beam. 

I came across this post on online landing pages, and it gives a good rundown of what this kind of refinement would look like.  It even has an diagram!  (click to enlarge)

The Fire should be looking to create landing pages like this for every single pitch they send out over the interwebs.  Individual game sales, fan events, watch parties, merchandise sales, special offers, groupons, you name it.  Create some standard templates then plug in selling points (unique game details, new photos) while pointing to the shopping carts/mailing list/social media subscription businees on the back end.  Turn every announcement into a direct selling experience.  News stories and announcements can still follow this model, if you optimize the home blog as well to fit this model and would bring the En Fuego blog into the sales picture.  However, the club will have to move away from its "newsletter" announment style and offer up each opportunity individually to increase their overall hit rate.   

Going through this exercise would help bring a consistent look and feel to Fire communications and marketing, and messages from every channel could be captured as opportunities.  The club has improved their presence in the popular online spaces, and should find even more success if they take the next step.  The fans are out there.  They just need some direction.

(HT: Duct Tape Marketing)

Building the Fire - Agree on a Motto

This probably should have been my first solution, but 5 seasons at Toyota Park put Guest Services at the front of my mind.  Let that speak more to that group of employees ability to shape the experience.

Regardless, the Fire have a very powerful motto: Tradition.  Honor.  Passion.  These are noble ideals and they ring true with almost everyone who supports the club.  The club, however, seems more obsessed with finding new marketing slogans and ways to wedge these three words into their advertising material.  At a recent game, I saw an ad that tacked on "Authentic" and "Fearless" onto the end. 

The Chicago Fire Soccer Club needs to reassess what their core values are and stick to them.  Find ways to reinforce these values at every level of the organization.  Players need to exhibit Traidition.  Honor.  Passion.  Coaches.  Ticket Reps.  Managers.  Security.  If you work for the Chicago Fire, it should be clear that these three words form the foundation of every decision you make and every action you take.  This will be the main source for my own ideas on this project, but the commitment to core values is itself a solution.  The first step to being a premier club is charting the course.

Many times the club gives an appearance of an organization that has lost its way, grasping for whatever success they can manufacture.  Some are hits, some are misses, but recommitting to these core values would be an excellent step towards creating long-term brand success.  It would certainly be more "Authentic" than simply applying a new label.

Building the Fire - Bring Guest Services In-House

There are a number of administrative layers working behind the scenes for any Fire game.  Toyota Park Guest Services, Monterrey Security, and the Chicago Fire Soccer Club have representatives working in various areas of customer support and safety.  Guest Services typically plays the liason role, acting as the first responder when issues arise, and escalates issues to security or the club depending on the situation.  Currently, this creates a disconnect in customer service, with many complaints about inconsistent enforcement of policies and varying degrees of overall satisfaction.  It would be in the club's best interests to bring all of these functions under in-house in the interests of consistent policy enforcement as well as customer service. 

Outsourced security only has one focused motivation: minimize liability.  Keep the event safe and no one gets hurt.  With a CYA mentality, security quickly develops a policing posture, and this is exactly what is occuring.  While fans are known to misbehave at times, there are always numerous complaints of over-zealous or outright rude security personnel.  By bringing these functions in-house, the club can exert more control over hiring and cultivate a better quality experience, focusing on full-time staff with soccer experience.  Guest Services and Security are on the front lines of customer service, and their interactions with fans are too frequent and too important to be left to an outside company. 

Building the Fire - My 32-day challenge

Plenty of travelling and procrastinating took me away from the blog, and I almost thought of abandoning it entirely.  It wasn't until this post by Seth Godin rekindled my interest in the site with a new challenge and purpose.  One post, every day, on how my favorite business can improve its products or its services.  My favorite company?  Without a doubt its my very own Chicago Fire, and this site was created as an outlet for my thoughts on the business of MLS.  So, here we go.

My ground rules for the challenge:

August 24th 2010 to September 24th 2010.  32 days.  32 posts. 

"Solutions not excuses"
No idea is too big or too small as long as it's a positive change. 
Simply criticizing something doesn't count

"No fantasy footballing."
All areas of the Fire organization are in play, but player personnel solutions cannot single out individual players.