Fab Five: ‘Dream’ of an all-male cheer squad
Mark Pettit is president and CEO of Creaxion, one of Atlanta’s leading marketing firms. His company helped launch the Atlanta Beat, the city’s former women’s professional soccer team. Pettit is an avid spots fan and plays second base for the Atlanta Packers in the Hotlanta Softball League.
Pettit gives his five tips on how the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream should reach out to gay fans:
1. Openly embrace the gay market and actively promote the team to members of the GLBT community. There are thousands of sports fans in and around metro Atlanta who just happen to be gay. Once members of the GLBT community feel wanted and welcomed to attend games, they will.
2. Treat members of the gay media just like you would the mainstream media. Offer those outlets “All Access” press passes to the games, invite them to press conferences, etc. They have a loyal fan base just like writers at the AJC.
3. Proudly promote lesbian members of the team. They could become “darlings” of the GLBT community and help drive ticket sales.
4. Promote the Dream as a great outing for gay families. Even consider a “Rainbow Row” that gets kids and their parents close to the action.
5. Launch a casting call and hold open auditions for the “Dream Team: All-Male, All-American Cheer Squad.” It would be a hoot (and maybe newsworthy) to have an all-male team of cheerleaders promoting an all-women’s professional basketball team.
Fab Five is a weekly feature that quizzes personalities about sports-related topics. Got someone you’d like to see featured? E-mail me with ideas.
Catch up on past Fab Fives:
Gary Sisney’s tips for watching the Super Bowl.
Philip Rafshoon on page turners for the sporty type.
Mike Horton’s gay sports hopes for 2008.