8 Count Productions

1. 2012-2013 Ticket Sales Plan 8 Count Productions Project by: Michael Bueno Annemarie Kinney Brianna Koren

2. Overview: 8 Count Productions • Most active boxing promotions company • Location—Heart of Chicago • Improving & Enhancing • Group Sales • Incentives • Outsourcing • Advertising Strategies • Demographics • Amenities • Staff

3. Condition of 8 Count Productions before assistance • 8 Count Productions has been experiencing a decline in ticket sales since the 2010-2011 fiscal year. They were in need of our promotional services upon the realization of additional decline in ticket sales for their 2011-2012 fiscal year. • Ticket Sales • 8 Count Productions offered only individual ticket sales and did not offer group sales or season tickets. Boxing is very different compared to many other sports that do offer season ticket and group sales. Contract negotiation and booking of venues usually tie up much of the time necessary to plan each event. Venue location usually changes each event which makes it impossible for boxing promotion companies to make such an obligation to offer season tickets and group tickets. • Incentives • 8 Count Productions offered no incentives to customers. There were no merchandise giveaways, contests, personal interaction with professional boxers, etc. The only entertainment provided for the event was the boxing matches alone.

4. Conditions of 8 Count Productions before assistance(cont’d) • Outsourcing • 8 Count Productions outsources these main components in which it does not specialize: beer vendors, food vendors, security and labor needed to stage ring and other accessories. • Advertising Strategy • 8 Count Productions advertised using Facebook, company website, posters, fliers and occasional radio announcements. Advertising was very limited. • Demographics • 8 Count Productions did not monitor the demographics they were targeting. Demographics were limited to those who received advertisement pieces. They were not receiving enough exposure. • Amenities • 8 Count Productions hosted events at UIC Pavilion. Customer have access to all amenities available by the venue. 8 Count Productions was unable to host one event every month because UIC booked the venue to other organizations who generated more income for the venue. • Staffing • 8 Count Productions employed: President, Director of Boxing, Director of Ticket Sales, Director of Public Relations, Director of Marketing, Marketing Assistant, Director of Event Planning, and Assistant Event Planner. Ticket sales were suffering because there was only one employee in charge of monitoring sales of tickets.

5. Conditions of 8 Count Productions before assistance(cont’d) • Size of Community • 8 Count Productions has no issue with the size of the community. Chicago is a very large and populated city. Chicago was once a large boxing city and much of the tradition has been passed down since 1890 from generation to generation. For additional information on Chicago’s boxing history, please visit http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/159.html • Budget • The annual administration budget was set at $550,000 and limited the amount of employees. Additional ticket sales employees were unable to be hired. The annual advertisement budget was set at $75,000 and limited the media used to reach their potential audience. The annual venue budget was set at $1,006,000. This included annual expenses of: Stage Labor-$36,000; Security-$36,000; Booking Fee-$120,000; Fighter Salary-$720,000; Vendors-$24,000; Boxing Commission-$60,000; and Ringside Doctor-$10,000.

6. Venue Description • Boxing events include: • Additional 760 seats at ringside • 4 locker rooms • 6,958 seat venue UIC Pavilion 525 S. Racine St. Chicago, IL 60607

7. 2011-2012 Results All conditions limited 8 Count Productions’ maximum potential and resulted with the following results:

8. Improvements for 8 Count Productions after assistance • With the assistance of our promotional services, 8 Count Productions is expected to see the following results: • Ticket Sales • We will be able to guarantee monthly events. This will allow 8 Count Productions to offer season tickets and group tickets for the first time. This will make 8 Count Productions distinguishable from the competition because they will be the only company in the industry to offer such services. As mentioned before, ticket sales in boxing are based on an individual basis. Tickets were only sold at two(2) prices, $100 for ringside and $25 for general admission (760 ringside seats and 6,958 general admission seats). Our sales and advertising strategy is expected to sell out the UIC Pavilion and seating prices have been changed due to the added value (refer to ticket price information). • Group Sales • Groups of 20 or more people will receive general admission tickets at the price of $15. *Savings of 60% per ticket. We will also contact businesses and boxing gyms to generate more potential group sales.

