April2015

A MUST READ: Men’s fastpitch does a poor job marketing itself

April 11, 2015

Yucaipa, CA

 

A MUST READ by Bob Otto - Please pass along to everyone in the game!

 

ORIGINAL STORY by Bob Otto

Men’s fastpitch does a poor job marketing itself

Written by Bob on April 11th, 2015

Pala 12 HR.132web

YUCAIPA, Calif. – In 1979 I got into the insurance business when a very successful friend convinced me that selling auto, home and life policies could be financially lucrative.

The first thing he advised me – actually warned me – was something I’ve never forgotten about marketing:

“If you don’t let people know what you do, you will fail.”

 

So every day I handed out business cards, walked up to strangers and introduced myself, ran ads in the local paper and in the yellow pages.

I was determined to let everyone in my town know what I did, and 22 years later when I retired I could look back with satisfaction on a successful career.

All because I let people know what I did.

This brings me to fastpitch softball – the men’s side specifically. Our sport does a poor job of marketing itself.

Here’s an example.

This weekend (April 10-12) one of the biggest and most popular tournaments in North America is being held, the Las Vegas Road Trip VIII.

For the past three weeks, I’ve turned to the Southern California Independent Fastpitch League (SCIFL) that is running the tournament for updated information. Nothing appeared until two days before the tournament was to start when brackets were finally posted.

Fortunately, I had received these (three) brackets a week earlier only because a team manager sent them to me.

I checked on two other men’s websites – alsfastball.com and fastpitchwest.com – and the brackets weren’t posted there either.

So that can only mean that the Las Vegas tournament staff chose not to sent Al Doran and Jim Flanagan the information. Because had they done so, those brackets would be posted.

In other words, “marketing” the tournament to the fastpitch public was not a high priority.

I commend SCIFL for doing a great job in running the ONLY remaining high-caliber men’s fastpitch league in Southern California. They do a great job in offering weekend travel league play for the approximately 12 teams competing in the league.

But yet I’ve got to criticize the marketing side of SCIFL. The NAFA-associated league has held two tournaments – March 7-8 and 21-22 – and results have yet to be posted on the website. No final standings, no rosters, no statistics. Nothing.

The only message posted was concerning the tournament held in Palm Springs, March 21-22: “Tony Mancha leads J&B Painting to opening weekend championship with a 4-2 victory. More info to follow soon…”

Well, 19 days have come and passed, and the info has not followed. At least that I can find.

Now that I’ve vented on SCIFL, let me get off on the teams. This is April. We are now into the season and most teams have their rosters set.

But have we heard from the ISC teams? The ASA teams? The NAFA teams? Not much that I can find.

It wouldn’t take much effort to furnish information about your team to Doran and Flanagan and myself, so that we can broadcast the news to fastpitch fans worldwide.

Isn’t that what you want for your team? For your sponsor?

I would think that the briefest of information could be provided with little effort:

  • (1) team name and city and state where located
  • (2) manager and coaches
  • (3) sponsor – yes, give your sponsor some recognition!
  • (4) roster and player positions
  • (5) league / tournament schedule
  • (6) team strengths – pitching, defense, hitting; highlight key players and as with the sponsors, give two or three players some recognition
  • (6) 2014 league and post-season national tournament results.

Like my good friend told me 35 years ago:

“If you don’t let people know what you do, you will fail.”

Marketing and promoting men’s fast pitch is crucial for survival – much less expansion. And we all need to do a much better job.

 

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