Segmenting and Targeting Markets

Gender Segmentation

One of the most impressive features of the MLB target market audience is that gender representation is almost equal. Few professional sports organizations can make that claim about their fan base. Among those who rate themselves as avid fans, Scarborough Sports Marketing finds that 65 percent are male and 35 percent are female. When looking at the big-picture fan base representation for the MLB, the research outfit finds that 57 percent of fans are male and 43 percent are female. With the percentage of female fan base interest steadily increasing, the MLB is expanding its marketing efforts to appeal to females in the hopes of closing the percentage gap between the two fan base gender groups.

Although this shows that almost as much women go to games as men, it is very clear that MLB franchises are more likely to target men as their target market, because men are usually the ones that buy tickets and other products.

What are the Mets doing for the Hollidays?

Mets 2011 Holiday Food Drive

Community Holiday Food Drive

Mets 2011 Holiday Food Drive

The Mets and Goya will host their inaugural Holiday Food Drive at Citi Field on Thursday, November 17 from 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. in Parking Lot G on 126th Street off of Roosevelt Avenue. Fans who donate 10 or more items of nonperishable nutritious food will receive a voucher for two tickets to a 2012 Mets game in April at Citi Field and 15% off regularly priced merchandise at the Mets Team Store, redeemable that day only (Season Tickets Holder will receive 20% off). Look for the City Harvest truck in Lot G outside the Mets Team Store entrance.


Most Needed Donations:
Canned fruit
Canned vegetables
Peanut butter (plastic jars)
Mac and cheese (packaged)
Hot and cold cereal (packaged, family size)

Developing and Managing Products

  The Mets today introduced their new uniforms for their team 50th year anniversary.Dave Howard announced, "This logo will be featured in ALL of our marketing material" This is a new product for the Mets which will be only sold this year. Nice way to pay tribute to the franchise.

Integrated Marketing Communications

Promotion


These "Amazin' Mets Perks" are used to encourage fans and to remind them why they should buy season tickets. The Mets do a good job of showing the perks in-game, which will give the casual fan a reason to buy season tickets. A lot of people will do pretty much anything to get to meet players, so buying season tickets will give them that opportunity. Thus, increasing season tickets sales.

Product Concepts

Unsought Product-
NEW YORK -- The Mets announced Wednesday that they will expand Citi Field's Fanwalk next season to include new engraved bricks along the first- and third-base sides of the stadium. The new sections will celebrate the Mets' 50th anniversary in 2012, giving fans an opportunity "to recognize their families, friends and favorite Mets memories since the franchise first began play in 1962."

Bricks are currently on sale at Mets.com/Fanwalk.

Prior to Citi Field's opening in 2009, the Mets sold out the first section of Fanwalk directly outside the Jackie Robinson Rotunda behind home plate. The team then extended the Fanwalk down the first- and third-base lines to commemorate great moments in Mets history, selling more than 24,000 bricks between the two phases.

The Mets are extending their Fanwalk a second time, with net proceeds going to the Mets Foundation. (Getty)

Now, the Mets plan to extend their Fanwalk once again.

Bricks are available in three varieties, with different sizes and logo options ranging from $195-395. All purchases include a complimentary replica for home display, with Mets season-ticket holders receiving a 15-percent discount. A portion of each purchase is tax deductible, because the team plans to donate net proceeds to the Mets Foundation, which will in turn distribute the funds to area charities.

In the coming weeks, the Mets also plan to reveal their 50th anniversary logo, which they will include on the most expensive bricks, along with details of a season-long celebration at Citi Field.

Each proposed brick message is subject to team approval.

These bricks are an unsought product, due to the fact that a lot of people didn't know about until a couple of days ago when the Mets brought them back to the market and advertised them on their website. Me, being a Mets fan and a usual attendee in Citi Field, had noticed these brick outside the stadium, but never knew how they got there and what you needed to do to buy a brick. This shows that the Mets don't do a good enough job at Advertising these bricks. Advertising a product once every 3 years, is not good enough of an effort, when you are trying to sell a product.