Hartford Business Journal

8 Hartford Business Journal • June 5, 2017 www.HartfordBusiness.com FOCUS BUSINESS OF SPORTS McIlroy, other top golfers aim to draw more fans to Travelers Championship By Patricia Daddona pdaddona@HartfordBusiness.com W hen the Travelers Championship tees off later this month, it will feature one of the most high- profile golfers the tournament has ever attract- ed: Rory McIlroy, the No. 2 golfer in the world. It wasn't until recently that McIlroy confirmed he'd play in the tournament at the TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, but the quest to woo him started long before. Tournament Director Nathan Grube said he started soliciting McIlroy a few years ago by approaching him and his handlers at tournaments around the country. But even before that, McIlroy had found his way to TPC River Highlands' practice facility. It was on a day in 2011 when Grube was out of town. "I actually got a call from the guys working in the pro shop say- ing, 'Did you know Rory's out here hitting balls?' " Grube recalled. McIlroy, now 28, happened to be visiting Connecticut, so he made a trip to Travelers' practice facil- ity to hit a few balls, and liked what he saw, Grube said. To recruit players, Grube and Andy Bessette, Travelers' execu- tive vice president and chief administrative officer, typically attend five or six tour events a year making player invites and offering perks like day care ser- vices or travel arrangements to and from the course. But making a good first impression seems to have helped win McIlroy over, Grube said. McIlroy, No.3-world-ranked pro Jason Day and Bubba Watson are just a few of the 150-plus players who will round out the field of this year's Travelers Championship, June 19 through June 25. The added starpower, who'll be vying for a piece of the event's $6.8 million purse, should help provide a boost to this year's tourney, which depends on a talent- ed field of players and course amenities to attract fans. Sponsorships, charity participation and ticket sales are all tracking above last year's figures, Grube said. In 2016, the tournament raised a record $2.8 million for charity, which was helped by a special benefit dinner for retired Travelers CEO Jay Fishman, who was suf- fering from ALS. He died later in 2016 from the disease. The tournament had 160 charities participating last year, as well as 380 sponsors, both figures organizers expect to exceed this year. Attendance also is likely to climb, Grube said, though he didn't have estimates or tallies from years past. For instance, 750 tickets for the June 22 Women's Day event sold out 14 minutes after they went on sale, he said. Ticket sales for the Champions Club are tracking about 18 percent higher than last year, when 1,300 tick- ets were sold, Grube said. Located on the 18th hole, the climate-controlled luxury hospitality tent for all-inclu- sive tickets, ranging from $150 to $275 a person, includes free food and beverages, a full bar and TVs. Location and the premier field of golf pros is the reason for the uptick in sales, Grube said. Aer Lingus, which is making a big marketing push in Connecticut after launching the state's only direct trans-Atlan- tic flight last September, is the Champions Club sponsor. The tournament also recruit- ed several new sponsors this year including Stanley Black & Decker, Dell and Stryker, whose funds will help various charities including the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, which is the primary beneficiary. Meantime, organizers are continually tweaking amenities to keep the public coming back. That includes more concerts and special events and a place for kids and families to hang out. The goal is to make the tournament more of an experience and not just about golf. The rock band Gin Blos- soms and country singer Drake White and The Big Fire will headline concerts at this year's event. The "fan zone," complete with concessions, picnic tables and activities, including a mini golf course, has been continuously improved since 2008 and features small recent changes that are important to the fan experience, Grube said. Improvements this year range from an expanded baby changing tent to healthier salads and a viewing deck for the military and their families. "Families come down there and spend two to three hours there and never see a shot of golf," he said. Even new "chill zones" have been set up. They are cooling benches located in viewing areas that blow cold air "to make it as enjoyable as possible when the fans come on-site," Grube said. "We have a philosophy," he said. "The status quo is unacceptable. We always try to get better." n Q&A NB Bees owner links technology to baseball fan experience Q&A talks to Anthony Iacovone, founder and CEO of New York mobile ad technology company AdTheorent, who recently acquired a majority stake in the New Britain Bees Atlantic League ball club. Q: Why did you decide to invest in the New Britain Bees? Is inde- pendent-league baseball bot- tom-line friendly? A: Baseball has always been a big part of my life so invest- ing in a ballclub has been a lifelong goal. Specifically the draw for me with New Brit- ain was based on the legacy of 35 years of professional base- ball and how loyal the fan base has been throughout the years. The abrupt move by the former team (Rock Cats) would have left a big hole in the community, which for me made it even more compelling and sort of a David vs. Goliath type of story. The Bees being an expansion team is similar to a startup in some ways, which is the environment I love to work within. The business of baseball can be bottom-line friendly if done right. It comes down to provid- ing a great family experience and great baseball to draw fans. The baseball in the Atlantic League is considered by some to be "AAAA" level, as 800-plus players have been acquired by Major League Baseball (MLB) over the years. Q: Atlantic League President Rick White said your league is going to be where technology meets tradition and provides for unique fan experiences. How is that going to be accomplished? A: We are investing a lot into the fan experience, resources and technology this year to make our games more memorable. We took the time to listen to fans after last year. For example, we received feedback that our food could be improved, so we took action and decided to run our own concessions this year — the reviews have been great. Fans will see a lot more fun between innings with our promotions and music. We have invested in some really fun fan engagements on field and will be rolling them out over the next month. Technology is also a key for us — we are rolling out new Wi-Fi for fans and leading- edge baseball virtual reality. We're also implementing mobile-device technologies that will allow for fans to engage during the game, including becoming part of the broadcast and providing redeemable offers at our conces- sions as well as outside retailers. For fans who can't make every game, we are trialing a first-of- its-kind "new angle broadcast" for Face- book and other social channels that will, among other things, include 30 camera angles (including umpire cams) and eventually allowing a user to decide how they want to watch the game. Q: Can teams like the Bees afford to be technology innovators without the sup- port of Major League Base- ball? Does being independent make it harder or easier to achieve changes? A: Being an independent team affords us a unique ability to try new things without the red tape within affiliated baseball. We can be nimble and deploy new things like our umpire cameras within weeks, which might have taken years within the MiLB (Minor League Baseball) structure. The Atlantic League has been a leader in many ways for things like pace of play and we are extending our showcase to include technology this year. While we may not have pockets as deep as affiliated teams, we are quite resource- ful on deploying technology via sponsors and vendors who want to showcase their technologies in a stadium environment. Q: How much of a factor is your competition in Hartford? You're not competing in the same league, but you are com- peting for the same fans. How are the early attendance num- bers compared with last year? A: Our attendance this year so far has exceeded that of last year. We are seeing an increase in all areas, including groups, day of game walk-ups and special events. Hartford, in our opinion, isn't a big factor in our attendance growth this year. We did some research around the fan base in Hartford and we are seeing them draw a 25 to 35 percent Hartford work-centric demographic. We see our sweet spot within fami- lies and seniors. n ANTHONY IACOVONE Majority owner, New Britain Bees Rory McIlroy is scheduled to play in his first-ever Travelers Championship this month. Bubba Watson (blue shirt) sizes up a putt during final-round play of last year's Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands. H B J P H O T O | J O H N S T E A R N S P H O T O | C R E A T I V E C O M M O N S , T O U R P R O G O L F C L U B S

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