The Melbourne Football Club FC Sponsorship Proposal Submitted to Coca-Cola Company - Speech or Presentation Example

THE MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB FC SPONSORSHIP PROPOSAL SUBMITTED TO COCA-COLA COMPANY. NAME: INSTITUTION NAME: DATE OF SUBMISSION: Table of Contents Executive summary 1 Cover letter 2 Sport property 3 Target market 4 Promotional plan 5 Communicate benefit 6 Creative leverage 7 Budget, Investment & Evaluation 8 Marketing plan for the property 8 Inventory asset 9 Reference: 10 Executive summary The Melbourne City Football Club (MCFC) has an exemplary reputation both in the domestic and international platform as football is concerned. The club was registered as a professional football club in 2009, and it participates in the Hyundai A-League, Foxtel National Youth League, women football and other Australian competitions. The club is based in Australia Melbourne, AAMI Park at La Trobe University. The club was formed with the objective of celebrating cultural diversity, widening community-based team, developing and providing a platform for sporting passion. The club was founded and owned by a group of investors (City Football Group) other clubs managed by the group includes New York City FC and Manchester City FC. The club is built and operated under clear vision and mission of improving community participation, nurturing talents, reducing gender and age parity, and celebrating cultural diversity. The recent signing of Bruce Kamau, a Kenyan-Australia based player, shows our commitment to promoting the core values that bind the club to its vision and mission. The club has done a lot of expansions in the recent two years both in ensuring that they meet their strategic goals. The expansion has inflated the club’s financial coffer due to increasing operations cost and other expenses associated with the club. The major aim of the proposal is to raise funds to supplement the available sources of finance. The sponsorship given will go a long way in improving players’ salary, costumes, and expansion of the youth talent search initiative. The relationship will be mutual since the club and the company will have equal benefits. The club provides a marketing platform to the company products since we have a wide coverage. The proposal gives a detailed nature of our mutual relationship for a common goal of upholding nationalism in Australia. Cover letter To the head of Coca-Cola Australia Foundation, South Pacific Level 9, 40 Mount Street, North Sydney NSW 2060. 10TH May 2016 Melbourne City FC, PO Box 162, La Trobe University Post Office, Bundoora, VIC 3083. TO WHOM, IT MAY CONCERN, REF: REQUEST FOR SPONSORSHIP We are writing to request for sponsorship of Melbourne City FC. The Coca-Cola Company is a major player in beverage industry with exemplary customer oriented, and custom made services tailored to meet and even surpass customers’ expectations. It's coupled with your long time experience in the beverage industry, made us choose you and, therefore, requesting for your sponsorship for this great launch as per the following categories. The relationship will be mutual since the club benefits financially while the company receives publicity. The club has a wide fan base both locally and internationally since the stadium holds approximately 30,000 fans at ago. Also, the club’s sports are aired on super sport and streamed through the internet. The document provides the breakdown of the clubs’ strategy in ensuring that it uses available resources, both from the club and your company to ensure a healthy mutual relationship. We look forward to your positive response and ultimately prosperous partnership. Yours Faithfully, John Carter Head of finance-Melbourne City FC Sport property The Melbourne City FC has a wide range of property that provides a good platform to company product publicity. The club owns AAMI Park Stadium one of the gorgeous stadiums in Australia. The stadium has a capacity of 30050 people at ago. The stadium shades viewers during the match, but less steel is used to prevent the use of pillars which obstruct viewers. Therefore, attracting high attendance due to the comfort provided. Lastly, has a wide range of matches which attracts fans cutting across gender and age given its media presence and fans coming to the stadium to watch live match. The club has four teams which have shown great performance in their respective competition. The teams include; Hyundai A-League- It is headed by Coach John Van’t Schip. The team has produced celebrated players who have transitioned to highly rated clubs such as AZ Alkamaar, Newcastle United and Turkish Super League and other Asian top leagues. The team celebrates a great milestone in upholding its goal of nurturing youths’ talent. It reached the semi-final in 2014/15berth season and fifth position in the regular season. It holds the record of nine unbeaten matches at AAMI Park home