File - Dustin Moreland

Launched by Joshua Gray, J’Dah Hethmon, Dustin Moreland and Alicia Sheldon
Teaming Up for You
Mission
We’re 618 Sports Connection. We
proudly and exclusively serve Southern
Illinois, pledging to provide a
comprehensive sports channel for the
entire region. Our content ranges from
high school to college; major leagues to
minor; traditional to the nontraditional.
We see value in every sport and strive to
offer the most thorough coverage
possible. Our slogan is Teaming Up for
You, because we understand the
importance of a team and know the only
way to provide the best sports
broadcasts is to work hand-in-hand with
one other, but more importantly, with the
public.
Strengths
A prominent characteristic of WSIL TV 3.1 is its strong
local sense. This hometown spirit will carry over into the
launch of 618 Sports Connection, channel 3.2, a
perception that appeals to the station’s market. We also
have the ability to promote with our news channel, which
already has a strong following. 618 Sports Connection
has a great advantage, as we are the only station to
broadcast local sports and offer extensive coverage to our
viewing area. With three current sports anchors on WSIL
3.1, they have the experience with southern Illinois sports
that our new channel needs to begin. Our biggest
competition, which we believe to be sports radio, may not
have this opportunity for cross-promotion, and the visual
aspect of our channel has a great advantage over radio,
where audio is the only medium.
Weaknesses
One challenge we will face is a narrow target audience.
The staff of 618 Sports Connection realizes that our
channel will need to be very appealing as to attract a
wider audience. As we only have three sports staff on our
WSIL station, they will have a larger workload preparing
new employees to cover southern Illinois sports. Sports
radio also faces a similar weakness in that the target
audience is relatively small. However, they are less likely
to be understaffed than our station when just beginning.
Opportunities
618 Sports Connection looks forward to a great deal of
potential coverage options. With extensive high school
athletic programs throughout the region, as well as
Southern Illinois University athletics, St. Louis sports and
minor league baseball, there will never be a shortage of
content on our channel. There are countless fans
attending all the local games who can give us video
footage when our crew can’t attend, allowing us to
broadcast several different match-ups each week. As we
launch and monitor our ratings and audience response, we
have the ability to experiment with content and tailor the
programming to the needs of our viewers. With countless
opportunities for sponsorships, advertising and contests,
618 Sports Connection displays great promise for
generating revenue. Our channel also plans to connect
with viewers via the Internet and social media, giving them
more content and a chance to interact with the channel.
Sports radio has many of the same opportunities, but once
again, the visual aspect of our channel is preferred over
just hearing the coverage.
Threats
Though we are fortunate to have three current sports staff,
618 Sports Connection will need more employees to
obtain and broadcast the extensive content we plan to
cover. Anchors, technical crews, and sports reporters will
all be in demand for the launch of our channel. We will
need a variety of positions filled, including the
behind-the-scenes crew who update the social media
department and coordinate advertising and promotions.
Our competitor is well-established and does not have the
threat of hiring new employees.
Goals
Short-term
In a short-term sense, 618 Sports Connection wants to establish a strong social media
following, gaining 5,000 Facebook likes and at least 300 Twitter followers in a six-month
period. We want to increase community awareness of the station through advertising
and pursuing earned media opportunities. As the station continues to grow, we would
like to acquire more coverage and begin building a strong crew to support the channel.
Long-term
In the long-run, 618 Sports Connection has several objectives we want to accomplish. We
are very passionate about giving southern Illinois athletes publicity. We feel that
highlighting the best and brightest athletes is important and we want to increase this
coverage further. A great way to measure our success is to submit our work to the Illinois
Broadcasters Association, and an ultimate goal is to receive recognition from the IBA. A
constant goal is to keep widening our coverage and always striving to appeal to a larger
audience. We would like to have a rating of 5 or more, with 10,000+ Facebook likes and
800 Twitter followers.
Cross-Promotion
Capitalizing on
our Own Airtime
We will make good use of our own airtime
by airing station promos before returning
from each commercial break, including
promotions for daily sportscasts, special
event broadcasts and other programming.
