Chicago Bulls Brand Audit

Managing a Dynasty: An in depth look at what drives the Chicago Bulls

Collin J. Myers

Collin J. Myers

Daaa Bulls The Brand Audit you are about to read is not your typical audit of a company such as Wal-Mart, Apple, or Starbucks. This audit will involve all the technical terms you would find in your typical consumer goods audit, but itʼs modeled around an industry that offers an experience. I find Auditsʼ on consumer companies to be quite informative but at the same time cliché and predictable. Over the past few decades all types of business have experienced an increase in Brand Awareness and Management.

Managing the image of oneʼs company, franchise, products or services has become vital to sales and success. Keeping your image stain free has also become important.

The way people perceive or associate a brand determines how positive they feel about it. Creating positive brand associations allows a brand to build strong equity and loyalty amongst its customers, almost guaranteeing success. A positive past will certainly lead to strong equity and loyalty.

I have always been a fan of the entertainment industry, whether it is plays, movies, live music, etc. One form of entertainment that sparks my interest is professional sporting events. Modern day sporting events offer more than just the players. Sports organizations, such as professional teams, college athletic departments, even athletes, increasingly view themselves as brands to be managed. Numerous kinds of entertainment and marketing are experienced at sporting events. Professional sporting events are a breeding ground for sponsorships, co-branding, and sub-branding.

By attending a professional sporting event the customer (not always a fan) experiences whatʼs called a, “Brand Experience”. The brand experience sports teams are able to offer plays a significant role in franchise success. Unlike most consumer goods and services, sports have the ability to engage strong emotional reactions in their fans. On an average sold out night at the Staples Center, only a small portion of attendance consists of true fans, the rest are just there for the experience. By attending a customer will be exposed to the options of food, beverages, and merchandise, which have all been implemented for decades as “part of the experience”. Weather itʼs having

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Collin J. Myers a $9 Old Style on draft at the Cubs game or having a Summer Shandy at the Brewers game, it all stems from the experience the franchise has to offer.

Overall, it offers the fan an identity and an opportunity to be a part of something much bigger than them. Brand experience links with other important factors such as: brand loyalty, brand equity, brand image, and brand association. To most managing a professional sports franchise is dependent upon the quality of play your team offers (this is true for the most part), I will be showing you the large role brand equity plays.

For my Brand Audit I chose the Chicago Bulls. I will start with a short story on the history of the Chicago Bulls, explaining how past accolades shaped their current brand equity, I will be breaking down the Bulls brand hierarchy and showing you what the Bulls offer their corporate partners, I will then give you my thoughts on what I found to be important issues in maintaining equity. I始ve also included a 4P始s analysis of the Bulls marketing structure.

History The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, IL. They are a member of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and play in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference. The Chicago Bulls are known for having one of the greatest dynasties in NBA and sports history. Dick Klein founded the team in 1966 after the failed attempts of two previous Chicago NBA teams: The Packers-Zephyrs (now the Washington Wizards) and the Stags (1946-50).

The Bulls started their franchise career (1966-67 NBA season) by posting the best record by an expansion team in NBA history, qualifying for the playoffs. The early successes achieved by the Bulls franchise did not last long; by the late 1970s and early 1980s the Bulls had hit the cellar of the league. Despite being known as a tough defensive-minded team with players such as Jerry Sloan, Bob Love, Clifford Ray and Chet Walker the Bulls were unable to make it to the Finals.

The Bulls始 fortunes would have been forever changed if it were not for a bad coin flip. The Bulls lost the coin flip for the right to pick first in the 1979 NBA draft, selecting heads. Had the Bulls won the coin toss, they would have selected the great Magic III

Collin J. Myers Johnson (arguably the greatest team player in basketball history) who ended up being selected by the Los Angeles Lakers. The Bulls would continue their mediocre play through the early 1980始s until the 1984 NBA Draft.

