Decision Making & Communication Ben Daeuber Mark Holzbauer Mark Sorvaag

History of the Northern League Four different incarnations since 1902, the current Northern League has existed since The Redhawks were added in 1996 and have been one of the League’s most successful teams. The League operates independently of the Major/Minor League system or “organized baseball.”

Sources Lee Schwartz (General Manager of the Redhawks) and Kyle Richardson (former Media Relations Director for the Redhawks and the Wichita Wranglers) Miles Wolff, Founder and Commissioner of the Northern League Stephen Gates, Media Relations Director of the Northern League

Contingency Decision-Making Framework Problem Consensus –Agreement about nature of a problem which outcomes and goals to pursue Technical Knowledge –Agreement about how to solve problems and reach organizational goals

Organizational Decision Making Processes Management Science Approach –Little Uncertainty –Decisions made in a computational manner Carnegie Model –High Uncertainty about problems & priorities –Decisions made through discussion, debate, and coalition building

Organizational Decision Making Processes cont’ Incremental Decision Process Model –Low Uncertainty about problem –Decisions made through judgment and trial & error Garbage Can Model –Extremely High Uncertainty –Deals with streams of events over multiple decisions

Incremental Decision Process Model Identification Phase A. Recognition B.Diagnosis Development Phase A.Search B.Design

Incremental Decision Process Model, cont. Selection Phase A.Judgment Evaluation B.Analysis Evaluation C.Bargaining Evaluation

Marketing Decisions Redhawks and Northern League need to market to three different groups. –Fans –Advertisers –Players

Incremental Decisions at the Redhawks Identification Phase –Recognition “The teams with the problems are the ones that don’t know they have problems.” – Miles Wolff 1.Preseason ticket sales are down. 2.Fan excitement is waning.

Marketing Decisions at the Redhawks Identification Phase, cont. –Diagnosis 1.The honeymoon effect of 5-7 years is wearing off. 2.New teams in the league are making it more difficult to attract players and, as a result, fans.

Incremental Decisions at the Redhawks Developmental Phase Search 1. Finding ways to attract fans will create word of mouth and increase excitement. 2. Organized baseball has a convention every year where teams come and compare ideas and attend seminars on marketing and promotions. 3. The Northern League has at least three owners’ meetings and a general managers’ promotional meeting every year.

Incremental Decisions at the Redhawks Developmental Phase, cont. –Design 1. Increased pre-season promotions 2. Four Bobble-Head Doll nights 3. Goal is to sell out as many games as possible

Incremental Decisions at the Redhawks Selection Phase –Judgment Evaluation 1. Decisions are made based on experiences from experienced sports marketers and owners. –Bargaining Evaluation 1. Every owner has a vested interest in the other teams succeeding, but also has a motivation to be more successful than other teams due to competition.

Other Marketing Ideas From Ice to the Eskimos by Jon Spoelstra –Smaller ticket packages ex. three or five game packages –Sit in the worst seats Get the feel of the fans –Survey on ticket invoices Include survey season ticket holders invoices –Ex. Blazers Sunday game time

Other Marketing Ideas From Veeck as in Wreck by Bill Veeck. –Innovate, innovate, innovate. ex. Putting names on the back of uniforms. –Never be afraid to take risks. Disco Demolition Night and Five Cent Beer Night. –Veeck family success stories. Chicago White Sox to the St. Paul Saints.

Communication Communication between team owners, general managers and field managers is the key to the Northern League’s success. At least three owners meetings and a general managers meeting every year. Organized baseball has similar meetings, though independent leagues are not allowed to attend.

Communication An organization must ask themselves, “What business are we in? What do we hope to accomplish?” –For example, the Northern League is not in the business of baseball, they are in the business of entertainment.

Communication Communication in the Northern League –Meetings, as well as a support structure in place in the league office. –Most owners/general managers have previous sports ownership experience. –Teams are assisted in every step of the process, from location to promotions. –ex. Organized baseball requires every team to submit its best promotion, give away, etc, and they are compiled in a book for all the teams.

Conclusions The Northern League’s communication structure encourages effective, normalized decision making across teams, which leads to better competitive balance, better baseball and better business.