Commentators will promote post-game
shows during any sporting events, as well
as promoting future games and special
events. Anchors will promote upcoming
games and events and special
programming featured on the station. We
will also run promotions on a scrolling
banner at the bottom of the screen
alongside score updates and sports
headlines. Our on-air promotions will be
diverse and appealing to our target
demographic. Some of our promos will
feature country music, a favorite around
southern Illinois, while others will include
hip hop music, a genre commonly
associated with sports. Our promotions
will be fast-paced, action-based clips. We
would also like to include humorous
promos, and intend to feature local
athletes and teams.
Our sister station, WSIL 3.1,
provides great opportunity for
cross-promotion. In terms of
cross-promotion, 3.1 will promote
our sports content during their
own sports segment during the
newscast. During the launch
period, a fixed countdown clock
will run on 3.1 until channel 3.2
begins broadcasting. Several
promotions will air each day on
3.1 and as a tradeoff, we will run
their newscast and ABC
promotions. Promotional banners
will air on 3.1 periodically to
encourage viewers to watch
special programming on 3.2 such
as local sporting events.
Retaining
Viewership
Once we attract viewers to our
channel, it is our job to keep them
watching. We have a number of
ways in which we plan to retain
viewership for our station. One of
our primary objectives is promoting a
local feel. As a whole, southern
Illinois has a strong local sense, so
we intend to encourage this by
keeping our focus on regional sports.
Our promotions will reflect this
image, as we plan to include area
teams and athletes within them. In
our sports coverage, we will work to
spotlight local athletes, giving them
the publicity they deserve from their
achievements. We will retain a wide
viewership by providing thorough
coverage of southern Illinois sports.
The station will not bias its coverage
and constantly strives to give equal
attention to all parts of southern
Illinois. 618 Sports Connection
values professionalism just as much
as viewers. Our staff will broadcast
sports in a meaningful, appropriate
way. Our technical team has a great
attention to detail, ensuring that our
channel will always have visually
appealing graphics and promotions.
A great way to retain our viewers will
include various contests and
promotions, adding extra incentive to
view and follow our channel.
On-the-Web
618 Sports Connection
realizes the power of the Internet and
understands it is an integral part of
advertising and promotion for our
channel. We will use the Internet to
enhance our on-air content. We can
be found online at
www.618sportsconnection.com,
where viewers can find streaming for
multiple sporting events, as well as
the current newscast. Stories covered
in the sportscast will be available in
text form on the website, where the
viewer has the opportunity to
comment or share the story.
Interactive links like discussion boards
will also be available, as well as
detailed information about our sports
anchors, commentators and channel
as a whole. Our website will be used
for contests, like the Pic to Click
promotion. Overall, we plan to have a
highly interactive, user-friendly
website with strong connections to
social media.
Social Media
Social media will integrate with our website, as viewers can share videos and
stories via Facebook and Twitter. We will use our social media outlets to promote
our on-air content, upcoming events and programming, as well as providing up-todate scores, player updates and statistics, among other information. To ensure
interactivity with our viewers, we will post frequently and have social media
promotions to make followers feel as if they are important.

Follower of the week: Each week, 618 Sports Connection will select one Twitter
follower at random whose name will be announced on television and thanked for
their support. They will also be notified via Twitter.

Top promoter: Four times each year, 618 Sports Connection will call for its Facebook fans to promote our page. They will invite their friends to “like” our page,
and each new fan will post to share who referred them. At the end of the promotion period, the current fan who attracted the most new fans will receive a prize.
Contests
618 Sports Connection wants to reward its viewers by offering several contests and promotions, with many different ways to win.
Pic to Click: During each high
school sports season, viewers
may vote for their favorite players by clicking their respective
photo on the 618 Sports Connection website. Just by voting,
they will be entered to win a
prize, and the top player will
earn recognition as Player of
Facebook Facts trivia: Once a
month, 618 Sports Connection
will post a sports-related trivia
question to its Facebook page.
The first person to answer the
question correctly will receive a
prize.
Find-the-Intern: Each weekend
during football, basketball and
baseball season, our intern will
travel to a local high school
sporting event with tickets to an
event. Viewers are encouraged
to seek out the intern, and the
first person to find them will win.