In the summer of 1984, the Bulls始 fortunes finally took a turn in their favor by receiving the third pick in the 1984 NBA Draft, after Houston and Portland. The Rockets selected Hakeem Olajuwon first, while the Blazers quickly picked up Sam Bowie as the second overall pick. The Chicago Bulls selected a shooting guard out of the University of North Carolina by the name of Michael Jordan as the third pick in the 1984 NBA Draft. The potential that Michael Jordan held was noticed instantly by owner Jerry Reinsdorf and General Manager Jerry Krause. The two men concluded that Michael Jordan was going to be the new face of the Chicago Bulls.

The team was going to be rebuilt around Jordan and his successes, which management hoped soon followed. Jordan set franchise records during his rookie season for scoring (3rd in the league) and steals (4th in the league). Jordan led the Bulls back to the playoffs, for which he was rewarded with a selection to the All-NBA Second Team and the NBA Rookie of the Year award.

The accomplishments of Michael Jordan would continue despite numerous failed attempts by the Chicago Bulls at making the NBA Finals. By the 1990-91 season the Bulls adopted enough talent and experience to be considered a major contender for the 1991 NBA Finals. Accompanying Jordan were players such as: B.J. Armstrong, Bill Cartwright, Horace Grant, John Paxson and Scottie Pippen. Taking advantage of their own depth the Chicago Bulls set a then franchise record of 61 wins, and strolled through the playoffs. After beating their long time rival (The Detroit Pistons) in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Bulls won the NBA Finals in 5 over the Magic Johnson-led Los Angeles Lakers.

The Bulls won their second straight title in the 1992 NBA Finals after racking up another franchise record of 67 wins. The Bulls prevailed over Clyde Drexler and the Portland Trail Blazers in 6 games. As a result, Jordan won regular season MVP and Finals MVP to go with his sixth consecutive scoring title. By this time Jordan had not only created a strong image for himself but one for the Chicago Bulls franchise. Jordan IV

Collin J. Myers became the largest threat in NBA history while the Chicago Bulls became every ones favorite team.

In the 1993 NBA season, the Bulls accomplished a feat no team had achieved since the Legendary Celtics of the 60始s. The Bulls took down regular season MVP Charles Barkley and the Phoenix Suns in 6 games to finish up their three-peat. Jordan once again received Finals MVP after setting a Finals scoring record of 41 points per game. Jordan also tied Wilt Chamberlain始s record of seven straight scoring titles. The Chicago Bulls franchise went from gold to platinum that night. Winning three straight championship titles is a feat all franchises in professional sports dream of. The result of the three-peat ran a lot deeper than the numerous business opportunities it brought to the Bulls and its players. The three-peat casted a strong sense of pride over the city of Chicago, allowing everyone in the city to come together regardless of what they represented.

After losing Jordan for the 1993 season to retirement, promises of a successful season in 1994 seemed doubtful. In 1994 the Bulls lost Horace Grant, Scott Williams, Bill Cartwright and John Paxson, cornerstone players of the three-peat. They acquired shooting guard Ron Harper, sharpshooter Steve Kerr and centers Luc Longley and Bill Wennington. They were not playing terrible but obviously they weren始t the same team without Jordan. In March of 1995 the Bulls received the best news since the 1984 draft: Michael Jordan was coming out of retirement. The Bulls finished well that season but did not claim the Finals title most expected them to. In the offseason the Bulls lost another key player in the expansion draft, B.J. Armstrong. In the wake of this terrible loss, Jerry Krause was able to pull off a masterful deal and acquired the aggressive and often controversial rebounding specialist Dennis Rodman. The general public and the NBA were not ready for what was about to take place within sports.

