Marketing Scholastic Sports.

Albuquerque Public Schools turn to external fund raising to rebuild a districtwide program

Extracurricular sports programs operate on a slim slice of most school districts' overall operating budgets, which makes it critical to develop supplemental support for interscholastic sports.

The Albuquerque, N.M., Public Schools, the 26th largest school district in the country with 87,000 students, run 11 varsity and junior varsity sports for boys and girls, funded equally today at the district's 11 high schools.

But it has not been an easy path to reach such stability for our interscholastic teams. During the late 1980s, the administration was forced to cut the district's athletic budgets by $600,000 over a three-year period, sending shock waves through the community and eliminating competitive sports opportunities for hundreds of students. The district made drastic cuts to a comprehensive program that once supported three levels of competition in each sport and could boast of a solid commitment to both male and female student athletes and programs.

The school district responded by inviting a local group of leaders to serve on an athletic study committee, which was asked to suggest how Albuquerque might restore a full-fledged interscholastic athletics program.

The committee recommended hiring someone to serve as a fund raiser to bring in supplemental resources targeted specifically for the support of athletics and to reverse the trend of annual budget cuts. In November 1991, I accepted the challenge to implement a sports marketing and promotion program for the Albuquerque Public Schools. In the years since, we have implemented a simple plan of marketing our interscholastic sports program and venues by tapping corporate and community resources.

Our goal for 1998-99 is to generate more than $400,000 in cash pledges and exceed $300,000 in in-kind contributions and gifts for an ongoing campaign that began in 1989 as "Support Our Sports." As those resources become available, we plan to add boys' and girls' track and field to our middle schools program.

Extensive Promotions

Here's how we market and promote our sports and athletic venues:

* Foundations: Local community and business leaders formed two foundations to assist the district in generating support for interscholastic athletics, The Albuquerque Sports Foundation was created in 1996 to raise money for boys' and girls' sports at 26 middle schools. At the moment, this group is funding boys and girls basketball teams.

The APS Sports Fund Foundation was formed in 1994 to restore entry-level athletic programs and coaching positions that were dropped in the late 1980s: freshman baseball and junior varsity cross country and golf as well as junior varsity coaches. This foundation also underwrites junior varsity soccer for boys and girls.

Combined, our sports foundations generate about $255,000 annually.

* Scoreboard Sponsors: Sponsorship involves a business, corporate or retail donor and recipient. The donor typically pays for a scoreboard for use at a school gymnasium or football field. In return, the donor's name or logo is placed in a prominent position on the scoreboard. Thus the donor receives valuable advertising rights from their donation.

When the sponsor's agreement ends, the scoreboard becomes the property of the school, and the school can begin to generate new revenues from advertising renewals or new sponsors for scoreboards.

Our goal as a district is to have the costs for scoreboards at every football field and basketball court underwritten by the year 2000. To dare, we have sponsored scoreboards at two stadiums used by multiple schools that generate an annual income of $23,000.

* Award Recognition Programs: Student- and staff-sponsored athletic awards are given weekly, monthly and annually to recognize individual achievements. These programs are underwritten fully by local businesses or corporations. They award college scholarships to students or professional development resources to the coaching recipients.

The financial support required to promote and maintain a significant districtwide awards program for students and staff costs $25,000. In return for their support, an advertising package is put together for the sponsors.

* Broadcast Rights: The athletic department sells broadcast opportunities to local radio and TV stations for football, basketball, baseball and softball games during each sport's season. The district retains all rights and fees associated with any broadcast production of a school athletic event.

Broadcast fees and schedules are distributed to all interested radio and TV stations prior to each season. Space in the broadcast area is limited to no more than two local stations so broadcast rights are awarded on a first-come basis. Fees vary, in the case of football, from a single-game rate to the purchasing rights for a 10-game varsity schedule.

Revenue from broadcast rights has varied over the last five years, generating from $3,000 to $6,000. The most significant factors are the strength of schedule and the level of talent on a particular team.

* Special Events and Promotions: Special events vary from a simple T-shirt giveaway promotion to a demanding celebrity golf tournament each spring. Promotional sponsorships range from a "Big Bucks" financial commitment ($20,000) to a "Good Will" contribution ($5,000), depending on the quality of media exposure (the number of electronic and print impressions). These gifts recognize the donors as promoters of the district's athletics character code for participants and spectators. We ask sponsors to completely underwrite all costs associated with an event.

One of our most successful special events is the district's annual Celebrity Golf Extravaganza, a tournament involving current and retired professional football players. Proceeds support middle and high school sports. In 1997, the event raised $90,000 and was selected as "Promotion of the Year" by the Albuquerque Sports Hall of Fame.

The tournament is in its fourth year and the support continues to grow in terms of sponsorships, participating celebrities, golfers and volunteers.

* Sports Publications: The athletic department publishes weekly, monthly or seasonal sport-specific programs as a source of revenue for teams cheerleading and drill squads and booster clubs. Programs are 24- to 36-page booklets, consisting of team photos, rosters, advertising, weekly updates and statistics on teams and players.

Advertising revenue supports the costs of publication, distribution and editorial work. The revenues from program sales stay with the schools.

The sports publications generate up to $25,000 a year for our high school athletics.

Receptive Supporters

The learning curve involved in a marketing program for scholastic sports has been steep. We have made great strides in previously untapped waters while enduring our share of pain and hardships. As we measure our successes and learn from our failures, we try to focus on the important purposes of an interscholastic athletics program for students.

Over the seven years of running a development program to support school sports, no new budget cuts have been made to the athletic program. We have found prospective funders highly receptive to supporting interscholastic athletics, and our visibility in the schools and community has helped us to expand offerings to new levels.

By taking the initiative to forge innovative and creative partnerships with business and community groups, school districts can provide a comprehensive and positive extracurricular experience for students.

Joey Montono is coordinator, office of development, Albuquerque Public Schools, 725 University Blvd., S.E., Albuquerque, N.M. 87106-4329.