Prizes
Miners: We will give away two pairs of club seating tickets for 24 games throughout the season,
totaling a $1128.00 trade value.
Sikeston Rodeo: We will give away 5 pairs of box
tickets to the 2013 Sikeston Rodeo, totaling a
$300.00 trade value.
DuQuoin Grandstand: We will give away 5 pairs
of E3 Spark Plugs Monster Truck Nationals 2012,
totaling a $140.00 trade value.
Holiday World: We will give away 30 pairs of
Holiday World one-day passes, totaling a
$2400.00 trade value.
Saluki Athletics Tickets: We will do $1000.00 in
trade with SIU Athletics, to be distributed across
each sports season.
Trade total: $4968.00
Cardinal tickets: 618 Sports Connection will buy
two 27-game weekend passes for the
1st & 3rd Base Loge priced at
$999.00 each. The $1998.00 will
come from our $50,000 ongoing
media budget.
Non-trade prize total:
$1998.00
Rules
Must provide a valid photo ID.
Winners must be willing to pick
up their prize at our television
studio if necessary. Winners
may not enter another contest
within thirty days of a previous
win. By entering, contestants
agree to have their name or
likeness featured on our
website or Facebook page.
No purchase necessary to win.
Public Relations
Talent Appearances
Our on-air talent will make personal appearances as tailgate servers at local high school
sporting events. Each Friday during football season, they will serve up hamburgers, hot
dogs and beverages to football fans. We will also arrange for our talent to speak to youth
involved in sports through community-sponsored organizations, such as the YMCA.
Philanthropy
Community
Service
In addition to providing coverage for
regional philanthropic events like
fundraisers and drives, 618 Sports
Connection plans to host our own
events to fulfill our duty to serve the
community. During disaster relief periods, our station will be a designated
location for donation drop-offs. Also,
we will host a canned food drive over
the entirety of the SIU basketball season, where spectators may receive
$1.00 the cost of their admission if
they donate a canned good.
The biggest event for the 618 Sports
Connection team will involve volunteering at Special Olympics. Not only
will members of the crew help with the
event, but the station will push its
viewers, strongly encouraging them to
volunteer and donate. 618 Sports
Connection will provide free press for
the event, covering both the ways in
which to get involved and the highlights of the event after its conclusion.
Our station will send news releases to
newspapers and radio stations to not
only provide press to our channel, but
to also further spread the word about
helping with the Special Olympics.
This will portray our channel in a positive light and is the perfect organization with which to partner, as it is charitable and involves sports.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
618 SPORTS CONNECTION PARTNERS WITH SPECIAL OLYMPICS
(CARTERVILLE, ILL. -- March 6, 2013) Local sports channel 618 Sports Connection 3.2 has teamed
up with the Special Olympics of Illinois to generate interest and volunteers for the charitable organization.
Staff members of 618 Sports are working to encourage their viewers to take part in the cause by donating their time and funds.
“We think the people of the Special Olympics do so many wonderful things, and we wanted to help
get volunteers involved. They are always looking for positive, energetic people to help with their
events,” explained Chris Camry, sports anchor for 618 Sports.
The Area 15 Special Olympics will host its Spring Games in Carbondale, Ill. on April 26, with over
840 athletes participating. Area director Jo Dodd said there is always a need for more volunteers.
“There are many opportunities available. Volunteering with the Special Olympics doesn’t take up
much time, but it will remain with you for the rest of your life,” Dodd said.
618 Sports Connection is working diligently to provide media coverage for the event and provides
easy links for prospective volunteers.
“We have all the resources on our website, as well as our Facebook and Twitter pages. We want to
make it easy for people to sign up and get involved,” Camry said.
In addition to providing press at no charge, the crew of 618 Sports Connection plans to volunteer at
the event themselves.
“We are so excited to work with these young athletes. They are truly an inspiration and we can always learn from them,” Camry beamed.
If you wish to get involved with the Special Olympics of Illinois, log on to www.soill.org or email jdodd@soill.org.