With Phil Jackson as coach and a lineup consisting of Jordan, Pippen and Rodman, the Bulls began to take form. The Bulls finished that season with a 72-10 record, which remains the best record in NBA history. The team defeated Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp and the Seattle Supersonics for their fourth title. Rodman received his fifth straight rebounding title while Jordan won his eighth scoring title. Jordan achieved the V

Collin J. Myers coveted Triple Crown: regular season MVP, All-star MVP, and Finals MVP. Jerry Krause was named the Executive of the Year, Phil Jackson Coach of the year, and Kukoc the Sixth Man of the Year. Jordan and Pippen both made the All-NBA First Team as a result of the 1995-96 season. Jordan, Pippen and Rodman were all selected for the AllDefensive First Team, making the Bulls the only team in history to have three players make First Team. The 1995-96 Chicago Bulls are widely referred to as one of the greatest teams in the history of basketball. The dominance and teamwork of these men (Jordan, Pippen and Rodman) left a presence and persona that sold it self.

In the 1996-97 season the Bulls ended the regular season with a 69-13 record.

The Bulls finished the post season in style, winning their fifth NBA title by defeating John Stockton, Karl Malone and the Utah Jazz. Jordan earned his ninth scoring title, while Rodman earned his sixth straight rebounding title. By this time Jordan, Pippen and Rodman had been referred to as the “Triple Threat”, resulting from their dominance and loyalty to one another. With the NBA celebrating its 50th season, Jordan and Pippen were both honored as members of the 50 greatest players of all-time in 1997.

The 1997-98 season was one filled with numerous ups and downs for the players and fans. Many speculated that this would be Michael Jordanʼs final season along with Phil Jackson. Scottie Pippen was seeking a significant contract extension that he thought was well deserved. Despite all the negatives the team had one thing on their mind, the 1998 NBA Finals. Finishing with a 62-20 record, Michael Jordan would be named the league MVP for the fifth and final time. The Bulls made quick work of the New Jersey Nets and the Charlotte Hornets, paving their path to the Eastern Conference Finals.

The Bulls prevailed in game 7 and beat the Reggie Miller-led Indiana Pacers, winning the Eastern Conference Finals for the 6th time. In much-anticipated Finals, the Bulls were up against a smarter and more refined Utah Jazz. Karl Malone and John VI

Collin J. Myers Stockton led the Jazz to an early home win, making the series 1-0 Jazz. The Bulls would take the next three games before heading back to Utah for game 5, making the series 3-1 Bulls. The Jazz prevailed during game 5 edging out the Bulls by two points, 83-81. With the series at 3-2 Bulls and game 6 being played in Utah, the Jazz needed to capitalize having home court advantage or they would see another NBA title stolen by the Bulls. Down by three points late in the game, Jordan decided to take control. He made a driving layup to get within 1, then stole the ball from Karl Malone and hit the game winning shot with 5.2 seconds remaining. With a final score of 87-86 the Chicago Bulls had won their sixth championship in eight years and completed two three-peats.

Shortly after the season Jordan announced his official retirement from basketball.

Within the next year the greatest basketball team of all time was quickly dissembled and shaped for a rebuild. Jerry Krause decided that the team始s only choices were to endure a slow painful decline or to rebuild. Players such as Scottie Pippen, Luc Longley and Steve Kerr were traded, while Dennis Rodman and Head-coach Phil Jackson were not resigned.

Over the next 11 years, the Bulls would experience drastic lows and encounter the occasional glimpse of success, but have yet been able to make the NBA Finals. In 2008 the Bulls picked up Chicago native Derrick Rose. The success that has followed this player has put the Bulls back on the map and placed Derrick in a similar media position as Jordan. Derrick earned the 2009 rookie of the year award during his first season providing everyone with high hopes. Leading the Bulls to the Eastern Conference Finals In 2011, he received the regular season MVP award, becoming the youngest player ever to win this award. Over the past four years, the Bulls have begun to build a new image for themselves. One that is slightly focused on Derrick Rose but more focused on the even mix of A- players that the Bulls have. Players such as Luol Deng, Joakim Noah, Carlos Boozer, Jimmy Butler, Kirk Heinrick, and newest addition Nate Robinson.

