Dollars and Sense: Marketing the On-Track Experience

Sports marketer Dave Almy still has fond memories of walking through a track tunnel from the paddock to the track, an experience that some in racing may take for granted but could prove special and unique for new fans. "It's one of the coolest things I've ever done," said Almy, co-founder of ADC Partners and a podcast host on sports marketing. "Think about those types of things that may be everyday to you, but would be special for those not familiar with your sport." Almy recently joined a group of sports marketers at this year's University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program Global Symposium on Racing Dec. 11 in Tucson, Ariz., to discuss sports marketing. He noted that racing has plenty of opportunities that fit well with the changing expectations of fans. The panel profiled a new generation of fans that is multi-tasking while watching sports at the ballpark, arena, stadium, or track and looking to move around, meet people, and share experiences while the game is being contested. Considering racing has about a half-hour between each event, it seems these preferences seem to fall into the wheelhouse of current fan expectations. Tracks such as Keeneland that offer fans a chance to visit the track announcer high up in his or her perch or Churchill Downs offering backstretch tours are delivering on this demand for new sporting experiences. The panel said racing should lean into these many different experiences. As fans share those positive experiences on social media, they help market your track. In terms of reaching those different demographics, Megan Bell of the Los Angeles Chargers said it's all right to have multiple messaging for different groups of people but in using that approach, it's important to have as much information on your fans as possible in order to craft each pitch. "We want it to be as educated a guess as it can be based on the information that we have," Bell said. Some of racing's top event hosts—Belmont Park and Pimlico Race Course—soon will have new modern venues to take full advantage of offering a number of different experiences. The Chargers play in a stadium that opened in 2020, and Bell knows those different amenities can help bring out fans. "When you're coming to a Chargers game, we want you to have the best experience you can have," Bell said. "We're starting to see that pay off, especially with younger people." Nikki Barry, who markets the University of Arizona sports teams as multimedia operations and brand manager for Arizona Sports Properties, said it's important for the sporting hosts to understand what they offer that people can get excited about. Barry said tracks should ask themselves what they are the absolute best in, whether it's the best hot dog in all of racing, best tailgating experience, or the best way to purchase tickets. Once that is determined, Barry said marketing messages should lean into that message. Almy encouraged tracks to go beyond the typical messaging they have used to attract people to the sport, especially when it comes to drawing a younger demographic. "The biggest challenge to all of this is tradition," Almy said. "This is the time to test and throw rocks through windows. The ability to blow things up a bit is important." The panel also talked about some digital marketing opportunities for racing that we'll cover in a future Dollars & Sense column.