On Sports Marketing: Vegas Thrill’s Business Strategy For Season 2 In Henderson

LVSportsBiz.com: I noticed every home game has a freebie for every fan. How did the team come up with the ideas for the giveaways? Last season, did you have more giveaways, just as much or less freebies? And what giveaway do you think is the coolest one this season?

Vegas Thrill: Yes, every match has a freebie item. Our team came up with our giveaway items by targeting out primary demographic, which for volleyball tends to be women ages 25-55, and families with young kids. Our goal as a business staff was to bring in branded noisemakers and items that people would reuse over and over again. The previous season we had the same amount of giveaways, however this year’s giveaways are more premium and we are excited for everyone to see them. The coolest this season will be our cowbay hats for Country Night on April 10 and the Hannah Maddux/Alisha Childress Bobbleheads.

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LVSB: I also saw the starting prices went down from about $37 as the cheapest last season to $15 or $20. Did you get feedback that last season’s starting price was too high? What was the strategy behind the cheaper get-in ticket prices this season?

VT: Our primary goal is to bring awareness to professional volleyball, and in order to do that here in the United States, we have to make it affordable for families who are being introduced to this fast-paced, entertaining sport. There is no precursor to professional volleyball in this country, except for the increasing popularity in college volleyball, especially in the midwest. It is exciting to be a part of a startup, but there is no baseline – same as professional sports league when they first began. We listened to feedback, and we understand people have yet to buy in, so we have to build and start somewhere small where people are willing to spend to attend as popularity rises.

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LVSB: Do you have any special efforts to recruit high school volleyball teams to attend games? What are some of the ways that the team is trying to convince fans to come to the matches?

VT: Because girls’ high school volleyball season finished in October, we are targeting youth volleyball clubs here in the valley – all of which are players that typically tend to play in their high school season in the fall. However, these age groups range from 12 years old all the way to 18 years old, so we also focus on junior high aged athletes as well. With these volleyball clubs, we are focused on building a community – not only with specialized group tickets but also with setting up camps and clinics in their facilities. We believe these touchpoints with players and coaches build relationships that are long-lasting, and building a brand that will be long-lasting because athletes can say they want to be a part of that someday.

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LVSB: There are other teams like the lacrosse Desert Dogs and UNLV basketball teams to compete against for fans to buy tickets — how will the Thrill try and differentiate its product from other competitor sports teams?

VT: The Thrill is differentiating its product by being the only female sports team in the Lee’s Family Forum arena, and building a local community in Henderson instead of only targeting tourists or alumni. Women’s volleyball is a different culture and a different demographic that no one in the city has seen before, and it is encouraging that lots of young girls are buying into the idea that they can be playing in their hometown one day. Not wholly different from the Las Vegas Aces, however we do have an easy home arena and location to travel to.

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VT: The two that come to mind are Charitie Luper and Kendall White. Charitie Luper is a 2024 NCAA Division 1 National Champion Runner-Up, and is only 5’9. Comparatively speaking, 5’9 is NOT very tall in the volleyball world, however her vertical and arm swing differentiate her from many others. She has a great personality, and will give girls hope that someone like them can maybe be a pro volleyball player, too.

Kendall White is an All-American from Penn State, who has professional experience from overseas as well as being a Pro Volleyball Federation Inaugural Season Champion in 2024. She has a very outgoing personality and has the ability to make every meeting with her an incredible experience. She is really helping us build our social media presence because of this, and is also just a good human being.

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