A group of Nashville business and civic leaders today announced the formation of the Our Team campaign to help drive Nashville Predators season ticket sales within the local and regional business communities.
The volunteer coalition has created action teams to assist the Predators in connecting with CEOs, business owners, and decision-makers in key business sectors.
Ron Samuels, CEO of Avenue Bank and chair-elect of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, is serving as volunteer chairman of Our Team, with additional support coming from a cross-section of business leaders.
"The Nashville Predators are an important part of what makes Nashville a great city to live, work, and raise a family, and now is the time for the area business community to demonstrate its support for the franchise and for our city," Samuels said. "Whether that means buying season tickets for the first time, adding more tickets to an existing account, buying a suite, reviving an old relationship that has slipped away, or coming on board as a corporate sponsor, there are a variety of things businesses can do to make a positive impact."
Our Team includes committees for business outreach, grassroots, research, and sponsorships. Committees and chairs are as follows:
* Business outreach, chaired by Rob McCabe of Pinnacle Financial Partners.
* Major corporations, chaired by Mike Edwards of First Tennessee Bank.
* Small and medium sized businesses, chaired by Michael Carter of Athena Day Spa.
* Downtown businesses, chaired by Jack Cawthon of Jack's BBQ.
* Hospitality/tourism industry, chaired by Jon Crisp of the Hilton Hotels Family of Brands and Ruble Sanderson of Broadway Entertainment Venues.
* Grassroots, chaired by Mike Coyne of Smith Seckman Reid, and Rick Regen, community sports volunteer.
* Sponsorships, chaired by Mark Ezell of Purity Dairies.
In addition to one-on-one meetings with individual businesses, Samuels said Our Team volunteers also will be working with the Predators to host a series of luncheons, receptions, and other larger group gatherings for corporate decision-makers to learn more about the benefits of supporting the team through season ticket purchases.
Samuels said the results of an ongoing survey conducted on behalf of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and Our Team has given the group a good deal of confidence as the campaign begins. More than 3,600 individuals and 200 businesses completed the survey, with 70 percent of corporate respondents saying they would be willing or very willing to purchase season tickets for the upcoming season. Other notable findings from the business respondents include:
* Thirty-one businesses provided contact information for a follow-up sales call.
* Two-thirds of businesses rate the Predators a good or excellent value for hosting business clients.
* Three-fourths say the change in ownership has no impact or makes them more likely to purchase season tickets.
Samuels said that additional Our Team outreach efforts are underway, including the launch of a campaign Web site at www.ourteamnashville.com, which will continue to add features in the coming weeks, planning for a communitywide rally later this month, and other grassroots events to be determined. People who want to get involved with the campaign, or who have questions, can provide their contact information through the Web site or by calling (615) 259-4754.
"This truly is a team effort," Samuels said. "From the players and coaches to the team's marketing and sales staffs to the diehard fans to the corporate suite holders to the new ownership, it's going to take all of us working together to pack the Sommet Center, and ultimately I think that is going to be a positive, uniting experience for Nashville."