What are some fan’s major concerns associated with making “the trip” to St. Pete?

• Rising Gas prices
• Getting home too late after the games
• Too far away/hard to get to after work
• Not wanting to stick around for post-match bar-hopping due to the commute

All of these excuses were obviously viable concerns of  each company’s ownership as well as the sales and marketing teams when choosing stadium locations. However, weren’t strong enough to change having St. Pete as the home of the Rays or soccer team formerly known in the 70′s and 80′s as the Rowdies (but still dealing with licensing issues over the beloved name).

Originally there were talks about constructing an appropriate-sized soccer stadium in the Town n Country area but the idea was pushed back by financial blocks and other red tape. Steinbrenner Stadium was the inaugural team’s first home stadium but having to share the field with intermittent baseball tournaments  and the lackluster appeal of New York Yankees memorabilia turned most fans off to the Green and Gold experience.

Personally, I would like to eventually see FC Tampa Bay build in an area like The Shops at Wiregrass (in Wesley Chapel) -where there is a younger/hipper atmosphere and more socially acceptable “route” to drive sans bridges. For instance, the Division 3 Charleston Battery, although playing at Blackbaud stadium on Daniel’s Island (a short bridge’s drive from Charleston), the “Young and Rich appeal” gives the team a leg up on ticket sales. Daniel’s Island is a master planned community complete with residential neighborhoods, parks, trails, recreational amenities and a downtown that is home to shops, restaurants, schools, churches and offices for businesses. With Blackbaud Stadium being the first privately funded soccer stadium in the United States,  and designed based on smaller, lower-division English soccer stadiums, it stands as a model for all professional soccer teams vying for local attention in the US. (Let’s not forget the pub-access inside the stadium giving fans a variety of brews to choose from aside from the American Bud Lights in plastic cups).

One of FC Tampa Bay’s biggest strengths (if not main strength) is the loyal following of the rowdy, hooligans: Ralph’s Mob. The mob pays homage to the original Rowdies mascot “Ralph” (iconic for his 80′s-Tom-Selleck-esk mustache). This band of soccer fans plans out each pre-game bar party, march to the stadium, rehearses game day cheers and chants, organizes flags and other branding materials, and offers members discounts and opportunities to travel to in-state away matches, among many other events and parties.

Groups like these need to be cultivated and encouraged more by grassroots sports marketing teams like FC Tampa Bay. Of course you’ve heard that Soccer (or Futbal) is the number one sport in the world and you’ll hear an overwhelmingly American “boooooooo” when seeking to apply this theory to the United States -even with the growth of youth soccer clubs across the nation.

Both the Rays and FC Tampa Bay are relatively new teams, which leads most people to think they only have fairweather fans. This is true of most sports in Tampa including Lightening Hockey and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who were not given an ounce of respect until taking home the Stanley Cup or Super Bowl trophy. Not to mention the dwindling arena football team the…..what’s their name again? Oh yeah, the Storm (jokes aside, I just had to google that).

FC Tampa Bay was recognized at the Sneaker Soiree this week not only having owner Andrew Nestor nominated for young executive of the year, but also for their marketing campaign “Show your true colors, Tampa Bay.” This kind of exposure is small and hard to come by for a team even at its professional level. Even the newspapers bury match summaries and write-ups because, let’s face it, soccer just isn’t sports front page news.

But the team strains on marketing-wise, utilizing social media like Facebook and Twitter, spotlighting player charity work like Pascal Millien’s recent trips to his home country Haiti with Millien Dreams Foundation, networking at local soccer clubs with youth teams and soccer moms, highlighting local and league acheivements, inciting a closeness to the team with frequent player signings and biographical articles, among many other events and local business partnership endeavers.

Not only was I committed to perfection during my college career, but my organizational skills and attention to detail are what make me a step above the rest. As an intern at Outback Steakhouse, Inc. I learned the importance of bloggers to corporate PR.

Because writing and design are important to me I have started my own blog. Please check out samples of my writing at: http://evbates.wordpress.com. Only my desire to shine in the workforce outweighs my commitment to excellence.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth Bateman

813-391-4001

LizabethVirginia@hotmail.com

1413 Bates St. Brandon, FL 33510

Elizabeth Bateman

813-391-4001

LizabethVirginia@hotmail.com

1413 Bates St. Brandon, FL 33510

Experience

2009 OSI Internship

• Interned at Outback Steakhouse Inc. in the PR department
• Wrote media alerts and press releases
• Created press reports and media lists

2009 Social Media

• Writing a blog at EVBates.wordpress.com
• Wrote articles about guest speakers for PRSSA Web site
• Proficient in social media networks, including: Twitter, MySpace, Facebook, and LinkedIn

2005-2009 Holiday Inn Express

• Wrote the copy for the current hotel brochure
• Designed and composed the new guest survey and key jacket insert
• Increased hotel loyalty membership monthly sign ups by 100%

Education

2005-2009 University of South Florida

• BA in Public Relations May 2009 from the School of Mass Communications
• Achieved Cum Laude status for a 3.5 GPA
• Accepted and maintained the 100% Bright Futures Scholarship

Skills

• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite
• Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite 3
• Knowledgeable in Media 100 editing

Work History

• The Catering Company, Office Assitsant, 2009-Present
• Holiday Inn Express in Brandon, Guest Service Representative, 2005-Present
• Chick-Fil-A in Brandon, Team Member, 2003-2005

“I got to know Elizabeth when she was a student in my design course at USF. Elizabeth was an excellent student. She had a good eye for design and wasn’t afraid to learn and apply new design techniques. I wish all my students were as smart and talented as Liz.” August 5, 2009

-Professor Rebecca Hagen

 “Elizabeth is a very creative person, with great ideas and a good work ethic. She is a team player and I really enjoyed having her as a coworker.”

Thanks for the recommendation!!

“Elizabeth is a sharp-minded professional capable of handling any task delegated to her. I worked alongside Elizabeth while we were members of USF PRSSA and would do so again in a heartbeat. She asks the right questions and seeks help when needed, but is fully capable of independently completing projects on time while exceeding expectations.”

Thanks Mr. Fuller!

I’m trying to grow my network on LinkedIn. Find me, friend me, recommend me!!