great lakes loons executive summary

executive summarybackground and objectives

Our research was conducted to explore the marketing opportunities and threats that the Great Lakes Loons ‘A’ minor league baseball team currently face. Last season, the first season for Dow Diamond, was a tremendous success, but attendance usually drops for a minor league team after their first season. The purpose of this research is to find what will keep the community coming back to Loons games as the Loons move past their inaugural season. We used three objectives to develop and concentrate our research: Why will community members go this year? What did they like about last years games? And, what didn’t they like about last years games?

results

In answering our objective question, “Why will they go this year?” our research results show community members would like to see more wins, followed by concession specials, student discounts, crowd interaction, and family events in order to attend games in the upcoming season. In answering our objective question, “What did they like last year?” our results showed that overall, community members were satisfied with the Great Lakes Loons games. What they liked most last year was ticket price, followed by cleanliness, family environment, and game times. In response to our objective question, “What didn’t they like last year?” our research showed us people were most dissatisfied with parking, followed by skill level of players, concession price, and team competitiveness. By these results, we see the answer for our big question: “What will keep people coming to Loons Games?” What will keep them coming is adding previously mentioned things such as family events, student discounts, and concession specials, and by maintaining things like cleanliness and great ticket pricing. People will also come by improving on things like parking, concession price, and team competitiveness.

conclusions

In conclusion, to keep people coming we need to maintain things like cleanliness, family friendliness, game times, and the overall fan experience; improve on parking and concession price; and add things like concession specials, student discounts, and more family events. Other important conclusions include that the female market is very applicability to us, that stadium seats are preferred greatly over lawn seats, and that older people tend to attend more games.

recommendations

Based on this research, the Loons Research Team recommends removing some lawn area and replacing it with stadium seating. Secondly, we recommend the organization placing a three to four story-parking garage. For our third recommendation we recommend a 10% decrease in concession pricing. Our fourth recommendation is to implement concession specials. Another recommendation we have is to advertise group ticket packages to older generations. Our last recommendation is to improve and promote the family environment. Further research can and should be done on any of these suggestions.

background and objectivesbackground

We explored the marketing opportunities and problems of the Great Lakes Loons ‘A’ level minor league baseball team. This team is located in Midland, Michigan, where they play at Dow Diamond. Currently the team has a season that runs from April through September. Through their venue and team, the Loons offer recreation, entertainment, promotional events, concessions, fireworks, and family enjoyment. They also offer different activities during the off-season when the Loons are not playing.

Last year, 2007, was the Loon’s first season. This first season for the team, and for Dow Diamond, was a tremendous success. Overall attendance was 324,565 people and 30 of the 68 home games were sold out. That ranked the Loons fifth out of 14 Midwest League teams and 10th out of 60 minor league teams. However, that was last season. Attendance usually drops, and continues to drop, for a minor league team after their first season. We wanted to answer the question of whether the next season, and the seasons that follow, are going to be as successful as the inaugural season. We also wanted to see what current activities and promotions offered are enjoyed by the customers and will keep them coming back. We found out which aspects of the Loons experience keep fans coming back season after season.

objectives

Through our research we wanted to answer the big question of, “What will keep people coming to Loon’s games?” To reach this answer we used a series of objective questions. First, we determined, “What fans liked last year?” We also determined, “What fans did not like last year?” In our final objective we determined, “Why will they go this year?”

great lakes loons

great lakes loons

methodologysecondary research plan

Our secondary research was primarily conducted on five other baseball teams in the Midwest League. The Midwest League is the league the Loons and other northern ‘A’ level minor league baseball teams play in. The five teams include the Dayton Dragons, Lansing Lugnuts, West Michigan White Caps, Fort Wayne Wiz-ards, and Michigan Battle Cats. We examined the attendance figures of those teams from their first year at the stadium. all the way up to last season. The purpose of this was to discover if there is a “honeymoon effect” in minor league attendance. In other words, it was to determine if there is a general decrease in at-tendance after a team’s inaugural season and to what degree it happens. We also went beyond attendance figures and examined the different promotional activities that other sports teams offer to positively influence turnout.

