Blog 1 - Charlotte Hornets

On Sunday, April 8th I traveled back home to Charlotte to see my hometown Hornets take on the Indiana Pacers. The atmosphere within a professional basketball game is much different than that of a collegiate game, due to the mass marketing and overall large scale demographics that come with marketing an NBA team. Once you enter the Spectrum Center, the walls leading up to the court are lined with sponsors attempting to appeal to the hungry fans entering the arena. In the case of the Hornets, most of the sponsors were showcasing the food available at the arena, such as: Bojangles, Midwood Smokehouse BBQ, and Hickory Tavern. Upon entrance to the seating area, a booklet is handed to the fans, which includes the roster, as well as sponsorships that occasionally reward fans with coupons that can be used within the arena or at stores close by. The most noticeable marketing tool within the arena can be found hanging at half court; the jumbotron. Recently, the organization upgraded the large scoreboard to look like a floating bumblebee, attracting the eyes of every fan in attendance. The marketing team then uses the scoreboard to flood the arena with constant advertisements and promotions. In between quarters the hornets had t-shirt tosses, which spread out different brand names among fans. Overall, the Hornets have a large amount of advertising space, which they utilize to the max, expanding their marketing impact greatly among fans of all places.