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(Sometimes there are too many, to be
frank. On a Saturday night at the end of the
just-ended season, I was in Miami to see
the Marlins play; it was the second-to-last
ballpark on my list. But the Marlins had a
Star Wars promotion that was way, way over
the top. It made me want to take a light
saber to whatever genius in marketing
thought it up.)
That's what retailers need to do, now more
than ever. They can't just be places that stock
other companies' merchandise and promote
other companies' brands. They have to
create enticing, engaging and unique
experiences that speak to the customer's
interests and desires.
Sometimes, that means having the kind of
nimble attitude that characterizes smaller
companies. And sometimes it just means
being innovative enough to make things fun.
Now, before I sign off, I have to answer the
question that I've been getting constantly
since telling people about my achievement:
Which ballparks did I like best?
To be honest, I do have biases. I'm partial
to craft beer and food that goes beyond the
standard hot dogs and peanuts. (I'm big on
fish tacos. And the Blue Smoke and Shake
Shack stands at Citi Field are a major lure.)
I like a little leg room, and I think high-
definition displays and great scoreboards are
really, really important. (A stadium without
an out-of-town scoreboard that lists every
game being played in the majors in real time
loses points.)
I dislike domes and artificial turf, and I
like stadiums that one can walk to from
downtown. (I also hate the designated hitter
rule, but that's not a stadium issue...)
I'm happy to say that four of my top-ranked
ballparks are on the west coast – AT&T Park
in San Francisco, Safeco Field in Seattle,
Petco Park in San Diego, and, of course,
Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, which
remains one of the best of the lot even
though it is the third oldest in the nation.
I'm sorry to report that another west coast
ballpark – the Oakland Coliseum – is my
least favorite of the current stadiums. But
I suspect that a lot of Athletics fans might
agree with me, and yearn for something a
little more modern.
But here's the thing. Next time you go to
game (it could even be football, basketball,
hockey or soccer), look around. Ask yourself
what the team ownership is doing to make it
a unique and differentiated experience even
beyond what is happening in the game. And
then ask yourself if you are doing everything
you can do in your store to make it a
compelling experience.
It is not like in “Field of Dreams”, where
the premise is that "if you build it, they will
come." These days, you have to do more. A
lot more.
You have to come ready to play hardball.
■
“retailers have to create enticing, engaging and unique
experiences that speak to the customer’s interests
and desires.”
VIEWPOINT
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ALABAMA GROCER |