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Blue Jays fans seem remarkably optimistic about a team that lost more than 90 games last season and then lost its best player to free agency. But a payroll injection, a couple of off-season acquisitions and a new focus on baserunning and defence are prompting some people to think the Jays will resemble a whole new team on the field.

The field that the Jays are actually occupying, however, and the corporate and marketing structure that supports it, are going to be downright unrecognizable in 2005 -- for the better.

Everyone knows that the Jays finally purchased Skydome in the off-season, renaming it the Rogers Centre and promising extensive renovations. Those renos will be on display tonight during the Jays' home opener against Boston, and the early buzz is that the results are spectacular.

Gone is the rock-hard Astroturf, replaced by Field Turf that's already winning the praises of the players who've seen it. When Greg Myers, who lost most of his 2004 season to a FieldTurf-induced injury in Minnesota, compliments the new surface, the Jays know they've done a good job. And although at least one Jays outfielder has reservations about the new warning track, the club doesn't seem concerned and Reed Johnson already likes it better than what came before. It might take the players some time to adjust to the bounces and speed of batted balls on the new surface, but FieldTurf is meant to be predictable and grasslike, so the learning curve should be short for the home side (and hopefully, a little steeper for visitors). Happier, healthier players are an obvious boon to the ballclub's fortunes.

Then there's the surrounding stadium improvements. For instance, the JumboTron, so outdated by the end of the last season that Sony was no longer making replacement parts for it, has been dustbinned. In its place is a slightly smaller but much more impressive scoreboard that will be brighter and more dominant than its predecessor. A hardy group of Bauxites who watched Monday's home opener on the TV in the Center's hard Rock Cafe couldn't see the new scoreboard but were impressed with the new 300-level electronic banners.

Want to know more? Here are the first-hand comments from Rosterite Joe Drew, who sends this report while sipping a beer from the new premises:

The transformation is dramatic. The turf looks like any other field turf, but it's head and shoukders above what we had before. It looks lush. I'm watching a groundscrewman walk, and his shoes sink into the field. The warning track is also made of a turf-like substance. I'd think if they were going to make it more tennis-court like, it'd be done already.

The outfield boards are really bright; it's as if they've taken a bit of the Jumbotron and moved it down. The (not quite wraparound) scoreboards are, likewise, bright and beautiful. Every 500-level seat looks to have some red and white material on it, like the wraparound banners that also encircle the 500 and 200 level facings.

I am *really* excited. This place is gorgeous.

But there's more than just new displays. In a remarkably innovative marketing move, the Blue Jays are asking their batters to park a few home run balls. Literally. A giant display containing an actual GM car hangs invitingly over the centerfield wall like a giant Hot Wheels package. Every game, three fans will be selected as possible winners of the cars if a Blue Jay hitter strikes the glass case with a home run. The obvious downside, of course, is that you're winning a GM car. But in terms of sponsor exposure and subsequent appeal, you can't get much better than that. More importantly, it's something fresh and -- dare I say? -- leading-edge for a club that used to think a good promotional event was getting the fans to scream for free pizza.

There are other new developments less obvious to the casual fan. For one thing, the club has completely reworked its approach to its luxury boxes. The suites used to sell for $200,000 a year or $6,000 a game; last season, only three of the 150 boxes were bought for the season. So the Jays simply ripped out 70 of them, dropped the season-long price to $60,000 (and the per-game price to $2,100), and did spanking-new renovations on the remaining suites. The rewards were immediate: 14 of the boxes have already been purchased for the season, and Opening Day demand has been so strong that the club had to reopen some of the closed boxes to accommodate the demand.

While they're lowering prices in the suites, they're raising them in the seats -- another good move. Patrick Elster, VP of Ticket Sales & Service, understands that discounting or even giving away your tickets -- as the Jays were apt to do in the past -- merely downgrades the value of your product in the eyes of the marketplace. He has raised some ticket prices and intends to raise them again. With the investment in the ballpark atmosphere, the raises surely seem justified.

Attending to the atmosphere is a key feature of another big change, the team's wholesale review of its marketing approach. The Jays did a study and uncovered a remarkable fact: in the heyday of the ballclub in the early 1990s, women and men attended ballgames almost evenly; last year, the percentage had tilted to a 70-30 split in favour of males. The problem is that in most households, women have a huge impact on how entertainment dollars are spent. So the Jays are taking remarkable steps to encourage moms and women to come to the Rogers Center: a family section on the 200-level where the noises and lights are toned down, placing ads in the Life and Entertainment sections of local papers, and even buying advertising time on broadcasts of Desperate Housewives. (bselig/bselig to register if needed)

Marketing President Laurel Lindsay sums up the new approach neatly: "I can't sell performance because I can't control it. The thing I can deliver is entertainment." This approach, used by almost all successful major- and minor-league baseball clubs, is an overdue addition to the Jays' marketing efforts. A winning team sells itself; the Jays are now taking steps to sell the team if and when it's not winning.