ground. Also, Aaron Mooy received outstanding recognition as club’s player of the year, Club’s Golden Boot earned from Etihad supporter player of the year. The team wishes to improve its performance in 2016/2017 season series. Westfield W-League-The team competed for the first time in W-league. The club found a great need to uphold gender equality by ensuring that they nature talent for both men and women to achieve an inclusive society. The team is headed by Coach Joe Montemurro and Matilda Louisa Bisby as Club’s Game Development Officer. National Youth League- The team participate in Australia’s National Youth Development, A-league and Reserve League. The team won in 2014/15 because it had higher goal margin than its second counterpart. National Premier Leagues-The team is headed by Joe Montemurro. They joined National Premier Leagues 1 in April 2015. Target market According to National Football Foundation report in 2012, over 110 million individuals watched the super-bowl match while those who attended NCAA football in 2011 is 49,670, 895. Therefore, the market for MFC Club is wide and cut across various demographic and psychographic segments. The research shows that football has greater appeal to the youth and mostly men. The fan base decreases with increase in age. Also, relatively few ladies enjoy watching soccer compared to men. The marketing department establishes that club’s events receive more than 300 million viewing in a year. The pie chart below shows the proportion of viewers according to age and gender. The club’s matches are watched both domestic and internationally through media platform such as internet and sporting related televisions. Therefore, sporting receives a wide geographical coverage. The tickets are sold according to the sitting positions in the stadium at different prices thus targeting both low and high-income earners. Lastly, the stadium is situated in the university thus capturing the targeted audience to watch the game. It is the major stadium for the club. Thus, the majority of home games are played at AAMI Stadium. The clubs activity targets the major consumers of beverages thus providing a good platform to create awareness and promote coca-cola products during the club’s events. Promotional plan The sponsors have three sponsorship plans where each varies according to the promotion package and amount of money the company is willing to pay. The promotion plans are broken down below; GOLD SPONSORS An opportunity to pitch a tent during 100% of the Club’s matches at the home stadium. Selling of tickets on behaves of the club in Coca-Cola outlets with names coca-cola name inscribed on it. An opportunity to decorate the home stadium with your organization’s brand colors. Featuring of your articles and advertisements on our website. The prominent mentioning of Coca-Cola Company, as the official sponsors; before, during and after each competition. Updates on MFC club social media about your activities and any agreed upon adverts(for 1 year) Option for 10% of support staff to be wearing attire with Coca-Cola brand. Two banners in the coaches section and others on different strategic locations within the stadium. SILVER SPONSORS. A chance to set up a Coca-cola tent during 70% of the club’s events. Mentioning of them as a co-sponsor; before, during and after every match. 5 % of support staff wearing Coca-Cola branded attire and assisting in your tent. One banner in both part of coaches and one more on strategic locations within the stadium Updates on the Club’s Social media platforms for 2 months. BRONZE SPONSORS The Mentioning of the Coca-Cola Company as our co-sponsor during the event. Availability of 2% of the club’s support staff to be wearing company attire. A company banner within the stadium. Updates of the company on club’s social media for 3 months. Communicate benefit The benefit derived from the promotional plan as per the sponsorship subscribed varies since the amount of publicity received differs. The benefit derived is elaborated below; Gold sponsorship-The Gold sponsorship optimizes the company brand being noticed by fans both in the stadium and those watching. For example, viewers always depend on cameras which majorly focus on ball and coaches reaction throughout the match. Therefore, the strategic position of two banners, staff wearing branded attire and decoration of stadium is enough to stimulate high demand for the company products. Also, selling tickets will increase impulse buying and awareness since fans visit outlet to purchase tickets. Silver sponsorship The company receives enough publicity by subscribing to the promotional plan. Though, the company receives fewer privileges compared Gold sponsor since they are provided with less support staff in company branded attire, one banner and does not have the ability to sell tickets on behave of the club. Bronze sponsorship The Coca-Cola brand will receive publicity but