GRAND RAPIDS SPORTS COMMISION
1655 EAST BELTLINE AVE. NE
GRAND RAPIDS, MI
(616) 364-8421 EXT. 2481
CABELA’S BASS DASH 5K - PROPOSED DATE: JUNE 1, 2019
GOALS
1. Develop a 5K event to rally community spirit.
2. Provide a boost for the local economy.
EVENT DESCRIPTION: The Cabela’s Bass Dash 5K and Outdoor Festival is a unique and creative kickoff to the unofficial start to Michigan Summer. June 1st is the day after most schools in West Michigan release students for the summer, and we designed our event to get students, parents, families, and businesses to put everyone in a festive mood to enjoy the best of what Michigan has to offer. While the 5K was designed to send participants around the lakes of Millennium Park in a fish pattern, it is only a part of the many activities the day has to offer including opportunity to camp on site under the stars.
ATTRACTING PARTICIPATION - HOW AND WHY
PARTICIPANTS: Michigan is an outdoor lovers dream and we have designed this event to draw families, teens, college students, adults, and grandparents. We plan to honor grandparents by offering a free night of camping on site and a sponsor provided fishing pole to each grandchild with their grandparent(s). The most creative piece of our event involves an actual Bass Dash where participants in this division will have 10 minutes to fish every 1K for a chance to win sponsored prizes for landing a variety of tagged fish or for casting skill games along the route.
SPONSORS: We have carefully selected our sponsors to match the event and target market. They will be able to provide demonstrations of their products to those most likely interested in purchasing them. Our sponsors have generously provided opportunities to win unique fishing charter trips, campground passes, food truck items, new tents, fishing supplies, and concert tickets. We believe this to be a very beneficial partnership.
SPECTATORS: Many spectators will be excited to know we have also planned this event for them. From the music to the food trucks, to the many booths set up by our sponsors to provide samples, and demonstrations that will have them enjoying the day and feeling as if the event was planned for them to be active participants as well.
CAUSE RELATED EVENT: We have partnered with two different organizations with several short and long term goals. It is our hope to provide three to five individuals with an opportunity to spend a week at a Michigan teen summer camp that wouldn’t normally have the funds to do so.
We also believe in the power of fishing and camping to change lives for the better. Therefore, we want to provide two young individuals with special physical challenges with custom designed wheelchairs that are outfitted specifically for Michigan Summer Fun! We will be working with a custom wheelchair company to outfit these with fishing rod holders, bait and tackle box, push button reel retrieval system, and a proper selfie stick holder to capture those fish pictures for social media posts.
REVENUE VS COSTS: Revenue for the event will come from Sponsors including our title sponsor, registration for the various 5K walks/runs, fees for product / retail booths, entertainment VIP areas, camping fees, 50/50 raffle tickets, silent auction of sponsor donated items, and merchandise sales with the unique logo design for the event.
Costs will include securing the facility, security, emergency services in case of injury, insurance, cost of merchandise and clean up the following day. The vast majority of those working the event will be volunteer and student organizations in need of community service hours.
SPONSORSHIP STRATEGY: We have partnered with the largest outdoor retail business in Michigan; Cabela’s as our title sponsor. Additional sponsors include local sporting goods, fishing establishments, remote control hobby stores, camping gear retailers, campground hosts, charter fishing entrepreneurs, entertainment, and food truck organizers. This strategy is geared to increase the exposure for the sponsors and provide all the necessary gear for a successful outdoor festival.
Event Management: Involves all aspects of organization of the event, creating, coordinating, and then overseeing the event so that it is successful in reaching the established goals.
Event Marketing: Involves the communication of the organized event to the determined target market in an effort to increase sales, participation, and knowledge that the event exists.
EVENT LOCATION: Millennium Park 5 miles west of the Downtown area of Grand Rapids is perfectly suited to host the event. We have used google earth to map out a fish shaped 5K. In addition, the park has pavilions, stocked Bass, a large beach, numerous grills, modern restrooms, kayaks, entertainment stages, and many grassy areas around the various small lakes for camping and conversation.
SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY: We will utilize social media to maximize involvement and communication. Specifically we plan to run facebook advertising campaigns and tailor our message to those that like the following: fishing, camping, cabela’s, outdoors, lake life, kayaking, music, food trucks and 5K runs. We will further select from parents with 8-16 year old children located within 40 miles of Grand Rapids.
Local television personalities will promote the opportunity on business and personal social media sites, including Twitter, Snapchat, and Instagram.
We have also been in contact with the five major colleges within 15 miles of Grand Rapids and provide incentives, swag, and venue tickets to college students in the numerous marketing and advertising courses for promoting the event on social media.
MAXIMIZING EVENT PARTICIPATION: The timing of the event is perfect to maximize potential numbers. Due to the last day of school on Friday students and parents will remain in town on Friday and plan to attend the event with their kids. A variety of music and entertainment along with food trucks will draw in those that live in and around the Grand Rapids area that want to feel as if they got away for the night but want to avoid a long drive. Sporting goods, fishing, and camping retailers will be able to market goods and services while at the same time talking with consumers who are interested in the outdoor lifestyle. A quick look at other events in and around the area during the first weekend in June points to high levels of participation at this exciting event only miles down the road from a large, eclectic town.