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Collin J. Myers Brand Equity The reason I informed you of the Bulls past was to explain how significant it is when identifying the Chicago Bulls today. Until recently the Bulls dynasty has been the driving force behind their franchise.

The mark left on the nation by the 90始s Bulls will never be forgotten or discredited. From a marketing stand point the Chicago Bulls don始t even have to be promoted they have become a heritage brand that will be passed down for generations, similar to the Boston Celtics. Today when most hear the name Chicago Bulls, common responses can range from: Greatest sports dynasty of all time, Michael Jordan, and six-time world champions. When dealing with sports teams, history and tradition play a major role in how the team is perceived. Luckily with sports confusing one teams brand equity with a competitor is near impossible because they are mostly based on success. The Bulls have obtained strong, unique and favorable associations (6 championships, greatest NBA record of all time, etc.) assuring stable brand equity and loyalty.

Associations: * Michael Jordan * Scottie Pippen * Dennis Rodman * Phil Jackson * Benny the Bull * Dynasty * 6 National Championships * Two 3-peats * United Center * Derrick Rose

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Collin J. Myers After the departure of Michael Jordan the Chicago Bulls experienced 11 years of mediocre basketball with four of those being the worst streak in franchise history. The seasons following Jordanʼs retirement the Bulls ended the 99ʼ season with merely 13 wins, the 00ʼ season with 17 wins, the 01ʼ season with 15 wins and the 02ʼ season with only 21 wins. In four seasons the Bulls only won 66 games, 6 games less than the NBA regular season record (72-10) they set in 1991. To fans everywhere the Bulls looked like they were headed towards a franchise meltdown (remember most think that if the players are loosing then the franchise is too). During these horrendous times the Bulls managed to sell out every game for the next three seasons (99ʼ-01ʼ).

The Bulls have only made it to the Eastern Conference Finals 3 times and never the Finals since the team was broken up. Despite this failure, the Bulls are still ranked in the top 3 for attendance amongst all NBA teams in the past 11 years. The Bulls have lead the NBA in cumulative attendance since Jordanʼs retirement even though in the six years following his retirement the Bulls win loss record was the worst six-year win loss record in NBA history.

Until recently, the Chicago Bulls have had no other sources of equity besides Jordan and the legendary teams of the 90ʼs. Over the past four years, the Bulls have been able to put themselves back in the mix as a Finals contender. The Chicago Bulls brand equity has recently taken on new form since the Bulls of the late 90ʼs. New responses to the Chicago Bulls have become associated with key players such as Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, Nate Robinson and Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau. This started with the success of Derrick Rose, but is not limited to just Derrick Rose. The Chicago Bulls have an image unique within their own right. This is due to their ability to mesh A- to B players into a consistent team with strong comradery amongst players. There is no selfishness or favorites in the Bulls franchise, all players are equally respected and

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Collin J. Myers remain level headed. The humbleness of Derrick Rose is a key contributor that enables this unique social communication.

Derrick Rose is a Chicago native who was selected as the first overall pick by the Bulls in the 2008 NBA Draft, turning professional after only one year of college basketball at Memphis. Despite his age, management and fans were leaning on Derrick to help win the Bulls a coveted 7th National Championship. Derrickʼs success started early by being awarded Rookie of the Year honors in his first season. By the end of the 2011 regular season Derrick became the youngest player ever to win the NBA regular season MVP Award while the Chicago Bulls held the no.1 ranking in the Eastern Conference. The Chicago Bulls made it to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2011 for only the 4th time since the departure of Jordan and the “Triple Threat”, eventually loosing to the Miami Heat and the NBAʼs new “Big Three”.