-30618 Sports Connection 3.2 is a southern Illinois television channel dedicated to excellent coverage
of regional sports and highlighting local athletes. 618 Sports Connection can be found on the web at
www.618sportsconnection.com
Launch Budget
5%
15%
52%
28%
Promotional
Billboard
Newspaper
Radio
Promotional
2000 plastic cups: $600.00
1000 ink pens: $450.00
Total for Promotional: $1,050.00
Rationale: 618 Sports Connection purchased 2000 cups and
1000 pens with our logo as a constant reminder to the public
to tune in to our channel. We will hand out the branded
promotional materials during our on-site events, such as
tailgates.
Billboard
Route 13 between Marion and Murphysboro
4 months during launch period: $800.00/month
Total for Billboard: $3,200.00
Rationale: To gain the most exposure we can, 618 Sports Connection will place a billboard on Illinois Route
13 between Carbondale and Marion. We feel placing the billboard in this area will reach a great number of
potential viewers on their way to and from work. Carbondale and Marion are two of southern Illinois’ biggest
metropolitan areas and Route 13 is the fastest and most efficient way to travel between these points.
Constructing the billboard in early June gives us a jumpstart in letting southern Illinois know who they need
to watch for all of their regional sports.
Newspaper
Southern Illinoisan
Business card size in Sports section
$15,000 contract
18 Sundays: $32.23 x 6.5 column inches: $3,770.90
21 Dailies: $18.92 x 6.5 column inches: $2,582.58
Total for Newspaper: $6,353.48
Rationale: We decided to take advantage of print advertising in the Southern Illinoisan. We chose the Southern
Illinoisan because its target audience is residents of southern Illinois, also our target. We chose a business card-sized
ad so we could advertise more frequently. We will begin the launch advertising in the SI July 1, continuing until
October 31. We feel it is a worthwhile investment to place our ad in the sports section and in each edition of the
Sunday newspaper. Alongside the Sunday ads are the 21 weekdays in this time period, so we may continue
reminding our potential viewers throughout their week.
Radio
Station
Daypart
Ads Per Day
Total Cost
WXLT-FM 103.5
AAAA (6A-10A)
5
$3,600
KGMO-FM 100.7
AAA M-F (10A-3P)
2
$3,600
1
$2,800
M-F (3P-7P)
WOOZ-FM 99.9
AAA M-F (3P-7P)
$10,000
WXLT-FM 103.5
3 month period: July, August, September: $3,600.00
KGMO-FM 100.7
3 month period: July, August, September: $3,600.00
WOOZ-FM 99.9
3 month period: July, August, September: $2,800.00
Rationale: To get the full notoriety at 618 Sports Connection, we feel radio advertising will help us immensely.
While not the cheapest option, we still felt that putting our name out in the region will be a vital part of reaching
and retaining an audience that will lead to the success of our channel. Picking only three stations for our launch,
however, wasn’t easy. But the three stations we chose will give us a diverse audience that we feel will lead to a
great viewership.
WXLT-FM 103.5 is southern Illinois’ local ESPN radio station. Even though most of the listeners
may be up-to-date on our upcoming television channel, we feel that we still needed to spread the
word about our debut to regular 103.5 listeners, as we are in the same niche. Selecting the 6 a.m.
- 10 a.m. time slot for our advertising was an easy decision. We feel that advertising in this time
frame will reach morning commuters and listeners who tune in to the popular ESPN morning
shows “Mike & Mike” and “The Herd” with Colin Cowherd.
KGMO-FM 100.7 was chosen primarily for its ability to reach a wide number of listeners. 100.7
stretches from Cape Girardeau, Missouri to Paducah, Kentucky and all the way up to Mt. Vernon,
Illinois. The ability to cover this much ground with one single station was a big factor in advertising
decisions. As a classic rock station, the audience KGMO targets is quite similar to the audience
we hope to reach at 618 Sports Connection. The older audience who listens to 100.7 will likely be
a big part of the audience tuning in to our channel. Selecting the annual rate from KGMO will bring
a certain amount of stability and familiarity between us and can potentially be the beginning of a
very productive working relationship. The time slots we selected, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. and 3 p.m. - 7
p.m. will help us reach new listeners traveling to and from work.
