Most successful sports promoters have learned one very important lesson: sports equals entertainment.

Sports events, concerts, CDs, ski trips, cable television, and movies all compete for the same entertainment dollars. You've got to give your fans a good time to capture their money.

"Selling sports solely on the win-loss column is very risky. More teams are destined to lose than win. My philosophy has been to sell a night of entertainment. I can control the quality of the concessions, the cleanliness of the arena or stadium and the total ambiance." (1) So said Pat Williams, then the general manager and now senior vice president of the Orlando Magic basketball team.

According to Bill Robertson, former public relations director of the Mighty Ducks hockey team and now PR director for Disney Sports Enterprises, "For us, it isn't just a game, not just whether we win, lose or tie. We promote the entire entertainment package. From the moment the fan parks his car to the moment he leaves, we want him to be totally entertained." (2) Entertainment at Ducks' games has included a mascot lowered from the ceiling, a pregame laser light-show, and a skating chorus line.

Art Clarkson, majority owner of the Birmingham Alabama Bulls (minor league hockey) and former owner of the Birmingham Barons (minor league AA baseball), says that sports promotion amounts to getting people in the door. "Really, it's a business just like any other one that needs foot traffic--like a fast food chain, a putt-putt course or a car dealership. The only difference is, we sell an intangible product. We sell air; we sell tickets; we sell emotion and excitement. Just like movie theaters, we sell entertainment." (3) Entertainment at Birmingham Bulls' games has included an inflatable mascot, an indoor blimp, and visits by the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders.

Marc Roberts, a boxing promoter, says he gives his customers "shows," not fights. "They're paying good money, and they should leave feeling they got enough entertainment value." (4) Entertainment at Roberts' "shows" has included rap music and prize giveaways.

According to top sports agent Leigh Steinberg, entertainment will become even more important in the future: "I believe we'll see the emergence of new sports, built for television with tremendous action that will be designed by the same sort of people who design video games. TV-ready sports will have every aspect of them worked out up front, from ownership of the franchises to merchandising rights. The rules will be simple enough to follow and there will be a high degree of violence and action to them. You will see it." (5)

Two examples of sports linked to entertainment:

• Jim Foster created arena football after seeing an indoor soccer game in 1981. "Literally while I was watching it, I turned to my friend and said if you can play soccer indoors, why not football?" (6)

He designed a game which could fit indoor hockey rinks and which would result in a high-scoring, fast-moving spectacle.

He interested NBC in broadcasting a test game in 1982. But his plan stalled when the United States Football League came along. The USFL had a short life and by 1985 Foster was back testing his concept with a minor league football team. He invested his life savings in the project, including $5,000 to build prototype goalposts with nets.

On April 12, 1986 the public was invited to the first game. About 1,500 attended.

Another test game was held in February 1987, attracting 8,500 people. That got the interest of ESPN, which offered a contract for the yet-to-be-established league.

A four-city league was thrown together for a six-week season. Games averaged 12,600 attendees and got good TV ratings. It was promoted as "rock 'n' roll" football, with fans sitting close enough to the action to catch stray passes.

Arena football has continued to grow since then. In 1995, almost one million fans attended games. In 1996, average attendance was over 10,000 per game during the 14-game season. In 1997, the league will have 17 teams.

Entertainment has been a major factor in the sport's success: "Every single game is like a Broadway show for us. We script five-minute pregame skits about the team we're playing. Lights and explosions are set to music. It's crazy. I feel like Andrew Lloyd Webber. Sometimes I wonder what the heck I'm doing," said Joe Hennessy, general manager of the Albany Firebirds. (6)

"The fans are entertained 20 minutes before kickoff to the game's very last play," agreed Gene Nudo, director of operations for the Phoenix Rattlers. (7)

• The Warped Tour was created in 1995 when promoter Kevin Lyman combined "non-school sponsored sports" (skateboarding, in-line skating, climbing, and BMX cycling) with music. Previously he had done production work on four Lollapalooza tours.

"I've been involved in setting up a lot of concerts like this in L.A. for about 10 years. ... I thought 'What a great time to do something like this, because the sport and the music are so tied together right now. It's the best time to take it on the road.'" (8)

To keep ticket prices down, Lyman attracted sponsorships from skating gear manufacturers, music publications, and clothing companies.

1 Skybox, Holiday 1990.
2 Orange County Metropolitan, October 15, 1994.
3 Birmingham Business Journal, July 15, 1996.
4 Sales & Marketing Management, June, 1996.
5 Associated Press article in The (Pueblo, Colorado) Chieftain, August 29, 1991.
6.The (Memphis) Commercial Appeal, May 9, 1996.
7 The (Phoenix) Arizona Republic, May 31, 1996.
8 Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, August 11, 1995.

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