9. Improvements for 8 Count Productions after assistance (cont’d) • Incentives • 8 Count Productions will now offer incentives to customers to further improve the customer experience. These incentives will include merchandise giveaways, giveaway autographed boxing glove to one lucky fan, free general admission ticket giveaways, meet and greet sessions with professional fighters. Incentives will help improve attendance per event. • Outsourcing • 8 Count Productions will continue to outsource vendors and security. In addition to outsourcing, 8 Count Productions will sell the broadcasting rights to ESPN for $750,000 per year for the next three (3) years. This will not only increase revenue for 8 Count Productions but will improve exposure for the event and increase attendance. • Advertising Strategy • All previous methods of advertising will still be utilized. In addition there will be billboards off major expressways entering and leaving Chicago(I-55, I-290, I-90/I-94). ESPN will now be airing commercials of upcoming events. Make agreement with UIC to advertise events throughout campus(billboards, mass email, website and notification to school organizations). Newly hired ticket sales representatives will be scheduling meetings with organizations for further exposure and generate sales.

10. Improvements for 8 Count Productions after assistance (cont’d) • Demographics • 8 Count Productions will focus on a 30 mile radius of UIC Pavilion to reach customers. There is much work involved in attracting a new audience, so we must be sure to saturate the area with advertisement. It is also important to target current fans of boxing because they are loyal to the sport, so we must contact boxing organizations in the area. Contacting non-profit organizations that deal with at-risk youth would also be another main focus. Boxing could be an outlet for youth to get off the streets and join a gym to learn the discipline of boxing. • Amenities • Due to the changes that 8 Count Productions is proposing, UIC will dedicate to one event per month. This has allowed for season tickets and group tickets to be offered. 8 Count Productions will now be introducing the “Prize-Fighters Corner”. This section of the Pavilion will be accessible only to those who have purchased VIP in Section 2 (refer to seating). There will be a full bar, catered meal, and exclusive access to professional fighters.

11. Improvements for 8 Count Productions after assistance (cont’d) • Staffing • All previously listed staff will remain. In addition to the current staff there will be a Season Ticket Director, Group Ticket Director and five (5) Ticket Sales Representatives. The introduction of season and group tickets means that these positions are essential to manage ticket sales. Sales are anticipated to improve because sales representatives will be conducting meetings with organizations to generate additional sales. The addition of sales representatives also allows them to create strong relationships with customers. • Size of Community • The city of Chicago and boxing fans remain the community. Our demographics now narrow down the area and audience to target. Our focused strategy is guaranteed to improve exposure and as a result, improve ticket sales.

12. Improvements for 8 Count Productions after assistance (cont’d) • Budget • The administration budget will be increased from $550,000 to $850,000. This increase in the budget allows for the addition of a Season Ticket Director, Group Sales Director and five (5) Ticket Sales Representatives. The advertisement budget will be increased to $150,000 and allows for additional avenues of advertisement such as: billboards off major highways, pre-fight press conferences, public weigh ins, etc.The venue budget will also be increased to $1,060,000. This new budget will now account for these annual expenses: Broadcasting Fee(UIC charges for ESPN to air fights)-$30,000 and Catering for VIP-$24,000. Although there are more expenses to account for than before, the increase in attendance will ensure these expenses can be paid for.

13. 2012-2013 Ticket Sales and Revenue Goals These new conditions will maximize 8 Count Productions’ potential and will result in the following:

14. References • Chodhary, C. (2013, March 1). [Personal interview by M. Bueno, Jr.]. • 8 Count Productions. (n.d.). 8 Count Productions. Retrieved March 5, 2013, from 8 Count Productions website: http://www.8countproductions.com/home.html • 8 Count Productions. (n.d.). UIC pavilion Seating. Retrieved March 10, 2013, from 8 Count Productions website: http://www.8countproductions.com/images/uicpavilion_seating.jpg • Pruter, R. (n.d.). Boxing. Retrieved March 1, 2013, from http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/159.html • UIC Pavilion. (n.d.). UIC Pavilion. Retrieved March 5, 2013, from UIC Pavilion website:http://www.uicpavilion.com/pavilion/