EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Team: The Games: The Field: The History: The FUN! West Michigan Whitecaps Midwest League Class A Affiliate of the Detroit Tigers 70 home games from April through early September, 140 total regular season games. Fifth Third Ballpark, which opened in 1994, is a 9,000-seat state-of-the-art ball park located five miles north of downtown Grand Rapids. The facility houses 21 luxury suites, a suite-level club room, nine hospitality decks and grill areas, a spacious parking lot and a year-round banquet facility. An average of more than 400,000 fans each year have witnessed great baseball, shared in the success of six league titles, and enjoyed a family-friendly festival each and every night. Whitecaps games have become synonymous with exciting promotions, delicious food, and lasting memories. The Whitecaps have enjoyed incredible support from West Michigan fans and businesses. It s from this loyal support that the Whitecaps are able to continue to provide the community with outstanding, affordable family entertainment. Partnership opportunities with the Whitecaps include stadium signage, promotional sponsorships, print advertisements, radio tie-ins, on-site displays, product sampling, coupon distribution, ticket packages, hospitality and much more. Associating with the Whitecaps brand of family fun allows your business to reach our fans using impressionable and emotional vehicles in a captive setting. Class A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers West Michigan Whitecaps 4500 West River Drive PO Box 428 Comstock Park, MI 49321 Phone: 616-784-4131 Fax: 616-784-4911
OUR COMMUNITY GENERAL DEMOGRAPHICS OF WHITECAPS ATTENDEES Whitecaps Attendees Married Grand Rapids DMA 52% 68% DID YOU KNOW? $91 24% 78% Average monthly wireless bill of Whitecaps Attendees, $14 above the market average. of age 21+ Whitecaps Attendees enjoyed a craft beer in the past month, 39% above the market average. are saving for retirement using an IRA or 401k. Single HH Income $100,000+ 23% 27% 28% 16% 51% 35% 37% purchased new tires in the past year, 20% above the market average. shopped for a large appliance in the past year, 46% above the market average. visited a casino in the past year. HH Income $50,000+ White Collar Employment Management/ Professional Positions 22% 40% 53% 76% 88% 13% 26% shopped at a hardware/ garden store in the past year. belong to a health fitness club or gym, 35% higher than the market average. used a financial planner in the past year. use a credit union, which represents more than 140,000 unique attendees. WHERE ARE THEY COMING FROM? Whitecaps fans by county: WHITECAPS FANS GENDER AND AGE Whitecaps Attendees Grand Rapids DMA Men 57% Kent Women 43% 51% Other 4% Oceana 1% Newaygo 1% Calhoun 2% Montcalm 1% Muskegon 5% Allegan 6% Ottawa 22% Age 18-34 Age 25-54 Age 35-64 34% 31% 56% Kids 11 & Under in HH 25% 36% SOURCE: Scarborough Sports Marketing, Grand Rapids Local Market Study, Release 1-2018
OUR FANS BUYING POWER Number of Whitecaps fans planning to purchase listed items in the next 12 months Furniture 31,700 Fans Smartphone 19,500 Fans Major Appliance 17,000 Fans Mattress 31,600 Fans RESTAURANT USAGE PAST 30 DAYS FIFTH THIRD BALLPARK ATTENDANCE Since the Whitecaps began play in 1994, more than 10 million fans have passed through the gates of Fifth Third Ballpark. 110,000 390,700 loooollllll Other Events Whitecaps Baseball lollllll The Whitecaps rank 26th out of 160 affiliated Minor League Baseball teams for attendance, outdrawing 59 of the 60 Single-A teams, 26 of the 30 Double-A teams, and 10 of the 30 Triple-A teams. WHITECAPS LIFESTYLES Activities Participated in Within Past 12 Months Whitecaps Attendees Grand Rapids DMA Grilling - Outdoor Cooking 68% 82% Golf 18% 38% 70% 78% Camping 48% Fishing 29% 40% 48% 26% 65% 35% Bicycling - Mountain Biking Volunteer Work 39% 28% 40% Whitecaps Attendees enjoy a variety of outdoor and sporting activities, and are very active supporters of other community events and attractions. When you reach Whitecaps fans, you efficiently connect with an active, adventurous audience in a single venue.