WOOZ-FM 99.9 is not only one of the most popular country stations in southern Illinois, but one
of the most popular overall. Choosing a different audience from the two previous stations was
important in this decision. Targeting sports, classic rock and country fans will allow us to reach
several different demographics in the area and will hopefully gain us the viewership we hope for.
Again, we chose an annual advertising rate to provide stability and selected the 3 p.m. - 7 p.m.
time slot in order to reach the afternoon commuters returning from work.
Ongoing Budget
Ongoing
Budget
4%
4% 8%
13%
46%
29%
Promotional
Billboard
Newspaper
Radio
Prize
Promotional
1000 shirts: $3,500.00
1000 magnets: $600.00
Total for Promotional: $4,100.00
Rationale: 618 Sports Connection purchased 1000 shirts and
1000 magnets with our logo as a constant reminder to the
public to tune in to our channel. We will hand out the
branded promotional materials during our on-site events,
such as tailgates. Shirts are a popular item among viewers
and serve as great small-scale prizes.
Billboard
Route 13 between Marion and Murphysboro
8 months during ongoing period: $800.00/month
Total for Billboard: $6,400.00
Rationale: To gain the most exposure we can, 618 Sports Connection will place a billboard on Illinois
Route 13 between Carbondale and Marion. We feel placing the billboard in this area will reach a great
number of potential viewers on their way to and from work. Carbondale and Marion are two of southern
Illinois’ biggest metropolitan areas and Route 13 is the fastest and most efficient way to travel between
these points. Constructing the billboard in early June gives us a jumpstart in letting southern Illinois know
who they need to watch for all of their regional sports.
Newspaper
Southern Illinoisan
Business card size in Sports section
$15,000 contract
59 Sundays: $32.23 x 6.5 column inches: $12,360.21
20 Dailies: $18.92 x 6.5 column inches: $2,459.60
Total for Newspaper: $14,819.81
Rationale: We decided to take advantage of print advertising in the Southern Illinoisan. We chose the SI because its
target audience is residents of southern Illinois, the same as ours. We chose a business card-sized ad so we could
advertise more frequently. We will continue advertising each Sunday until December 2013. We feel it is a worthwhile
investment to place our ad in the sports section so that we may directly reach our target audience. Alongside the
Sunday ads are the 20 various weekdays in this time period, so we can choose specific events or programs to
promote. This gives us consistency in the Sunday paper and flexibility with the remaining time.
Prize
Two 27-game weekend passes for the 1st & 3rd Base Loge at $999.00 each.
Non-trade prize total: $1,998.00
Rationale: For our ongoing budget through December 2013 we chose to purchase a pair of 27-game weekend passes
for the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team. In doing so, we receive pairs of tickets for the contests we conduct in the
spring and summer. These tickets will provide an incentive for viewers to actively participate in contests held at
tailgate parties and online trivia.
Radio
Station
Daypart
Ads Per Day
Total Cost
WXLT-FM 103.5
AAAA (6A-10A)
2
$7,200
KGMO-FM 100.7
AAA M-F (10A-3P)
2
$4,800
2
$9,600
M-F (3P-7P)
WOOZ-FM 99.9
Sa (6A-10A)
AAA M-F (3P-7P)
Sa (6A-10A)
21,600
WXLT-FM 103.5
3 month period: July, August, September: $3,600.00
KGMO-FM 100.7
3 month period: July, August, September: $3,600.00
WOOZ-FM 99.9
3 month period: July, August, September: $2,800.00
Rationale: To get the full notoriety at 618 Sports Connection, we feel radio advertising will help us immensely.
While not the cheapest option, we still felt that putting our name out in the region will be a vital part of reaching
and retaining an audience that will lead to the success of our channel. We remained with the three stations we
chose for our launch, as we know they will give us a diverse audience.