The 2012 season held great promise for the Franchise until Derrick Rose tore his ACL in the 2012 playoffs. Many thought that this was the end of the Bulls run for a 7th World Championship and the end of Derrick Roseʼs potentially golden career. It can be seen through the 2013 season that the injury of Derrick Rose has only brought the team closer together while teaching the team and management how to survive without their greatest piece of equity.

As a result, the new equity of the Bulls is heavily influenced and associated to the 90ʼs teams but is slowly starting to shift towards the image of Derrick Rose and his loyal companions. Derrick is considered to be one of the most humble players in the NBA, some saying heʼs too humble, enabling the Bulls to build their equity and image around this rare characteristic. His style of play and attitude on the court is also unique and very appealing to fans from every team. The most important characteristic about Derrick is the fact that he was born and raised in Chicago. Derrick grew up watching the 90ʼs Bulls finish off their dynasty and plays with more pride than anyone on the court.

The greatest entity that the city of Chicago and its fans took from the Bulls dynasty is a sense of pride. The pride of the Chicago Bulls has never died out even through all the poor play over the years. The 2013 season is a sign of how strong this pride is amongst the fans and players. Despite the Bulls being ousted by the Heat in five X

Collin J. Myers games, the Bulls put up an amazing post-season fight. The Bulls gave no excuses despite having the majority of their best players out with injury for the 2013 playoffs. In 2014, the return of Derrick Rose and the 驶new始 Chicago Bulls have the potential to enhance the positive equity of the Chicago Bulls, through a 2014 World Championship.

Brand Hierarchy The elements that make up the brand hierarchy of a sports franchise drastically varies to a company like Intel or Microsoft. The two most important entities when building a brand hierarchy for a sports franchise is an effective team logo and a memorable mascot to represent your team. The logo will be placed on numerous pieces of merchandise that fans will purchase so they can represent their favorite team. The effects of having a funny or energetic mascot will add to the experience being offered to the fans. In America, a subculture and an obsession with mascots exists, because it offers the fan a way to further identify with the team.

The Chicago Bulls logo is a red bull始s face with an angry expression and horns tipped with blood, Theodore W. Drake developed the logo in 1966. The Bulls logo is very powerful and prominent in the NBA due to there past success. The color red plays a pivotal roll in the teams始 effectiveness as well, representing love, passion and determination.

Benny the Bull started his campaign during the 1969 season. For more than 40 years, Benny has been entertaining Chicago Bulls fans, first at Chicago Stadium (1969-1994), and then the United Center (1994-present). He has become just as recognizable as some of the Bulls most notable figures, such as Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and head coach Phil Jackson. Benny is also one of the longest held mascots in the NBA and in all of professional sports. On May 15th, Forbes announced that Benny the Bull is the most popular mascot in America. In addition to performing stunts and entertaining the crowd, Benny also makes public appearances

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Collin J. Myers throughout the greater Chicago area on behalf of the Bulls. As a member of the Bulls' All-Star Reading Team, he appears at schools to promote literacy and the importance of a good education.

The Chicago Bulls brand hierarchy extends far past the traditional logo and mascot. A new trend in sports hierarchies involves bringing old faces and past players back into the operations of their team. These players are injected into the franchise as assistant coaches, radio commentators, TV commentators and half-time commentators.

This allows the fans to feel a sense of history and helps strengthen loyalty. For example, Scotty Pippen is highly active in the Bulls community and present during many home games. At times Scotty gives feedback through commentary or makes his presence known courtside cheering on the team.

The Bulls have numerous in-game brands that represent them and also an extensive list of affiliated organizations outside of the stadium that bear the Bulls logo.

Game night brands that are used are different groups of performers that entertain either at halftime or during timeouts. These performers are all branded with catchy names relating to the Bulls like the IncrediBulls. The IncrediBulls are in charge of launching tshirts and throwing prizes into the stands. Benny the Bull being the king of game night branding is the most recognizable. A close runner up to Benny is the dance team called the LuvaBulls. The LuvaBulls are almost as recognizable to basketball as the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders are to football. The rest of the brands you will find bearing the Bulls logo are listed below: Game Night Brands * Benny the Bull * LuvaBulls (performers) * IncrediBulls (entertain) * The Stampede (Chicago Bulls Drum Line) * Bucketboys (performers) * Matadors (entertain) * Swingin始 Seniors (entertain) * Scottie Pippen (commentator, past player) * Bill Wennington (commentator, past player) XII

Outside Brands * CharitaBulls * Bulls Beat (pod cast) * BullsConnect (online community) * BullsTV * Bulls/White Sox Sports Camp * Bulls Achieve to Read * Chicago Bulls Family Center

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Corporate Partnerships Corporate sponsorship in sports benefits everyone from the corporate mangers all the way down to the players. Corporations that sponsor events or players seek a variety of benefits, two of which are enhancing/reinforcing brand image and building brand awareness. The different types of corporate sponsors a team has can range from an airline company to a shoe company. Presence on the court or in the stadium is the position that corporate sponsors want, giving them the best chance for fans to notice.

Corporations also sponsor athletes and teams to generate strong and positive brand associations. Corporate sponsors also place importance on how well the team/player is perceived by the NBA and its fans. For example, NIKEʼs sponsorship of Michael Jordan starting in 1984 is one the most famous examples of how sponsorship can lead to enhancing a brand. Nike started putting “air” technology in their shoes (air pockets in the soles) and was looking to promote their new basketball shoe.

NIKE decided that Michael Jordan would be a great fit because of his association with “air”, stemming from his ability to jump and stay airborne. The birth of the Air Jordan shoe was created putting NIKE on the map for decades to come.

Due to the Bulls success they have been able to adopt some of the strongest and most loyal corporate partnerships in sports. In the NBA corporations like Gatorade, Adidas, and KIA sponsor the entire league. Aside from these The Bulls have XIII

Collin J. Myers partnerships with United Airlines (The United Center), Anheiser Busch, Coca-Cola, Harris Bank, AT&T, McDonalds, Lexus and Levy Restaurants. All of the sponsors play key roles in the success of the Chicago Bulls. For example, in California there are a small population of people who enjoy eating McDonalds and large a population of people who think negatively of it. On the other hand, people in Chicago love McDonalds so much that it is closely associated with the city of Chicago (adding to the experience).

Arenas like the Staples Center put California Pizza Kitchens in because it始s highly associated with Los Angeles. The Bulls offer these corporations numerous benefits, some of which are tradition, fan loyalty, a rich positive past and outstanding attendance records.

Although these benefits are highly regarded the corporations want the best spot to promote themselves in and out of the stadium. The craze of social networks and cell phone apps have opened a whole new market for sports organizations and corporate sponsors. The Bulls offer a variety of social networking/media options to their corporate sponsors.

Media Options: * Facebook * Twitter * BullsTv * MyBulls * Bulls Mobile * BullsConnect.com * Bulls.com * Radio Adv. Aside from all the new ways corporate sponsors can associate themselves with the Bulls, The Bulls offer a wide variety of traditional promotional opportunities for their corporate partners.

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Collin J. Myers Corporate Options: * Bench Chair Bottoms * Tunnel Banners * 360 degree Animated Messaging * 100 level Text Messaging * Court Side Rotational Signs (AD Time) * United Center Scoreboard * BullPen Game Program * Bars/Lounges * Restaurants * Merchandise Booths

Future Suggestions In 2011, two important events took place that exposed the new generation of Bulls fans to the past. 2011 marked the 20th anniversary of the Chicago Bulls first World Championship and the induction of Dennis Rodman to the basketball hall of fame.

Knowingly the Bulls ran numerous campaigns rekindling the beginning of what became two 3-peats and one of the greatest decades in basketball history. The forms of promotion they used for this were online stories, short videos before games and numerous past player interviews. Involving past players in media is something I think is very important. It will offer the younger generation a look into these idols personalities and allow them to ask their parents about this great dynasty, further building positive associations. It will offer the older fan a taste of the good old days sparking their loyalty and interest in the Bulls. Teams and Athletes increasingly attempt to develop brand associations that portray them as being charitable or involved with the community. The Bulls already commit a good portion of their resources to giving back to the community but involving past players with this would also be beneficial.

The Bulls should continue to focus on building the brand image of the “new�

Chicago Bulls. Derrick Rose and his loyal teammates are a huge entity that management needs to capitalize on. The Bulls humble personality gives the franchise an advantage because in the NBA egoĘźs run quite large.

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Collin J. Myers After the 2013 season, the Bulls image and loyalty are the highest since 1998.

Social media and digital enhanced media should be used heavily for the ʻReturn of D Roseʼ. A series of videos should be made with D Rose and teammates involved to highlight the importance of the 2014 season. The clips should take place on the court but also across the city. The team could be filmed running through the streets of Chicago in their training equipment similar to the legendary “Running of The Bulls” used during pre-game announcements. This will make fans feel as if they are equals to how the Bulls train. A dribbling face off match between D Rose and Nate Robinson at the bean in their uniforms could also be a part of the video series. Lastly, sending the players to the blacktop courts of Chicago (safety permitting) to film them playing a couple pick-up games with the potential future players of the Bulls would help build loyalty and potentially help with the amount of violence seen in this part of Chicago.

Incorporating our beautiful city into add campaigns is the future of building a stronger community.

The faces of the organization such as Jerry Reinsdorf and Stephen Schanwald should also be included in these videos to develop a stronger brand community amongst Bulls fans. Let the public be exposed to the men behind the scenes of the Bulls Franchise. The video series should be made through Collaboration with Chicago musicians (Kanye West or Common) and famous directors (i.e. ESPN 30 for 30).

Social media has become heavily based around Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. The Bulls should embrace the effectiveness of what photography does for fans. Many things can be learned from a simple photograph, photography is a cheap and easy way to deliver a message to fans. The build up to the 2014 season should include ʻThe Return of D Roseʼ, ʻThe Emergence of Jimmy Butlerʼ, ʻThe Swag of Nasty Nateʼ, and ʻThe Energy of Joakim Noahʼ. These are the newest areas of focus the public are chatting about.

Based on the Bulls attendance history the only piece left to enhance their equity is a 2014 National Championship, it would enable the Bulls to become the mecca of basketball once again. The great part about the Bulls franchise is that it currently sells itself due to their past and recent accolades. The excitement of the 2014 season needs XVI

Collin J. Myers to be fostered and marketed in a way that brews intimidation amongst other NBA teams.

Everyone must know that the Chicago Bulls and the city of Chicago will be an undeniable force in the 2013-2014 NBA season.

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The Four P’s of Branding Product The word product puts an image in the mind of something that is worth material value, itʼs not closely related to an experience at all. The Chicago Bulls are able to offer its fans and customers both. By attending a Chicago Bulls game you enter into a subculture filled with history and tradition, creating an experience that runs much deeper than basketball.

It starts with the Bulls history on the mega-screen during warm-ups, which then comes the famous “Running of the Bulls”. The running of the bulls started in the Jordan era and today plays a pivotal role in their brand experience. Before announcing the players the mega-screen contains a herd of bulls running through all the iconic parts of the city before making their way to the United Center and busting through a bus with the opposing teams logo on it. All the lights in the arena are shut off besides spotlights on the players and the Bulls logo center stage; the aura in the building is something worth experiencing in its own.

