SUMMER2014
15
SUccESSFUL
PrOGrAMMING
Owners and operators
of multiple facilities
can usually identify
which core programs
the facilities will have
in common and how
successful they will be.
The popularity of ancillary
programs, however, like an
in flatable park or volleyball, is
less predictable and usually unique
to the community.
The Marlboro facility, for example, is near a
charter school that comes in during the day and
uses its fields for their PE classes. The golf course
in Norfolk is the only lighted course in the area and,
therefore, the only place where people can play golf
at night.
Since the three facilities are about
35-40 miles apart, parts of
their marketing areas
overlap. "Groups
training in one
facility, when
they know
we're building
another
facility
30 miles
away, go
in that
direction,
commit to time at that facility as well. When we
started this business, I didn't even consider volleyball
as a sport that was going to do a lot of volume for
us. It's become a huge business. When we built a
facility in Taunton, the clubs that were in Marlboro and
Norfolk extended and grew their teams down into that
area. Programming that didn't exist three years ago is
now supporting the facility."
Youth programs have escalated over the last ten
years. "We have lil' Kickers. We have lil' sluggers.
We started a lacrosse program called Sticklers
and a basketball program called Hoopla." Kids want
to participate in sports. Parents want their kids to
develop motor control and learn how to work in a
group. "There are physical and psychological benefits
for kids playing sports. It is fun to see all that
development. In our youth programming we have over
500 kids at each facility."
The youth programming provides daytime business for
the facility, a place for parents to bring their kids,
and job opportunities for qualified coaches
and sports enthusiasts in the
community who want to
work with kids. It's a
win-win-win.