WXLT-FM 103.5 is southern Illinois’ local ESPN radio station. We feel that it’s very important to
target regular 103.5 listeners, as we are in the same niche. Selecting the 6 a.m. - 10 a.m. time slot
for our advertising was an easy decision. We feel that advertising in this time frame will reach
morning commuters and listeners who tune in to the popular ESPN morning shows “Mike & Mike”
and “The Herd” with Colin Cowherd. We chose a 15-month period in which we will advertise with
103.5, as they are specifically targeted at the audience we want to reach.
KGMO-FM 100.7 was chosen primarily for its ability to reach a wide number of listeners. 100.7
stretches from Cape Girardeau, Missouri to Paducah, Kentucky and all the way up to Mt. Vernon,
Illinois. The ability to cover this much ground with one single station was a big factor in advertising
decisions. As a classic rock station, the audience KGMO targets is quite similar to the audience
we hope to reach at 618 Sports Connection. The older audience who listens to 100.7 will likely be
a big part of the audience tuning in to our channel. In our ongoing budget, we decided only to
advertise with KGMO during the months before the sweeps periods: January, April, June and
October. During these months, we will place two advertisements in the 3 p.m. - 7 p.m. time slot
each day, reaching those traveling back home from work.
WOOZ-FM 99.9 is not only one of the most popular country stations in southern Illinois, but one of
the most popular overall. Choosing a different audience from the two previous stations was
important in this decision. Targeting sports, classic rock and country fans will allow us to reach
several different demographics in the area and will hopefully gain us the viewership we hope for.
As with KGMO, we chose to advertise just before the four sweeps periods and selected the 3 p.m.
- 7 p.m. time slot in order to reach the afternoon commuters returning from work.
(LAUNCH) RADIO ANNOUNCEMENT :30 SECONDS
Directions
Time
Audio
SFX
:02
CROWD CHEER
WOMAN
:02
Honey, what’s all that noise in there?
MAN
:01
What do you mean?
WOMAN
:03
It sounds like there’s a group of rowdy teenagers in my living
room!
MAN
:05
Oh, that noise! I’m watching the Carbondale Terriers take on
the Centralia Orphans.
WOMAN
:02
Really? How are you doing that?
MAN
:06
There’s a new channel, 3.2, they have all of southern Illinois’
big match-ups. Every sport, it’s awesome!
WOMAN
:02
Oh, you mean 618 Sports Connection?
MAN
:01
That’s the one!
MUSIC
“REMEMBER THE NAME” (INTRO) UNDER
MAN #2
:06
ANNOUNCER
(MALE)
Southern Illinois’ all-new 618 Sports Connection, channel 3.2 -teaming up for you!
(fade music)
RADIO ANNOUNCEMENT :30 SECONDS
Directions
Time
Audio
SFX
:03
SOUND OF BASEBALL BEING THROWN, OUTDOOR NATURAL SOUND
SON
:02
Hey Dad, we should go to the Miners game tonight!
FATHER
:03
Ah, I wish we could, Jake, but the game is sold out.
SON
:03
(Sadly) I really wanted to see them play tonight.
FATHER
:03
Hey, it’s okay, buddy. We can watch the game on TV tonight.
SON
:02
(Excitedly) Whoa! The Miners are on TV?
FATHER
:03
Sure they are! But hurry, or we’ll miss the opening pitch!
MUSIC
MALE
ANNOUNCER
(MALE)
“REMEMBER THE NAME” (INTRO) UNDER
:10
Want to watch local sports but can’t make it to the game?
Catch all the action on 618 Sports Connection on WSIL 3.2 -teaming up for you.
(fade music)
Billboard Advertisement
Newspaper Advertisement
Shirt front
Shirt back
Also available in youth sizes and pink for ladies.
Novelty Cup
618 Sports Connection and Pepsi MidAmerica present
“A Day at the Ballpark”
Get ready for an exciting day at the ballpark with the whole family! 618 Sports Connection and
Pepsi MidAmerica present the first annual “Day at the Ballpark” on Saturday, June 1, 2013. The
gates open up at noon for a family fun fair in the parking lot of Rent One Park. Guests can enjoy
food, fun and family activities until the first pitch of the Miners game at 7:05. A spectacular fireworks show will follow the game. Children two and under get in free, as well as seniors 65+. Adult
wristbands will be available for $5, and children 12 and under get a wristband for just $2, allowing
you and your children to participate in crafts, games and other fun activities on the lot. Food will
be available for purchase through many of our local restaurants. Wristbands will be sold the day
of the event, and tickets for the game are available to purchase through our website,
www.618sportsconnection.com or www.southernillinoisminers.com.