exploratory research plan

We conducted our exploratory research in the Midland community. It was specifically conducted with com-munity members who attended games last season. We interviewed 15 people of various gender, age, and vocation and found out what they thought about our topic so we could determine our primary research questions. We asked five questions through personal or phone interviews. Our first question addressed whether the interviewee had indeed attended at least one game to see if we should interview them. The other questions were open ended and found answers to, and generated discussion about, our research objectives. This research was very informal, and, more importantly, it was personal and relaxed. Primary Research Plan

survey Our survey was a self-administered questionnaire. It included questions gathered from information discov-ered in our secondary and exploratory research.

sample

Our sampling was non-probability sampling. We used a quota method using age brackets of our intervie-wees to make sure we got a broad sample that best portrayed the community of Midland. We screened potential candidates before administering the survey by asking them if they had been to a game or not. If they answered “yes,” we then asked them to take our survey and administered it from there.

data gathering

We administered our survey using a drop-off/stand-by method of gathering. We sampled 75 participants, of all age groups, who said they had attended a Great Lakes Loons game. We used four different high traffic areas to administer our surveys.

data analysis

Our data was generated from our survey results. We manually read the surveys and individually typed the answers into a MINITAB program. We gave each question and answer a value that was entered into MINITAB. Using the program we conducted calculations to find averages and make cross-tabulations to let us interpret the data we gathered.

resultssecondary research findings

Through our secondary research we were able to make some important discoveries. For starters, attendance almost always drops off after a minor league baseball teams inaugural season at a stadium—and it almost always keeps dropping. Of the five Midwest League stadiums we researched, three saw the most attendance in their history during their opening season. Another stadium, Fifth Third Field, saw an increase in attendance in the teams first two seasons but after that there attendance has continued to drop. The Dayton Dragons (Fifth Third Field) have stayed impressively consistent in their attendance. Not only has it grown since their inception, but Fifth Third Field also sees the most attendance of any of the stadiums studied. In fact, they have sold out every game since their inception. The Dayton Dragons—and the stadium they play in, Fifth Third Field, will prove to be a very good example of how Dow Diamond should continue to bring in fans.

Attendance from the stadiums studied since their inception:

0

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

600,000

700,000

1stYear

3rdYear

5thYear

7thYear

Fifth Third Field

Oldsmobile Park

Fifth ThirdBallparkAllen CountyStadiumC.O. BrownStadium

secondary research findings – dayton dragon case study The Dayton Dragons are the first and only team in minor league baseball history to sell out an entire season before it began. Beyond that, they have sold out every game since the there first season in 2000. It’s not about winning either. The Dayton Dragons have posted a .473 winning percentage. The Lansing Lugnuts, West Michigan Whitecaps, and Michigan Battle Cats all have posted better winning percentages since 2000 at .510, .554, and .531, respectively. Even though they don’t win half of their games, Dayton Dragon merchandise is still one of the top ten selling team logos in minor league baseball. Also, they rank number 10 on Sports Illustrated Ten Hottest Tickets in Sports.

1. Detroit Red Wings – NHL2. Boston Red Sox – MLB3. Duke Blue Devils – NCAA Basketball4. Nebraska Cornhuskers – NCAA Football5. Washington Redskins – NFL6. Denver Broncos – NFL7. Sacramento Kings – NBA8. Dallas Mavericks – NBA9. Colorado Avalanche – NHL10. Dayton Dragons – Minor League Baseball (Midwest League)

great lakes loons

The city of Dayton has an average household income of $27,523. This is comparably lower than that of the locations of the four other teams we studied:

$0

$10,000

$20,000

$30,000

$40,000

$50,000

Midland,MI

GrandRapids, MI

BattleCreek, MI

EastLansing,

MI

Dayton,OH

Average Household Income

Considering the Dayton Dragons have the worst winning percentage of the teams we studied, and Dayton has the lowest average household income of the studied teams’ cities, how is it that they are still one of hottest tickets in sports? Through our secondary research, these are the reasons we uncovered:

Reason #1: Dayton Dragon games are about family fun and entertainment

Fifth Third Field offers those Dayton families with kids on a little league baseball team a special package. With the package, a little league team gets to run a lap around the warning track, get announced by the P.A. announcer, highlighted on the video board, and meet the players after the game.