CUSTOM OPPORTUNITIES SIGNAGE PRINT MEDIA All 140 regular season Whitecaps games and all playoff games are broadcast on 107.3 FM WBBL, along with simultaneous streaming on the internet. West Michigan s Sports Leader, The SPONSORSHIP ELECTRONIC MEDIA PROMOTIONS Ball, reaches more than 83,000 listen- CORPORATE OUTINGS & ers weekly, throughout West Michigan and beyond. HOSPITALITY RADIO BROADCAST OTHER EVENTS WHAT OUR PARTNERS SAY... Great Association Not only is it a great way to get our messages in front of 400,000 fans every year, but to be associated with such an innovative and respected organization is truly added value. - Grand Valley State University Family Centered Events Powerful Reach Working with the Whitecaps has been a great opportunity for our organization to reach the West Michigan community. - Samaritas Senior Living Lifetime Partnerships The West Michigan Whitecaps are a great organization and truly help create a fun, family centered event where we can promote the goodness of fresh Michigan dairy products. - Milk Means More The West Michigan Whitecaps will always be part of our marketing efforts as well as our employee/customer appreciation strategy. - Centennial Securities Perfect Fit Passionate & Genuine The Whitecaps has been one of our best sponsorships year after year. The crowds are fun, friendly, and a perfect fit for our family demographic. - J & H Family Stores We ve been in business together for over 24 years. We have grown to understand the passion behind the experience delivered to their fans, and their genuine efforts to support and represent their business partners at all levels of their organization. - PepsiCo Western Michigan
COMMUNITY SPONSORSHIPS The Whitecaps Community Foundation, the nonprofit extension of the West Michigan Whitecaps, is a 501c3 organization dedicated to enriching the lives of children and their families by providing them with access to social, educational and recreational programs that will have a positive impact on their futures. With the help and generosity of community partners and members, the Whitecaps Community Foundation continues to strive to make the West Michigan area a better place to grow, learn, and thrive. Programs funded by the Whitecaps Community Foundation available to community sponsors, either directly supporting the Whitecaps Community Foundation or a charity of your choice: Pinch Hitter Program Non-profit organizations are matched with program sponsors/ donors, allowing the members of the non-profits to receive tickets to attend a game at no cost. Reading Club Program An incentive-based program for children between the grade levels of kindergarten and 6th grade. K-6 students who read a total of 450 minutes during the month of March receive incentive gifts and tickets to a Whitecaps game, courtesy of program sponsors. The program reaches more than 68,000 kids per year. NonprofHITS Program Your company chooses a Whitecaps player and a non-profit organization. Throughout the season, every hit by the chosen player will represent a $25 donation to the non-profit. Includes video and PA promotion every game, as well as an on-field check presentation at the end of the season.
In-game Charity Promotion A donation is matched with a baseball play that occurs during the game (double play, stolen base, home run, etc.), and for every occurrence, a donation will be made to a non-profit of your choice. Includes video and PA promotion for each program sponsor. Winter Banquet In January of every year, the Whitecaps Community Foundation holds a banquet that benefits the YMCA Inner City Youth Baseball and Softball Program, which provides the opportunity for inner city youth to play baseball and softball free of charge, and the Detroit Tigers Foundation. More than 30,000 children have been involved with the program since its inception 24 years ago. It s easy to GET INVOLVED! Through donations, gifts-in-kind and our own fundraising, we were able to CONTRIBUTE OVER $529,366 to local West Michigan children and their families in 2017. $236,604 in-stadium fundraising $175,263 in reading club tickets $72,147 cash donations 9% $45,352 gifts-in-kind 13% 45% Annual Golf Outing An annual event that is underwritten by sponsors, with the proceeds benefitting the Whitecaps Community Foundation and its programs. Opportunities include presenting and supporting sponsorships as well as tee signs. $25,000+ is raised for the Foundation each year from this outing. 50/50 Raffle Sponsorship 25-30 50/50 raffles are held each season during Whitecaps games at Fifth Third Ballpark, staffed by volunteers, with proceeds from half of the raffles benefitting the Whitecaps Community Foundation and the other half benefitting various local charities. The exclusive Presenting Sponsor of this season-long effort receives acknowledgement for playing a vital role in the fundraising efforts from in-game and social media exposure, as well as association with a variety of local charities.