Activities
Safety
Our day is packed with fun things for you
and your children to do. We have the
inflatable Sports Bounce and an obstacle course from Inflatable Fun in Herrin,
IL. Take a ride on our pony carousel or
participate in one of our fun sports contests throughout the day. Regional high
school booster clubs will bring out their
best athletes to represent the school,
sponsoring fun booths for kids such as
face painting, sand art, cake walks and
much more. Booster club activities are
free with a wristband, but they will also
collect donations to fund their respective
athletic programs.
The safety of our guests is a high priority.
We have a team of security guards and
off-duty Illinois State Police officers
dedicated to keeping your family safe. Our
own staff is made up of a 125-person Street
Team who will work to keep our family fun
area clean and who are always available to
assist you.
Meet & Greet
At “A Day at the Ballpark,” we’re bringing
the stars to you! Throughout the day, be
on the lookout for appearances by the
Southern Illinois Miners, St. Louis
Cardinals current and former players, St.
Louis Rams cheerleaders, and all your
favorite regional high school players!
Event Sponsorship Packages
Bronze Sponsor - $500




Company logo placed prominently on 618 Sports Connection webpage
Recognition in local media advertising, including logos on flyers and rotating radio tags
Acknowledgement and thank-you at the event
Booth space at the event to promote and provide your company’s products for purchase
Silver Sponsor - $2,000
Benefits of Bronze Sponsor PLUS
 Company name and logo on all materials related to event
 Company logo on the back of approximately 4,000 event shirts
 Prominent space on banners at the event
 Sponsor of one of many contests throughout the day
 Mentions of sponsorship in 300 ads on six radio stations
Gold Sponsor - $10,000
Benefits of Silver Sponsor PLUS
 Premiere sponsor of one dugout during the game
 Exclusive club seating at the Miners game (four seats)
 Company logo on the front of approximately 4,000 event shirts
 Tent provided for prominently placed booth
 16 mentions during two live radio broadcasts (four times each hour)
Platinum Sponsor - $20,000
Benefits of Gold Sponsor PLUS
 Name mentioned in title of event
 Preeminent listing in all advertising and publications
 Direct link to homepage from 618 Sports Connection webpage
 Your company will be the sole soft drink provider throughout the event
 Live on-air interview with two different radio stations
 Sponsor a contest for donations to charitable organization of your choice (winner will
throw first pitch at Miners game)
Event Sponsors
Bronze Sponsor - $500
Inflatable Fun (trade)
17th St. Bar & Grill
Mackie’s Pizza
Buffalo Wild Wings
Larry’s House of Cakes
Quatro’s Pizza
Withers Broadcasting (trade)
River Radio (trade)
Silkworm (trade)
Silver Sponsor - $2,000
People’s National Bank
Black Diamond Harley Davidson
Walker’s Bluff
Vic Koenig Chevrolet
Banterra Bank
Miller Lite
Gold Sponsor - $10,000
Dick’s Sporting Goods ($500 trade)
Budweiser ($500 trade)
Southern Illinois University
Athletics
Platinum Sponsor - $20,000
Pepsi MidAmerica
Sponsorship total: $66,500 (including trade)
Event Advertising
Station
Daypart
Ads per Day
Total Cost
WMIX-FM 94.1
AA M-F (10A-3P)
Sa-Su (3P-7P)
2
$2,280.00
WXLT-FM 103.5
AAAA M-F (6A10A)
8
$2,880.00
WQRL-FM 106.3
AAA (3P-7P)
4
$2,400.00
WOOZ-FM 99.9
AAA M-F (3P-7P)
Sa (6A-10A)
2
$2,400.00
WCIL-FM 101.5
AA M-F (7P-12A)
Sa-Su (3P-7P)
4
$2,400.00
KGMO-FM 100.7
AAA M-F (10A-3P)
M-F (3P-7P)
Sa (6A-10A)
2
$1,620.00
$13,980
We will begin our radio advertising campaign one month before the event. We
have chosen to advertise daily on the
above-mentioned radio stations, and the
number of advertisements and the daypart
in which they will air are listed along with
the total cost.