Fifth Third Field features more stadium seating—and consequently less lawn seating—than other minor league stadiums. This just adds to the family appeal of a Dayton Dragon ticket, as families prefer stadium seating.

On six dates (April 20th, May 9th, May 22nd, June 19th, July 23rd, and August 17th) the Dayton Dragons offer a McDonald’s Friends and Family Night promotion. The promotion includes four tickets to a sold-out Dragons game, four McDonald’s Extra Value Meals, and four Dayton Dragons baseball caps. A package like this would sell for $120, but the Dragons offer it for $39.99. These particular packages sell out every year.

Reason #2: Close proximity to major league affiliate

Another benefit for the Dayton Dragon’s large attendance is that they are affiliated with the Major League Baseball team the Cincinnati Reds, whose home field is only 50 miles way. The close proximity means that Dragon fans are more than likely Red fans as well. This is advantageous towards attendance because it gives Dayton Dragon fans a chance to see the future of their favorite major league program.

exploratory research results

The first question, “Did you go to a Great Lakes Loon’s game last year?” was a qualifying question we asked to make sure that we got responses from people who have actually attended a game. If they were to answer, “no”, to this question we would have thanked them for their time and moved on to another respondent.The second question, “Do you plan to go again this year?” gave us positive results. No person responded with a definite no and only two people responded with a maybe.

The third question, “What was your favorite part?” gave us a wide variety of results. Many respondents liked the cheap tickets and sitting in the lawn seats. They also enjoyed the family atmosphere and the family activities they could participate in. Respondents also enjoyed the concessions, but thought they could be improved, as we will note in a later section. The entertainment that was performed was also an important factor for our respondents. They liked the special appearances by performers and enjoyed the music that was played. Most respondents also mentioned that they liked having fun with their friends and family, as it was a social event for them.

The fourth question, “What didn’t you like or what could be improved?” also gave us a wide variety of results. Many respondents made a comment about the concessions and noted important facts like price and variety. A few respondents also mentioned the team’s mascot, Lou E. Loon, was very vexing and thought he shouldn’t be so ubiquitous. Another major concern was the team’s inability to win games. Many respondents noted this in the survey at some point, and some were more serious about it than others. Also, it should be noted that many respondents felt there was really nothing they did not enjoy.

The fifth questions, “What would you like to see in upcoming seasons?” and “What will keep you coming back?” were used in conjunction with one another, primarily to stimulate a response if one question didn’t provoke any answers.

Each of these questions were important to our main objective of finding out what will keep people coming back to Great Lakes Loon’s games. The responses from our exploratory research were also used in developing our primary research survey.

primary research results

As previously mentioned, our three main objectives were: “Why will they go this year?” “What did they like last year?” and “What didn’t they like last year?” The series of questions in our survey gave us an indirect answer to our objectives. We then used these answers to answer our primary research question. Our primary research question was, “What will keep people coming to Great Lakes Loon’s games?” Our results concluded that most people were satisfied with the Great Lakes Loon’s games and will attend games in the 2008 season. Of the seventy-five respondents, seventy-one answered, “Yes”, to attending a 2008 game. Of those seventy-one respondents, forty-four said they would attend one to five games, twenty-five said they would attend six to twenty games, and two respondents said they would attend thirty-one or more games.

