Sitting in the bleachers rooting on their Generals, sponsors never know exactly what’s in store from one night to the next at Mathers Park at Kate Collins Field.
From inning sponsors to game nights, sponsoring a wooden-bat summer league isn’t just about the banner on the outfield fence or the free giveaways provided for Generals fans.
For sponsors that choose to take part in the fan experience, there are a lot of little extras in store for them. Ask the owners of South River Fly Shop, a new inning sponsor for the Generals, who showed up at a rainy game to root on the Generals.
In their designated inning, we not only gave away their South River Fly shop logo’d hat, but promotions guru Jeff Fife took a seat beside them and interviewed them for the crowd.
Priceless.
Our seventh inning sponsors, Initial Inspiration and Willy’s Ice Cream, have also found a creative way to connect with Generals fans. They arm a team with T-shirts and coupons and catapult the items into the stands.
Being a sponsor of the Waynesboro Generals is not just a sports marketing opportunity. It’s not just supporting a non-profit organization. I think it’s a little more about team spirit and rooting for each other that makes a night at the ballpark something special … for sponsors and for fans.
Crystal Graham is the vice president of Augusta Free Press LLC. Full disclosure: She is also part of the marketing team for the Waynesboro Generals. Learn more online at www.AFPBusiness.com.