For our other advertising means, we
will seek the help of approximately 125
young volunteers to form a “618 Sports
Connection Street Team” to help distribute
1,000 14x20 posters, which comes to a
total printing cost of $650.00. The perks of
being a Street Team member include free
admission to the event and a free shirt,
while also being considered for internship
positions with the station. The Street
Team will work to post the flyers all around
Southern Illinois in high-traffic areas like
grocery stores, bus stops, school campuses, and malls, to name a few.
The day of the event, two local radio stations will broadcast live for two
hours from “A Day at the Ballpark.” The
broadcasts are both $500.00 trade, making River Radio and Withers Broadcasting
Bronze Sponsors. WDDD-FM 107.3 will
broadcast live from 12:00 - 2:00, and
WCIL-FM 101.5 will be on location from
3:00 - 5:00.
We will also take advantage of our
own airtime and cross-promote with our
sister channel, 3.1. We will begin promoting about a month and a half before the
event is to be held. Giveaways on the Facebook and Twitter pages will allow some
lucky viewers to attend for free, and teasers for “A Day at the Ballpark” will be posted regularly on those pages. Our website’s homepage will be entirely dedicated
to the event within the month of the event,
with interactive links to learn more about
the event and its sponsors.
Event Timeline
January 2013
Invite businesses to
sponsor event
Book Cardinals Caravan
Book Rams Cheerleaders
February 2013
Invite high school sports
teams to participate
March 2013
Rent tents for Gold and
Platinum sponsors and
Wine/Beer Garden
Book pony carousel
April 2013
Order inflatables
Hire security
Hire off-duty police
officers
Book remote broadcasts
Book disposal service
May 2013
Order banners
Order shirts
Begin radio advertising
Buy event wristbands
Send out Street Team
June 2013
Host event
Send thank-you notes to
sponsors
Schedule of Events
Saturday, June 1, 2013
7:00 AM: Crew arrives at Rent One Park, begins setup of tents and booths
10:00 AM: Sponsors arrive to begin setting up individual booths and food stands
Inflatable Fun begins setup of Sports Bounce & Obstacle Course
11:30 AM: Event workers take posts at parking and ticketing booths
Security arrives
12:00 PM: Guests are allowed to enter the event
WDDD-FM 107.3 begins live remote broadcast
All booths and food stands begin operation
Walkers Bluff wine and beer garden opens
1:00 PM: People’s National Bank youth free throw competition begins
St. Louis Rams cheerleaders begin greeting and signing autographs
1:30 PM: Black Diamond Harley Davidson teen free throw competition begins
2:00 PM: Cardinals Caravan begins, players and alumni available for autographs
Walker’s Bluff youth 7-on-7 competition begins
2:30 PM: Vic Koenig Chevrolet teen 7-on-7 competition begins
3:00 PM: WCIL-FM 101.5 begins live remote broadcast
Banterra Bank youth 3-point shootout begins
3:30 PM: Miller Lite teen 3-point shootout begins
4:00 PM: Budweiser youth home run derby begins
Cardinals Caravan concludes
Miners Baseball players available for autographs and photos
Schedule of Events, continued
4:30 PM: SIU Athletics teen home run derby begins
5:00 PM: Dick’s Sporting Goods youth sports relay begins
5:30 PM: Pepsi MidAmerica teen sports relay begins
6:00 PM: Field cleared for cleanup
Guests permitted to take seats in ballpark
6:30 PM: Awards presentation to competition winners
6:45 PM: Carnival concludes on lot
Teardown begins on lot
All guests enter ballpark
Children allowed to run the bases
7:05 PM: Miners game begins

Pepsi winner throws first pitch

7th inning stretch raffle

Fireworks after game concludes