The series of questions using the Likert Scale gave us a variety of results. Items scoring an average less than or equal to two, which means they were satisfied or very satisfied, were: Ticket Price 1.52Concession Quality 1.95Family Environment 1.76Between Inning Promotions 1.99Cleanliness 1.6Game Times 1.81Overall 1.7

These averages signify the qualities and aspects of Great Lakes Loon’s baseball games that people enjoy. The closer the number is to one, the more satisfied the respondents were. Maintaining these high standards are a part of what will keep people coming back to a Great Lakes Loon’s game.

great lakes loons

One of our objectives was to answer the question, “What didn’t you like last year?” The answer to this question can be answered by looking at the opposite end of the Likert Scale, where the average responses were closer to a no opinion or a dissatisfied rating.

Concession Price 2.83Concession Selection 2.12Fireworks 2.04Pre and Post Game Concerts 2.4Special Entertainment 2.32Children’s Play Area 2.23Parking 3Skill Level of Players 2.87Team Competitiveness 2.67Lou E. Loon 2.01 These averages are still very close to the rating of satisfied, but due to the small margins on the averages, there are areas that seek improvement. Clearly, a higher response average means a more dissatisfied response.

We then gave respondents a series of nine choices and asked them to list what they would like to see more of in the upcoming 2008 season. They were asked to rank the top three things they would like to see with one being the most important. Listed below are the total averages of the results.

More Wins 2.04Student Discounts 3.35Concession Specials 3.16Affordable Tickets 3.91More Family Events 3.35Better Beverage Selection 3.76Giveaways and Prizes 3.57More Entertainment 3.37More Crowd Interaction 3.49 These numbers signify what people would like to see more of in the 2008 season. The margins on these averages are very small, but an average closer to one is what people want to see more of, or an improvement in that area. If the respondent did not mark a certain selection we gave that ranking a four. This means that a closer average to four is what the respondents thought did not need improvement on. Observing the chart, the areas that require the most attention are more wins, concession specials, student discounts, more crowd interaction, more family events, more entertainment, and more giveaways and prizes.

Another area of interest that we found was the seating types people preferred. Almost fifty-nine percent of respondents preferred the stadium seating, almost thirty-five percent preferred the lawn seating, and only six percent preferred suites or rentals. This correlates with the survey question where we asked people to rate items. Clearly, lawn and stadium seating are the most inexpensive selections and affordable ticket prices were rated as the least important and needed almost no alterations in the respondent’s opinions.

Our survey respondents were fifty-nine percent male and forty-one percent female. When we cross-tabulated the results of gender and if they will attend a 2008 Loon’s game we found that ninety-one percent of females will attend and ninety-two percent of males will attend.

Then we cross-tabulated gender with how many games they will attend and came up with the following information:

Male Female0 Games 7.89% 4.35%1-5 Games 47.37% 78.26%6-20 Games 42.11% 13.04%21-30 Games 0% 0%31+ Games 2.63% 4.35%

As the chart shows, attending games in the 2008 season has no correlation to gender. It is apparent that males will be attending a larger amount of games than females, but it is still important to note that females are still an important demographic for Great Lakes Loon’s baseball games. Another important aspect relating to gender is the preferred seating type.

Male FemaleLawn Seats 52.63% 21.74%Stadium Seats 39.47% 78.26%Suites/Rentals 7.89% 0%

As the chart shows, males have a stronger preference to the lawn seating than females. Females show a very high percentage in preference for the stadium seating.

Age is an important demographic characteristic that must also be analyzed. When we cross-tabulated age and how many 2008 Loon’s games we obtained these results:

24 and Under 25-35 36-50 51+0 Games 13.04% 0% 11.11% 0%1-5 Games 69.57% 61.11% 55.56% 36.36%6-20 Games 17.39% 38.89% 22.22% 54.55%21-30 Games 0% 0% 0% 0%31+ Games 0% 0% 11.11% 9.09%

As the chart shows, the older the respondents were, the more likely they were to attend more games in the 2008 season.

