On Marketing: Las Vegas Aviators Use Popular Top Gun Movie For T-Shirt Promotion Friday
By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com
When your professional sports team is named the Aviators, chances are pretty good you’re on sound marketing ground to hold a free Top Gun T-shirt giveaway promotion at the local ballpark.
The Las Vegas Aviators, the Triple A ballclub of the Oakland Athletics, tapped into the popularity surrounding the movie, Top Gun: Maverick with movie star Tom Cruise.
The Aviators doled out 2,000 Top Gun freebie shirts to fans, with the minor league ballplayers donning uniforms with the Navy aviator theme.
The military uniform and baseball jerseys were merged into merchandise that was for sale in the team’s mall-like retail store.
The players seemed to like Friday’s Navy aviator-theme uni:
The minor leagues are known for irreverent, off-beat promotions. But the Aviators are owned by Summerlin master developer Howard Hughes Corporation, not known for displaying much wackiness when it comes to running a minor league ballclub.
Some fans did go all out for the Top Gun theme Friday.
In game presentation news, the team’s mascots, Spruce and Aviator, were joined by a third mascot — a smaller-looking character.
As for the game, the Aviators said attendance was 6,571, with the Las Vegas team dropping a 5-3 decision to the Round Rock Express.
The series continues with a 7PM game Saturday and a 6PM game Sunday. Post-game fireworks are planned both nights with Independence Day on Monday.