with view focus by cameras or small chances of getting noticed by fans in the stadium. The bronze promotional plan will give your company value for money. Though has little impact in the market compared to the other plans. Creative leverage The promotion of Coca-Cola name and products in sporting activity has a great impact in stimulating demand among the fans. The company sells bottled water which reduces dehydration resulting from sweating and sometimes great heat from the sun. The dehydration effect is felt by both players and fans who are over 30000 when the stadium is at the capacity. The company sales and marketing department carried out consumer consumption survey on various market segments and established that 80% of Coca-Cola products consumers are individuals below 35years. The same age group according to national football foundation forms large fan base for sports. Therefore, a partnership between the club and Coca-Cola proves to have the high positive effect to the company reputation and products demand. Also, the company has sound policies regarding corporate social responsibility where Coca-Cola Australia Foundation spearheads its activities. On the other hand, the club acts as a recreational facility for the community which forms a good basis for the company to reach the community and exercise the CSR. Budget, Investment & Evaluation The funds received will be paid every month for the period of the sponsorship contract. The contract is renewed after its expiry upon sponsors’ discretion. The table below shows the breakdown; Sponsorship Contract Amount ($Per month) Purpose Proportion Gold 1year 1,500,000 Players salary 65% Talent discovery Initiative 35% Silver 6months 900,000 Players salary 80% Talent discovery Initiative 20% Bronze 3months 750,000 Players salary 100% The successful utilization of the funds will be evaluated according to the potential players ready to join the club, club’s events popularity and willingness of the club to provide required support for Coca-Cola and renegotiate the sponsorship. Also, the number of Talent Discovery Initiatives will form another basis to evaluate club’s spending on the amount received from the sponsorship. Marketing plan for the property The Club has a cutting edge strategic position in sports and entertainment sector. The club’s match attracts more than 300 million fans yearly. The popularity and strategic position of the club prove to be a major asset to the club that will propel our mutual partnership. The club’s SWOT analysis shows its ability to meet Coca-Cola marketing and CSR objectives. Strengths The club is based in City Football Academy where City Football Group has its headquarters for the whole of Asia Pacific region. The stadium attracts other matches including institutions tournaments and other sporting competitions. The stadium was established at La Trobe University who are among the major partners of the club thus improving fan base. Weakness The ability to adequately meet the financial obligation of the club proves to be a major hurdle in implementing the strategic plan of MFC. The project lagging behind includes Talent Discovery Initiative, which was supposed to be rolled out at the start of this year. Opportunities The increase in fan base by performance improvement for the four teams and increase in participation of women in the W-league. The wider coverage will enhance sponsorship base and negation power since the club will provide wider publicity. Threats The increase in clubs proves to be a major threat in three ways which include the competition of fan base, sponsorship and access to competitive pool players. Inventory asset The support of sponsorship manager goes hand in hand with motivation and impact of sponsorship. The requirements provided to the manager are elaborated below; First, the club must provide a human resource which entails professionals and technical team. For example, developing sponsorship agreement requires law and financial specialist to evaluate terms and viability of the sponsorship for both parties. Secondly, the manager requires financial support which will be provided by the club. The funds will meet daily operations and payment of expertise involved during the process. The failure to provide financial support reduces morale and ability to negotiate a good sponsorship deal. Lastly, Open door policy (liberal relations) is an intangible asset that either result to success or failure of soliciting sponsorship. The club’s management and sponsorship manager must uphold the policy to get information regarding sponsorship and addressing matters arising. Reference: Irwin, R.L., Sutton, W.A., and MC'.Carthy, L.M. (2002). Sports Promotion and Sales Management. Human Kinetics, Champaign, Illinois. Melbourne City FC,. (2016). About Us. Melbourne City FC. Retrieved 8 May 2016, from http://www.melbournecityfc.com.au/about/about-us/ascwzx0fu57v1ppdt2cinx8wf Read More