I think the Jays will return to the .500 level this season, and with a little luck here and there, could give the Red Sox and Yankees a scare or two. But I believe the changes now underway and already being implemented in the ballpark, in the in-game experience, and in the marketing philosophy are going to have huge positive repercussions for the organization, now and down the line. The future of the on-field product is bright, but the off-field product has rarely if ever looked better.

New Jays: A Marketing Makeover | 29 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
Pistol - Friday, April 08 2005 @ 03:07 PM EDT (#109972) #
for a club that used to think a good promotional event was getting the fans to scream for free pizza

Hey now, who doesn't like free pizza?

I'm interested in seeing the changes tonight on the broadcast. What I've seen looks good so far. But more importantly I'm looking for a win against those cellar dwellars.

Mike Green - Friday, April 08 2005 @ 03:08 PM EDT (#109973) #
It is tough to reconcile the urban/tech/concrete feel of the Skydome with the relaxed pacing of a ballgame. Field turf, family friendly seating, and big scoreboards sound like appropriate compromises. Now, if Rogers can address the food issue, we'll be away to the races. It is a fine start.
Joe - Friday, April 08 2005 @ 03:21 PM EDT (#109977) #
I will continue to insist that there is no such concrete feel. I'm looking in to the field right now, and the only teal concreye is on some of the facings. It really only looks concrete-ish from the outside.

What I'm most interested in is volume level (of the speakers) and between-inning "entertainment." If both are made respectable, I don't think there will be much left to complain about. (Not that that's ever stopped some people!)
Named For Hank - Friday, April 08 2005 @ 03:24 PM EDT (#109979) #
I cannot wait to hear the new sound system.
TorontoDan - Friday, April 08 2005 @ 03:27 PM EDT (#109981) #
Only 4 more hours. I'm leaving to head down there in a bit :) It's looking very good..let's hope they don't screw up the in-game entertainment and that the sound system is improved. Can't wait.
Kieran - Friday, April 08 2005 @ 03:32 PM EDT (#109982) #
The Jays have down their part to make the in-stadium atmosphere a little better. Now it's up to US, THE FANS, to do our part. This is my Winfield like pitch to everyone who is going today.

BE LOUD AND PROUD. Make some NOISE. Stand up with 2 strikes on a batter! You get my drift.

PS: Fever Pitch is a cute date movie that has enough ball references to make it a decent flick. I saw the film last night. JP was sitting 5 seats down from me - I wished him the best for '05.
rtcaino - Friday, April 08 2005 @ 04:01 PM EDT (#109985) #
Hope everybody has a great time tonite. Wish I could make it down but I have a final at 9 am tomorrow. GO JAYS!
Tyler - Friday, April 08 2005 @ 04:01 PM EDT (#109986) #
...a club that used to think a good promotional event was getting the fans to scream for free pizza.

They didn't cancel the pizza did they?

Joe - Friday, April 08 2005 @ 04:04 PM EDT (#109988) #
The new scoreboards have just confirmed for me that the pizza pizza "k-ountdown" lives. Sadly.
Jobu - Friday, April 08 2005 @ 04:09 PM EDT (#109989) #
The new scoreboards have just confirmed for me that the pizza pizza "k-ountdown" lives. Sadly.

Ah well, no one's perfect.

Joe - Friday, April 08 2005 @ 04:11 PM EDT (#109990) #
...as does "We are Toronto." These are not good omens.
BCMike - Friday, April 08 2005 @ 04:16 PM EDT (#109991) #

Are there any pics of the outfield wall scoreboards. I was watching Sportsnet news last night and they had a Jays story(for some reason they completely ignored the new stadium upgrades) and I saw the scoreboards in the background... I have to say they looked extremely bright(and green).

jsut - Friday, April 08 2005 @ 04:20 PM EDT (#109992) #
binnister - Friday, April 08 2005 @ 04:30 PM EDT (#109993) #
for some reason they completely ignored the new stadium upgrades

Well, I see that Sportsnet has a 1hr preview show on before the game....maybe they want to showcase all the changes then?

Andrew K - Friday, April 08 2005 @ 04:33 PM EDT (#109995) #
in most households, women have a huge impact on how entertainment dollars are spent

Best argument against marriage, ever.

I'm not going to be able to watch the home opener live, much to my dismay, as it is just too late for me. I have to get up early tomorrow. So enjoy the game, and I'll catch up with what happened sometime over the weekend. I'm very envious of people who are actually able to see it in person.

King Ryan - Friday, April 08 2005 @ 04:50 PM EDT (#109998) #
rocks on the warning track?

Seems like a good idea to me. Theoretically, an OF should easily be able to tell when they're about to hit the wall and can brace themselves. Someone was thinking.

As for Wells' comments, I don't think there are too many scenarios were an OF dives onto the warning track anyways...

Flex - Friday, April 08 2005 @ 04:52 PM EDT (#109999) #
That picture of the warning track confirms that it uses clay-coloured grass fibres, which seems a bit odd. Why couldn't they have used the same material as the infield cutouts?

