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Bakersfield Jam Can Boast Sellout Crowd of 420
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↵In what some are calling a ↵possible future business model for developmental and minor league teams, the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA D-League has restricted seating to 420 and have moved their games from their considerably larger arena to the team’s practice facility. In doing so, the Jam wants to market it as a “luxury basketball experience” when really it looks as though it’s going to be a small business owner’s networking dream.↵↵⇥The Jam sells a big percentage of the 420 seats exclusively as season ticket packages, and these packages come with far more than paid attendance to 24 basketball games (one of the team’s “home” games was played at the D-League Showcase in Boise). A wide variety of packages come with perks ranging from deals at local restaurants or businesses to LA Clippers tickets. ↵⇥↵⇥The packages are marketed primarily to businesses – the idea being that a local Bakersfield business might see a luxury loft or courtside suite as a great holding, whether to use for entertaining clients, rewarding its own employees or some other purpose that I’m not clever enough to think of (certainly there must be several).↵⇥
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↵Already, it seems, the intended effect has been achieved, as some of those targeted business folks are raving about the convenience of being able to converse with other professional types.↵
↵↵⇥Businessman Lynn Gudmundson said he could never speak with more than five people a night at the Rabobank because of its sheer size. Now he makes sure to load up on business cards before heading to the new venue. ↵⇥↵⇥“It’s really a fun way to conduct business and see the Jam play at the same time,” said Gudmundson, owner of several businesses in town.↵⇥
↵↵↵Naturally, it makes sense whenever demand is lower to make your product more exclusive. It’s why less popular teams block off sections of their stadia when turnout is low. But making it this intimate is obviously a more drastic step. Marketing it toward the business community ensures a more wealthy clientele, but one has to wonder if limited it as low as 420 can have sustained success. After all, there are only going to be so many new faces per game with a crowd that minuscule. Eventually, those who frequent the games may not look at it as a helpful new opportunity so much as another social event with the same crowd they’ve seen and talked with before.↵
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This post originally appeared on the Sporting Blog. For more, see The Sporting Blog Archives.
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