When we cross-tabulated the results of the respondents age and their preferred type of seating, we obtained these results:

24 and Under 25-35 36-50 51+Lawn 65.22% 38.89% 11.11% 18.18%Stadium Seats 30.43% 61.11% 77.78% 72.73%Suites/Rentals 4.43% 0% 11.11% 9.09%

As this chart shows, the lawn seating is preferred more by the younger respondents and the stadium seating is preferred more by the older respondents.

great lakes loons

One of the main limitations of our research was our sample size. We were only able to survey seventy-five respondents, due to time and respondent availability. We feel that with a larger respondent size we would have been able to get better results from our questionnaire.

Another limitation of our research was that we used non-probability sampling techniques. One way we did this was based on convenience of finding respondents. Another technique we used was judgment sampling on the types of respondents we were going to ask, for example, age and gender. We also used a quota technique with our judgment analysis to get a variety of respondents from different demographics. These techniques deviate from probability sampling, and may have skewed our results.

Another limitation of our research was the area in which we conducted our exploratory and primary research. We only surveyed respondents in the Midland, Michigan area. It may have been beneficial to branch out to surrounding areas to get a wider variety of respondents.

limitations of the research conclusions and recommendationsconclusions

Our first group of conclusions is for our, “Why did they like last year?” question. Looking at our results from question number seven of our survey, we see they really like the ticket prices. Some other things they really enjoy are the cleanliness of the stadium, the family environment, the game times, and the overall experience at a game.

These are all important parts of the Minor League baseball experience, so it is good to see the Loons excelling in these areas. Another thing we concluded from question six was the fans liked stadium seating more than lawn at an almost 2 to 1 ratio, which is obviously a preference of the general comfort that the stadium seats bring.

Our second conclusion stems from the objective that asked, “What didn’t they like last year?” We see the fans definitely do not appreciate the parking situation. They also dislike the concession price and the skill level of the players.

We also made conclusions from answering our third objective: “Why will they go this year?” People want to see more wins. Other than this, people want to see concession specials, student discounts, and more family events.

Combining the conclusions from these three objectives, we have our answer to our large question of, “What will keep people coming to Loons games?” The things they liked and things they want to see this year are the things that will get them coming and maintain them as customers, and the things they did not like will, obviously, definitely not keep them coming to Loons games and need to be improved upon.

Other conclusions from our cross-tabulations mentioned earlier in our primary research results show us that both men and woman appreciate the games. We also see that younger people are not as likely to see a high multitude of games in one season, but older people are more likely to attend a high multitude of games.

Seeing that people want to see more family events this coming year from question eight, and also that they general like the family environment from question seven, we can conclude that people, in general, like the family atmosphere and the Loons should continue to promote this type of venue.

recommendations Based on the results in researching our “big question”, we decided on a few recommendations for the organization.

First, we suggest removing some of the lawn area and placing stadium seats in its place. Around the entire outfield and down half of the right field line is all lawn seating, so the organization has a large selection of places to add the seats. Based on the preference of stadium seating, it will be something that satisfies the majority of the fans.

Secondly, we also suggest the organization put in a three to four story-parking garage on the east side of the stadium. This will maximize the parking space the Loons have and accommodate the fans. It will be costly at first, but will make the fans extremely happy and more excited about coming to a game.

Thirdly, we suggest a slight reduction in price of the concession food. The fans generally like the selection the stadium has, but in many cases the prices are keeping them from buying and forming a negative opinion of the stadium and organization. We suggest a decrease of price by at least 10 percent. This will make the fans happier with their experience and get them coming to more games.

great lakes loons

Fourthly, we suggest concession specials. More people will come to a game to utilize their coupons or take advantage of special deals. People love feeling like they have something special and will want to take advantage of this special privilege of getting a discount. For example, a dollar off hotdogs for senior citizens on all Wednesday games, or teens get half off Dip and Dots on Monday games. This gives them another reason to come and makes them feel privileged at the game. This will also increase ticket sales on games early in the week when sales are usually slower.

Our fifth recommendation is to advertise group ticket packages to the older generation. They are the ones who want to attend larger multitudes of games. This means advertising ticket packages in newspapers, during the local news, and at community organizations such as Rotary Club or the American Legion, as apposed to marketing the ticket packages at bars, during nightly drama shows, or close to schools and universities.