As for the rocks issue, I think Vernon sounds whiny. He's worried about diving on the warning track because of the "rocks" which are actually small pebbles. How many times did he dive on the warning track before? Give me a break.
BCMike - Friday, April 08 2005 @ 04:52 PM EDT (#110000) #

Well, I see that Sportsnet has a 1hr preview show on before the game....maybe they want to showcase all the changes then?

Probably, I just thought it was bizarre that they had this 3-4 minute story on the Bluejays where most of the interviews were from INSIDE the stadium, yet the only thing they mentioned was the field turf. The short glimpse of the neon green outfield scoreboards was duing the reporter's wrap up.

truefan - Friday, April 08 2005 @ 04:55 PM EDT (#110001) #
Quotes from Laurel Lindsay, VP Marketing, Blue Jays, in today's Globe and Mail article:

“research shows that in 80% of homes, women decide how leisure time and money are spent.” ...She says the team’s focus on women has garnered a lot of attention from other teams.

Commments?
jsut - Friday, April 08 2005 @ 04:56 PM EDT (#110002) #
Sliding on gravel is never fun. I agree that there aren't a lot of situations where an OF is going to dive on the warning track, but they do occur. It's just another thing that's going to be on his mind when he's trying to run down that deep fly ball in the gap.
Flex - Friday, April 08 2005 @ 04:58 PM EDT (#110003) #
I think the positives of the turf vastly outweigh the negatives, and it bugs me that Wells had to find something to gripe about.
John Northey - Friday, April 08 2005 @ 05:00 PM EDT (#110004) #
The fact wives have a big influence on spending should be no shock to any of us married guys. When planning what to do I know I normally will give a general direction (how about a movie) and let the wife make the choice (lets go see Hitch) as I'll enjoy most of what she'll pick. Unless I have a strong objection we see it. Other times it goes in reverse (ie: she says lets see a movie and I pick Constantine). The 80% bit sounds high, but that might be due to family situations where you find something for the kids and the husband just goes 'whatever - I'll suffer though it'. Is this a bad thing? I don't think it is. Of course, I am still in the first year of marriage so I guess we'll see.

Btw, she dislikes baseball (hates hockey) so any games I go to I'll be solo (friends also don't care for watching baseball, they tend to prefer playing to watching). No opening day, but I'll try to hit one soon.
Flex - Friday, April 08 2005 @ 05:03 PM EDT (#110005) #
I've been married five years. I'm a strong-willed guy. In work situations nobody pushes me around. And I can tell you my wife makes or approves ALL recreational spending decisions.

And I'm still bugged about Wells.
Ron - Friday, April 08 2005 @ 05:45 PM EDT (#110013) #
The Jays marketing staff can try new ways of trying to attract fans but it doesn't mean squat unless the on field product is good.

I'm suprised they said the male/female ratio was almost 50/50 in the early 90's. I personally don't know too many females that are sport fans.

I remember there was an article a few weeks ago in one of the papers describing an old Jays fan that isn't thrilled the Jays are focusing so much on the younger demographics. Old school types like that guy don't like the rock and roll type changes.
Andrew K - Friday, April 08 2005 @ 05:49 PM EDT (#110016) #
rock and roll type changes

I'm confused. Are "rock and roll" changes modern ones? Rock and roll is so 1960s.

Ron - Friday, April 08 2005 @ 06:03 PM EDT (#110020) #
"I'm confused. Are "rock and roll" changes modern ones? Rock and roll is so 1960s."

I think I should have used the words "new generation" instead.

I'm talking about the fancy scoreboards/graphics, loud music, etc...
winterball - Saturday, April 09 2005 @ 08:20 AM EDT (#110153) #
After watching the game on TV last night, i can say i'm not impressed with the yellow score boards on the field walls. Several players seemed to have lost the ball in the light and so did I.
Maybe day games and when the lid is open may help.
I hope the opening ceremonies were better live than on TV.

The turf seems nice,and looked like a grass field on Tv.

Even though they lost, i still think they are looking good so far.

Although Slash was good.

Dave
VBF - Saturday, April 09 2005 @ 09:21 AM EDT (#110158) #
I will continue to insist that there is no such concrete feel. I'm looking in to the field right now, and the only teal concreye is on some of the facings. It really only looks concrete-ish from the outside.

I agree. The people who complain about the concrete of the Dome aren't the people who spend alot of time in it. To further that, had they built the Dome the other way around, the people on the gardiner would be looking at a nice wall of glass instead of the concrete.

truefan - Saturday, April 09 2005 @ 09:23 PM EDT (#110273) #
I agree that there is a problem with the orange/yellow scoreboards that are out in the power alleys. They are so bright that those attending lose sight of the ball and even the players in it; Damon got 11 stitches catching the end of it; catalonotto and wells collided avoiding it; and wells rightly refuses to bang up against this hard surface. Can we a) darken it and or b) move it up to a dead area above the fences?

New Jays: A Marketing Makeover | 29 comments | Create New Account
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