Fans are also able to buy their favorite team merchandise sold in stores and booths throughout the stadium. Food and beverage sales make up the rest of the products offered at Bulls games. In the e-commerce age having an online website is a must to sell and market your products. The Bulls offer shop.bulls.com, which has thousands of different products, all endorsing the Bulls logo. These products can be categorized as: Merchandise: * Menʼs * Womenʼs * Kids * Jerseys

* Headwear * Collectibles * Home & Office * Novelty

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Collin J. Myers Price The price of experiencing a Bulls game or any sports event is dependent upon how close you sit to the action (players). The United Center is divided into three levels: 100 level (closest stadium seating), 200 level and 300 level seating. The Bulls offer floor seats behind both benches ($1000), under each hoop ($900), cross-court from the benches ($1000+), and offer 4 seats next to the head coach for both teams ($1400 a piece). The Bulls also offer box suites to it customers and corporate partners. A suite can be rented out for a package price including food and drink, or corporate partners can purchase the box for a whole season, which entitles them tickets to every event at the United Center and catering ($360,000). Prices vary at all stadiums largely depending on the equity and demand of the team. Tickets to see the Bulls are priced at a premium and rarely fluctuate due to their strong history. The regular seating and prices are below:

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Collin J. Myers Place The Bulls play all their home games at the United Center since its erection in 1994. The United Center covers 960,000 square feet and is the largest arena in the United States in physical size. Aside from the Bulls, the Chicago Blackhawks also claim The United Center their home. The United Center hosts over 200 events per year including concerts, on ice performances and the occasional circus. Over the years the United Center has picked up a couple nicknames: The UC, The Madhouse on Madison and The House that Jordan Built.

The Bulls are also able to promote themselves every time they play thanks to television.

Local and National television broadcasts allow virtually everyone a piece of the experience. In recent years the Bulls have developed BullsTv and the Bulls Radio Network so that everyone can catch the game. Developing social media networks and smart phone apps has been highly beneficial for sports teams. It allows the fan to feel like their part of the team wherever they are.

Promotion The way a professional sports team promotes their franchise is very important because if the seats are not filled then revenue cannot be generated. The Bulls focus more than half their management on marketing alone. In the Chicago Bulls case promoting their team is fairly easy because of their rich history. The Bulls hold a highly respectable stance in the NBA enabling them room for error when experimenting with new promotions. Over the past decade, the Chicago Bulls have more than struggled with the basketball side of their franchise. Luckily their past has kept them a float and allowed their promotions to be centered on the Jordan era.

In the past four years, the Bulls have taken a positive turn in player quality. The new Bulls era has just begun beginning with Derrick Rose. Bull始s promotions can be seen all over the city of Chicago on billboards, taxis, buildings and restaurants. A large XX

Collin J. Myers focus of Bulls management is continually creating new types of in-game promotions and entertainment to enhance the fans overall experience. The franchise is also promoted in a positive manner through many local charities and community help projects.

The 21st century has brought on a major shift towards digital promotion and digital communities. The Bulls have capitalized on these trends through the many links and communities found on their website such as mobile apps, online streaming, radio, podcasts, and many more. Examples can be found in the brand hierarchy section of this paper and also on the pages that follow.

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Brand Hierarchy

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Corporate Partnerships

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Seating

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References Stephen Schanwald (Executive Vice President-Business Operations & Alternate NBA Governor) http://www.nba.com/bulls/news/steve_schanwald.html http://www.nba.com/bulls/community/community_index.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Bulls http://www.nba.com/bulls/sites/bulls/files/media/cpb_1011.pdf http://allworldsport.org/70-brand-management.html http://shop.bulls.com/?sourceid=shop http://www.nba.com/bulls/?tmd=1 http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=chiacgo+bulls&oe=UTF8&um=1&ie=UTF8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=ov_eTvyfKYiFtgfRtpn2Aw&biw=899& bih=701&sei=rf_eToDfL865tge98uXaBQ#q=chicago+bulls+logo&um=1&hl=en&client=s afari&rls=en&tbm=isch&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=9e4eb8ac1b362322&biw=10 24&bih=733 http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/benny-bull-most-popular-mascotamerica-says-forbes-222605216.html

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