Our sixth and final recommendation is to improve and promote the family environment. This can be done by increasing security and training of game day staff to prevent alcohol abuse. The organization should also add parent/child on field events between innings or use parent/child contestants in the events already in place. We also suggest discounts for ticket packages if taken by three or more members of a family. Tickets are cheap, but buying an eight game or even season tickets for a family gets pretty expensive. The Loons could give monetary discounts or free games within the package based on the size of package the family wants.

survey1. Gender: Male___ Female___

2. Age: 24 and under___ 25-35___ 36-50___ 51+__

3. How many Great Lakes Loon’s games did you attend last year 1-5___ 6-20___ 21-30___ 31+___

4. Do you plan to attend a 2008 Great Lakes Loon’s game? Yes___ No___

5. If Yes, how many? 1-5___ 6-20___ 21-30___ 31+___

6. What is your preferred type of seating? Lawn___ Stadium Seats___ Suites/Rental Areas___

7. What is your opinion of the following parts of the game or games you attended last year? Please rate the following by circling the number: 1 ----------- 2 ----------- 3 ---------- 4 ----------- 5 Very Satisfied No Dissatisfied Very Satisfied Opinion Dissatisfied

Ticket Price 1 ----------- 2 ----------- 3 ----------- 4 ------------ 5Food, snack and beverage quality 1 ----------- 2 ----------- 3 ----------- 4 ------------ 5Food, snack and beverage price 1 ----------- 2 ----------- 3 ----------- 4 ------------ 5Food, snack and beverage selection 1 ----------- 2 ----------- 3 ----------- 4 ----------- 5Family environment 1 ----------- 2 ----------- 3 ----------- 4 ----------- 5Fireworks displays 1 ----------- 2 ----------- 3 ----------- 4 ----------- 5Pre or post-game concerts 1 ----------- 2 ----------- 3 ----------- 4 ----------- 5Between Inning promotions 1 ----------- 2 ----------- 3 ----------- 4 ----------- 5Special Traveling Entertainment (Blues Brothers, Zooperstars, etc.) 1 ----------- 2 ----------- 3 ----------- 4 ----------- 5Cleanliness of stadium 1 ----------- 2 ----------- 3 ----------- 4 ----------- 5Game times 1 ----------- 2 ----------- 3 ----------- 4 ----------- 5Children’s play area 1 ----------- 2 ----------- 3 ----------- 4 ----------- 5Parking situations 1 ----------- 2 ----------- 3 ----------- 4 ----------- 5Skill level of players 1 ----------- 2 ----------- 3 ----------- 4 ----------- 5Team competitiveness 1 ----------- 2 ----------- 3 ----------- 4 ----------- 5Lou E. Loon 1 ----------- 2 ----------- 3 ----------- 4 ----------- 5Overall experience 1 ----------- 2 ----------- 3 ----------- 4 ----------- 5

8. Rank the top 3 things you would like to see in the upcoming 2008 season, with 1 being the most important. ______ More wins ______ Student discounts ______ Beverages and food specials ______ More affordable tickets ______ More family events ______ Better beverage selection ______ Giveaways and prizes ______ More Entertainment ______ More Crowd interaction

DisclaimerThis research is conducted by Northwood University students for academic purposes only. All infor-mation is confidential and anonymous.

great lakes loons

research proposal

backgroundWe are exploring the marketing opportunities and problems that the Great Lakes Loons minor league baseball team has. This team is located in Midland, Michigan. Currently the team has a season that runs from April through September. Through their venue and team, the loons offer recreation, entertainment, promotional events, concessions, fireworks, and family time. They also offer different activities during the off-season when the Loons are not playing. Last year, 2007, was the Loon’s first season. The turnout was even higher than expected. The current marketing question is whether the next season, and the seasons that follow, are going to be as successful as the inaugural season. Also, if the current activities and promotions offered are what the customers enjoy and will keep them coming back. We want to find out which aspects of the Loons experience will keep fans coming back season after season.

purpose of the researchThe question that we are trying to answer is: “What will keep people coming to Loon’s Games?”

The objectives of our research can be identified by asking the following questions:• Why did people go last year?• Why will they go this year?• What did they like last year?• What didn’t they like last year?

methodologysecondary research plan

Our secondary research will be primarily conducted using five other teams from the Midwest League. The Midwest League is the league the Loons and other northern “A” level minor league baseball teams play in. We will use the attendance and other information from these teams from their first year of inception until now. The five teams include the Dayton Dragons, Lansing Lugnuts, West Michigan White Caps, Fort Wayne Wizards, and Michigan Battle Cats. We will be examining the attendance figures of these teams for not only their first year, but also the years that follow to see if attendance in the first year is just a honeymoon experience for a team or if attendance rates remain relatively constant. We will also examine minor league baseball attendance in general, as well as different minor league sports teams in the area and the different promotional activities they offer to keep attendance at an optimal level.

exploratory research planWe will interview about 15 people of various gender, age, and vocation to find out what they think about our topic so we can determine our primary research questions. We will ask five questions through personal or phone interviews. Our first question will address whether the interviewee has indeed attended at least one game to see if we should interview them. The other questions will be open ended and find answers to, and generate discussion about, our research objectives.

primary research plansurvey

Our survey will be a self-administered questionnaire. This survey will include questions gathered from information discovered in our secondary and exploratory research.

sampleOur sampling will be non-probability sampling. We will use a quota method using age brackets of our interviewee’s to make sure we can get a broad sample the best portrays the community of Midland. We will screen potential candidates before administering the survey by asking them if they have been to a game or not. From there we will ask them if they would like to participate in the survey and administer it from there.

data gatheringWe will be administering our survey as that of a drop-off/stand-by method of gathering. We will be sampling approximately 80 participants who have attended a Great Lakes Loons game at Dow Diamond in Midland. We plan to use four areas including the Northwood campus, the downtown area, the Midland Community Center, and the Midland Mall.

data analysisThe data that has been gathered will be entered into Minitab. Minitab will allow us to focus on trends and common answers found through our surveys. Through Minitab we will also conduct cross tabulations and graphic displays of our data, and base our research findings on that information.

deliverablesWe will be using two deliveries to show our research. Through these deliverables we will present every part of the work we did to reach a conclusion, and of course we will give the conclusion that answers our big objective question. We will construct a detailed report explaining what we have done. We will also explain our research through a Power Point presentation using important points and relative images.

scopeWhat is included in this project’s scope will be why people came to games, why they will come to games, or why they won’t come to games. What is included in the project’s scope would be the results of the opinions of Loon’s customers who have been to Loons games and had the experience of being at the stadium. This includes young adults to the elderly. We will include people in the in the community. The scope of our project also covers the main reasons why people enjoy the games. What will not be included in this project will be ideas for new projects for the stadium. It will also not focus on moving the organization to focus on attraction factors that are not shared by the largest majority opinion. It will not focus so much on what was good about their first year, but what they should improve or keep doing well. We will not include customers who are not from the area, or who are only here in summer, for instance, snowbirds.

timelines and budgetWe have yet to finalize our timeline and budget but here is a rough idea:

Budget: Hours: Rate: Total:Account Manager 8 $180 1440Project Manager 10 $150 1500Business Analyst 8 $150 1200Research Analyst 10 $120 1200Total 36 5340

Timeline: Week 3 - Define research objectiveWeek 4 - Submit first draft of the proposal Week 5 - Complete exploratory and secondary researchWeek 6 - Finish final copy of research proposal and final reportWeek 7 - Complete and administer survey Week 8 - Analyze survey and form conclusionsWeek 9 - Complete final reportWeek 10 - Give final presentation

approvalsOur first approval will need to take place in week three. Various approvals of our progress will take place from week 3 until week 10 when we present our research.