Advice on advertising / marketing sports team

[smurfomatic]

I started a local touch rugby team in Northampton in 2008, and over the last few years it has become increasingly competitive, having several players represent regional teams and a couple at age-group international level. As a team we've been promoted to the second tier of national competition for 2017, which will be a big step up for us but I think we can make a good go of it. This is mainly down to the hard work of the committee - who organise fixtures, social events, book training venues, keep all the paperwork up to date - all as a group of volunteers who also want to play!

 

For those who don't know - touch rugby is minimal contact (a "touch" cannot be too forceful) and is six a side played on half a rugby pitch. Games last up to 20 minutes and players are encouraged to substitute quickly, rolling subs from your squad of 14 players. Normally you'd only expect to be on the pitch for a maximum of two minutes at a time and get a breather. It's a fast paced game at the higher levels, but when playing more socially it's not as intense.

 

What is holding us back at the moment is a lack of female players. We've got about 40 registered players of varying ability - with myself near the bottom! - and around 10 of those are female. However, for this level of competition (and the third tier we were in last year) we need a fully mixed squad. This means we need three women on the pitch at all times, and that means five or six women in the squad. Some games we played last year we struggled to get enough and ended up borrowing players, which gets rather embarrassing...

 

We need to get the word out to local women about us! But how do we do it? Whether the sport has a stigma of being close to contact rugby (and therefore a bit dangerous) or perhaps its just that we're not looking in the right places. Most of our players joined through word of mouth or by spotting us on social media, but we need to attract a wider audience.

 

I've tried advertising on local teams Facebook pages - women's rugby, netball, hockey, rowing, roller derby - but we've not had any new recruits. I think we need a good quality advert, something that has all the details on it but not too wordy. Every one I've tried to produce starts out OK and ends up looking like this post...lots of words! Any help gratefully received - and, of course, any local Edugeekers are welcome to join us.

Edited January 5, 2017 by smurfomatic

[MatthewL]

Have you used Twitter? For a group I am member of we have picked up new members via this medium.

 

What about local radio/papers? Is there any groups for women's touch rugby, can you advertise in there as I suspect its one of the first places someone would go when looking to join such group.

[smurfomatic]

We have a twitter account but not many followers - it's getting the word out to people that haven't heard of us that's the issue.

 

May be worth trying to get an article in the local press, or even the radio. There's a weekly rugby show on the local BBC station and we might be able to get a plug on there...

[TechMonkey]

May sound silly but maybe contact some local womens groups, WI maybe interested. Maybe offer a taster evening for them? Also try Guides/Senior Section or even Scout Network or Active Support sections. Check out local events, fairs or community events where maybe you can give demos or tryouts.

 

Or how about as simple as a poster at local gyms?

Edited January 5, 2017 by TechMonkey

[smurfomatic]

thanks TechMonkey, some great ideas there. Will certainly get in touch with the WI and the Guides, and keep an eye out for local events where we can do a demo.

[smurfomatic]

Here's the latest version of a flyer / poster. Need to get rid of some words but don't want to lose any of the information...

 

[Achandler]

My other half helps runs a sports club (not Rugby) that is mixed to and has similar issues.

 

They did a massive recruitment drive a few years ago, and got 20-30 new people for taster sessiosn then about 5-10 stayed on. She said "This Girl Can" campaign is where a lot of people spotted it, on the Facebook page for it etc.

 

However, they have also got new players from old fashioned methods, such as a poster in Tesco (other supermarkets are available) on that free notice board they have. Your poster is way to wordy for that though, you need to get people to look at it then contact you or go on the website etc, jsut tell them its touched rugby and is a mixed fun sport. They have the internet they can check if touch rugby is for them, I know you are advertising locally, but you don't say when or where you play or train, people might need to get a bus or might have other commitments so they usually need/ want instant information!

[smurfomatic]

Thanks Achandler, we have got our cub advertised with This Girl Can as well as other local groups. Putting posters around on free notice boards sounds like a plan...

 

I haven't put the venue for training on there as it changes from winter to summer and wanted the poster to be "universal". I'll try to produce a less wordy version!

[Achandler]

Realistically your posters are up for 2-4 weeks in the shops, so I would just have two versions. I assume you will try a bigger recruit during one point of the year (pre-season) then accept others as they come.

 

I always thought you should be going for soemthing line, Logo and Club Title (espeically if your logo doesnt say it), then What (2-3 lines), Where (1 line), When (1 line) and How to get involved (2-3 lines again), put your facebook details etc as you have already at the bottom. With where and when on seperate lines, even a summer and winter if you really want.

 

You want it to catch people's eye over other posters.

[smurfomatic]

Thanks, what about this - very rough - version?

 

[Achandler]

Much clearer, I would put Touch Rugy is a mixed non-contact sport as oppose to men and women can play on the same team.

 

Bit on centering and playing with font sizes maybe.

 

Now off to deal with Cunninghams doing some remote work!

[smurfomatic]

It's a start, thanks for the feedback. Hopefully it'll get noticed and recruit a few more players!

[pcstru]

How about emphasis on fitness in the heading - something like : "play fast fun game, keep fit, make new friends", tap into some of those resolutions prompted by seasonal excess! A picture of ladies playing might help attract the attention of your target audience enough to then get them to actually read the text. I'd consider loosing the "just bring studded boots" - it is a barrier to entry, something people can use to disqualify themselves in their own minds. You probably don't really care what they turn up with the first time, even if they manage to turn up totally inappropriately dressed it is an opportunity to show them around, meet the people, charm them and hopefully they will come back!

[smurfomatic]

Thanks pcstru, a few alterations made: