Sport marketing students score a goal in pitching promotional night plan to Maine Mariners team

Students in the Sport Marketing course present their promotion plan for a Maine Mariners "College Fight Night" to Adam Goldberg
Students in the Sport Marketing course present their promotional plan for a Maine Mariners "College Fight Night" to Adam Goldberg (forefront), vice president of operations for the Mariners.

Students in Aimee Vlachos鈥 Sport Marketing course recently had the opportunity to participate in a real-life sports marketing promotion for the Maine Mariners team, Portland鈥檚 newest professional hockey franchise.

Vlachos, M.S., instructor in the Department of Sport and Recreation Management, contacted the Mariners鈥 Vice President of Operations Adam Goldberg over the summer to ask if the students in her course could create a promotional night for the team. According to Vlachos, Goldberg was excited about the idea, as area college students compose a target demographic for the Mariners.

Students Coleman Hebert (鈥19), Sydnee Bessler (鈥19), Ryan Beatty (鈥19), Shannon Upton (鈥21), Sam Murray (鈥20) and Spencer McEvoy (鈥20) met with Goldberg in September to pitch three potential ideas to him. The winner was a 鈥淐ollege Fight Night鈥 themed event, playing on the friendly rivalry between USM and UNE. The students鈥 plan included a T-shirt give-away to all students who purchase a game ticket, a five dollar food voucher and the opportunity to skate on the ice after the game. Vlachos鈥 students also planned that during the game, students in attendance would be selected at random to come down to the ice to participate in activities such as water pong and human bowling. Moreover, there would be a friendly competition, led by respective team mascots, to determine, by using a noise meter, which school could cheer louder. The students also planned that the schools鈥 presidents would throw out the first puck at the game.

Vlachos鈥 students presented their final marketing plan to Goldberg and his staff at Cross Insurance Arena on November 30. Goldberg commented that he was thoroughly impressed with the professionalism and preparedness of the students and told them that the 鈥淐ollege Fight Night鈥 promotion will run in November of 2018.

The students were then provided with a behind the scenes tour of the facility.

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