¶ … optimal blend of promotion options can provide minor league sport teams with an enormous return on their investment (Cabula & Coombs, 2013). These efforts are especially needed today in an increasingly competitive sporting marketplace where minor league teams have a wide array of marketing platforms available. In order to identify an optimal blend of promotion options, a qualitative evaluation of ten promotion options that have recently been used or are currently being used by minor league sport teams in the United States is provided in Table 1 below, followed by a review of the literature concerning the justification for the weighted scores that were assigned to each promotion option. A recommendation concerning the best seven of these ten promotion options concludes each presentation. Key:

Highly ineffective

Ineffective

Effective

Highly effective

Table

Summary of evaluation of ten promotion events used by minor-league sport teams in the United States

Team

Promotion Option

Evaluation

Score

The Tulsa Drillers (www/mlb.com)

Adopt a mascot:

Highly effective

Tulsa Roughnecks Football Club (soccer)

(http://www.tulsarough necks fc.com/plan-to-stand.html)

"Plan to Stand!"

Highly ineffective

Wichita Wingnuts Baseball Team (http://www.wichita wingnuts.com/

Twitter promotion: "The Nuts invite you to help us choose the '15 team slogan for a chance to win great prizes!"

Highly effective

4

(Dallas) Frisco RoughRiders Baseball Team (www.mlb.com)

"Grand Slam Sundays"

Highly effective

4

Grand Prairie Airhogs Baseball Team (http://airhogsbase ball.com/

Cyber Monday Sale

Effective

3

(Denver) Colorado Rockies Baseball Team (http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=col)

Holiday Ticket Packs

Effective

3

(Little Rock) Arkansas Travelers (www.mlb.com)

Birthday Packages

Moderately effective

2

Rancho Cucamonga (California) Quakes (www.mlb.com)

Family RV Family Feasts

Moderately effective

2

Durham (North Carolina) Bulls (www.mlb.com)

2015 Durham Bulls Pepsi Baseball Camps

Highly effective

4

(Richmond, Virginia) Flying Squirrels Baseball Team

(www.mlb.com)

PFG Picnic Zone

Effective:

3

A narrative evaluation of the foregoing promotion options is provided below:

The Tulsa Drillers (www/mlb.com): Adopt a mascot:

School visits and field appearances by "Hornsby," the Tulsa Drillers' mascot, are enormously popular among Green Country residents. The mascot has performed for more than 15 years. The team's promotional literature states that: Hornsby first migrated from the plains of western Oklahoma to old Drillers Stadium in 1996. After 14 seasons there, Hornsby now calls downtown Tulsa home at ONEOK Field. Always a stubborn bull, Hornsby has been trained and retrained by the best, David Raymond of Philly Phanatic fame. Fans at ONEOK Field can look forward to Hornsby bringing down the house every night! Whether it's the melodrama of 'Bulled & The Bluetiful,' one of his dozens of dance routines and races, or the kids' favorite, 'Running With the Bull' every weekend." In addition, Hornsby also throws Driller tee-shirts to the crowd and sponsors a Kids' Club. Team mascots have been shown to be highly effective in attracting families to sporting events (Mathieson, 2013) and generating fan loyalty (Kuntzman, 2003). Score: 4-Highly effective.

Tulsa Roughnecks Football Club (soccer) (http://www.tulsarough necks fc.com/plan-to-stand.html)

In 2015, the Tulsa Roughnecks Football Club will play its inaugural game at ONEOK Field and is sponsoring a "Plan to Stand!" event to signify the team's connection to the community. The lackluster promotional literature states: "We plan to be a community of players and fans who join together in a love for 'The Beautiful Game.' We plan to be a force to be reckoned with. We invite you to stand with us. In 2015 and for the next hundred years. Tulsa Roughnecks. Plan to stand."

Score: 1-Highly Ineffective.

Wichita Wingnuts Baseball Team (http://www.wichita wingnuts.com/Twitter promotion: "The Nuts invite you to help us choose the '15 team slogan for a chance to win great prizes!"

This is a cost effective promotional option that is kept current through regular Twitter updates. For instance, a recent update noted: "If your slogan is chosen you will receive a Kevin Hooper autographed championship picture, a night in a suite, and a team signed jersey." Score: 3-Effective.

The (Dallas) Frisco RoughRiders Baseball Team (www.mlb.com) "Grand Slam Sundays" promotion.

The team's promotional literature states that, "This great package is available for EVERY RoughRiders Sunday home game throughout the season!" Each Raising Cane's Grand Slam Sundays Package four a family of four includes the following:

* 4 'Riders Tickets

* 4 Vouchers for Raising Cane's 3 Finger Combos (redeemable at any DFW Raising Cane's)

* 4 'Riders Souvenir Items

The team's promotional literature also emphasizes that, "The total value is $150. That's right, you get $150 in value for just $39.50. But, it's not just value - it's an evening with...

