Straight From Her Inbox: Five Questions with Kelsey Laverdiere
We're talking all things Attendance, Atmosphere & Brand with the University of Iowa Assistant Athletic Director for Marketing & Fan Experience, Kelsey Laverdiere.
Mike: What has been the biggest change in sports branding that you’ve seen from your start in the industry until now?
Kelsey: When I started in the industry a majority of your focus was on home event presentation and department branding with your trademark logos and style, with the ultimate goal to unify the teams and subunits of the department.
Fan interaction has continued to change and evolve the most. Social media, the use of mobile devices, email communication, and interactive platforms have changed the most. The evolution of technology has expanded how we communicate and engage with our fan base and recruits. It’s important to expand and improve on all our digital strategies, including our website, app, creative content, and all other digital communication platforms.
Mike: In your eyes, what is the perfect gameday driveway-to-driveway experience for fans?
Kelsey: Fans need to know what to expect at every event they attend. They need to have all the information for the event logistics before they depart for the venue. They need their mobile tickets, gameday information, parking procedures, the promotion elements for that event, and all other information that will help them enjoy the game. We provide this to our fans via a Game Week email leading into the game, we have a mobile app with the schedule, mobile tickets, light show, stadium policies, latest information on the team, social media content, and every other element of preparation. We need to have that out to the fans prior to their departure for the event. We have gameday web pages setup, that are hubs for all gameday logistics, schedule pages, rosters, latest content, live stats, and all other elements needed for our fans.
Mike: In today’s world, what inspires someone to attend a sporting event?
Kelsey: There are many things that can inspire a fan, but we try to build a relationship with the team, the coaches, the school, and the other fans in attendance. Every event should be a unique and special experience to entertain the fan and help them make lasting memories. The relationships are what keeps the fans coming back and helps build our brand and the success of our teams.
Mike: You and your team spearheaded the “Fight for Iowa” campaign back in 2017. When I visited your campus, I saw “Fight for Iowa” signage all over your athletic facilities. Can you talk about the origin of the campaign and how it has developed over the last 3-plus years?
Kelsey: The campaign origins stem from a strong history of Fighting for Iowa, and it’s fully integrated into our teams’ philosophies and the Fight Song. The campaign was thoroughly reviewed and analyzed as something all 24 sports teams could support and build upon. The ultimate goal was to enhance the Iowa Hawkeye brand by unifying all 24 teams. It integrates our nationally known Tigerhawk mark, and the newly established Fight For Iowa logos for every team. The mantra is more than a brand slogan, it is the way we operate as Hawkeyes. It’s a battle cry and we have been able to build on the messaging with custom graphics, facility signage, videos, digital elements, and integration into the campus and community. It represents the values we live by and will be a part of the department for many years. It’s important to continue to be creative in how it is integrated into our messaging and marketing efforts.
Mike: You have the best tradition in all of sports in the Iowa Wave. Watching 70,000 fans at Kinnick Stadium wave to the children watching from the windows of the University of Iowa's Stead Family Children's Hospital is inspiring. It transcends the normal sports tradition as both teams, coaches, and staff join in on the wave. How did the idea come about? What is it like to be in Kinnick Stadium during the Iowa Wave?
Kelsey: The tradition was organically created in an effort to recognize the completion of the hospital’s new children’s unit. The marketing and production team coordinated the in-game details. Before the hospital was even finished, and overlooking the stadium, we were having conversations about how to integrate the children and their families into our games. What could we possibly do to show them we care? We established it was going to be a specific moment of every game and we would stop the action to acknowledge them. This required full participation with the football team, and they were extremely supportive of the idea. After the first quarter, we established a pause in the action to acknowledge and wave to all the kids and families fighting for a bigger cause than football. It was important to be consistent in-game timing, so we could communicate with the hospital. It will always occur after the first quarter. The moment extended into selecting a song “Wave on Wave,” which then evolved into having Pat Green come to Iowa City and perform live. After communication with the Pat Green Band, a custom song was created with the Hawkeye Marching Band. The UI Athletics Department is so proud to partner with the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital, it is truly a special relationship.
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