Next time you’re at one of the local malls, just sit and watch people walk by. Take note of how many people you see wearing New York Yankees gear. Most likely, it will be a lot more than the number of people you see wearing memorabilia of other teams, except for maybe that of the Vancouver Canucks. Surprising considering that the Yankees are located over 2,000 miles away, on the other side of the continent.
What makes the Yankees brand so popular? The first factor is that the Yankees have utilized celebrities for years to make it seem like wearing Yankees clothing is more of a fashion statement than a show of support. I know dozens of people who have never watched a baseball game but own some kind of Yankees hat, or jacket just because they see their idols wearing it on TV. The Yankees take advantage of social influences by appealing to the millions of people who aspire to be famous like the celebrities we see on TV every day. The list of celebrities seen wearing Yankees gear in public includes Lebron James, Jay-Z, David Beckham, Scarlett Johansson, the cast of “Entourage”, and Senator Hillary Clinton.
Another marketing tool the Yankees use is the way they create an air of exclusivity around their brand. The team has the highest payroll of any team in North America (well over $200 million/year), just built a brand new billion dollar stadium, and can seemingly buy a championship at will. It has also gladly accepted the nickname, “the Evil Empire”, thereby giving it an image of power and glory. The Yankees marketing brass has seemingly tapped into the near-universal human aspirations of power and money. This is an example of influencing people through social reference groups(aspirational).
A third factor is the actual in-game experience itself. Someone within the Yankee organization has thought through the entire fan experience. It’s much more than the game that goes on between the foul lines. It extends into the parking lots and into your homes. When booking tickets online, the site automatically directs you to a site to make parking arrangements.It automatically recognizes the date you are attending a game, presents a selection of parking lots near the stadium, and allows you to reserve and pay for a guaranteed parking spot. It also provides directions and the day after the game, you receive a “Thank you and Game Recap” email from the Yankees. It includes the box score, links to video highlights, and a schedule of upcoming games. They also ask for feedback on the experience.