Pepper Ballpark." Score: 4-Highly effective.
The Grand Prairie Airhogs Baseball Team (http://airhogsbase ball.com/) Cyber Monday Sale

This promotion has limited appeal. The team's promotional literature states that, "On Cyber Monday, December 1st, the AirHogs are offering 20-person luxury suite certificates for $100 each. One suite certificate entitles the purchaser to 20 tickets to a luxury suite for any 2015 regular season Sunday through Thursday game. Also, the Team Store presented by Top 2 Bottom Marketing is offering 10% off all items online from December 1 to December 7." Despite its limited appeal, this is a highly cost-effective promotional option using various social media network media including Facebook and Twitter. Score 3-Effective.

The (Denver) Colorado Rockies Baseball Team (http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com) Holiday Ticket Pack.

This is a multi-event promotion option: "Holiday Ticket Pack is only available online and includes all games except April 10 Opening Day, May 22 Fireworks and July 10 Fireworks. All regular seating areas are available, excluding Rockpile. One sport authentic knit cap per account. Voucher for cap can be redeemed at any Rockies Dugout Stores." Notwithstanding its limited availability, this promotion was viewed as being effective due to its value and cost-effective online promotion platform (Kwak & Clavio, 2010). Score 3-Effective.

The (Little Rock) Arkansas Travelers (www.mlb.com) Birthday Packages

This promotion option may encourage more families to take advantage of the recreational facilities at the team's park in the future and family-oriented sport team promotions have been shown to be effective in the past (Crawford, 2004). The team's promotional literature states: "Birthdays at Dickey-Stephens Park with the Arkansas Travelers are tons of fun! We'll help your birthday boy or girl celebrate a birthday that they'll never forget with a choice of two birthday party packages."

Two packages are available:

For $16 per person each attendee will get a reserved ticket to the game and a coupon for a Hot Dog, Drink, Ice Cream and a Travs Baseball.

For $18 per person each attendee receives a Reserved Ticket to the game and a coupon for a Hot Dog, Drink, Ice Cream, Travs Baseball and a wristband to play in the Kids Korner bounce houses. Score: Although this promotion helps generate additional revenues for the team and may promote interest in baseball in general among young people, it has limited appeal for the target market. 2-Moderately effective.

Rancho Cucamonga (California) Quakes (www.mlb.com)

Family RV Family Feasts

The promotional literature for this event states: "Your Rancho Cucamonga Quakes are partnering once again with Family RV to bring Quakes' fans great value in 2013, with the Family RV $1 Family Feast Series. Six Friday nights (4/5, 4/26, 5/24, 6/28, 7/26 and 8/30) during the 2013 season, all hot dogs, Pepsi products and ice cream sandwiches will be $1 each, thanks to our friends at Family RV." Based on its limited targeted market of family RV owners, this promotion option was viewed as moderately effective only. Score 2-Moderately effective.

Durham (North Carolina) Bulls (www.mlb.com)

2015 Durham Bulls Pepsi Baseball Camps

The team sponsor's an annual youth baseball camp that can provide a number of valuable returns on its investment in time and other organizational resources. The team's promotional literature states: "Our popular baseball camps are back for the summer of 2015! Register your child (ages 7-14) now for three days of baseball fun with the Bulls. Camps take place on the playing field of the Durham Bulls Athletic Park." In addition, participants have the opportunity to be mentored by team members and play real games of baseball during the camps. In this regard, the promotional literature adds: "At the beginning of each camp, kids are divided into age groups and coached by Bulls players in pitching, fielding and hitting. After a lunch break, each age group plays a game." Based on its potential to develop lifelong baseball fans in general and fans of the Durham Bulls in particular, this initiative was considered highly effective. Score: 4-Highly effective.

Finally, the (Richmond, Virginia) Flying Squirrels Baseball Team (www.mlb.com) features a PFG Picnic Zone

This promotion option is described by the team as follows: "The Picnic Zone is a two-hour, all-you-can-eat buffet located on the main concourse down the third base line at The Diamond. Enjoy all of your favorite ballpark foods with friends and family, then watch the Richmond Flying Squirrels in Eastern League action from your very own reserved Diamond Club seat." Attendees receive the following benefits:

* Two hour all-you-can-eat buffet (begins one hour before game)

* Reserved Diamond Club seat

* Free Access to HCA Kid's Zone during buffet hours

* Public Address announcement recognizing their group

Although this promotion is limited to groups of eight or more, it was viewed as effective based on its value and appeal to larger groups and families. Score: 3-Effective.

Based on the foregoing qualitative evaluations, the following seven promotion options in Table 2 below are recommended:

Table 2

Seven recommended promotion options

Team

Promotion Option

Evaluation

Score

The Tulsa Drillers…