This probably isn’t a surprise for our readers in the baseball industry, but worth noting nevertheless: A nationwide study indicates broad satisfaction with the gameday experience presented by Minor League Baseball teams.
The nationwide study, conducted by independent research company Turnkey Intelligence, polled more than 20,000 MiLB game attendees on their gameday experience. The result: a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 58, positioning the league on par with other highly recognizable brands, including the National Football League (NFL), Amazon.com, Westin Hotels & Resorts, Pandora Internet Radio and Discover Card.
NPS, introduced by Fred Reichheld, Bain & Company and Satmetrix in 2003, is a loyalty metric system that identifies customers as brand “promoters,” “passives” and “detractors” based on their likelihood to recommend a particular brand. Scores range from -100 to 100, with higher scores indicating stronger brands.
The study focused on the experiences of both single game and season ticket buyers. More than 150 collegiate and professional sports properties participated in the study, including teams from Major
League Soccer (MLS), Major League Baseball (MLB) and NCAA FBS programs. More than 40 Minor League Baseball teams from eight of its 15 leagues participated in the study.
That level of satisfaction also is born out by a more direct number: MiLB attendance in 2014 reached 42.4 million in 2014, the third highest in the organization’s 114-year history. The milestone also marked the 10th consecutive year the organization drew an excess of 41 million fans across its 176 teams and 15 leagues.
“Our teams put tremendous effort into guaranteeing a fun, family-friendly experience at every single one of our games and events,” said Michael Hand, Minor League Baseball Chief Marketing Officer and President of MiLB Enterprises. “It’s gratifying to see that our efforts are being recognized by our fans.”