The Importance of Investing in Family Fans
Featuring guest writer
Graham Foley,
Marketing and New Media Associate for the Philadelphia Phillies.
Photo by Geneva Heffernan
A treat that comes from growing up with the Phillies and now working for the Phillies is seeing others — including my own family members — experience the same thrills.
I was 10 years old when my mom taught me how to keep score at a baseball game. We sat in center field for a Sunday afternoon game in April as the eventual World Series champs took on the Cubs. To this day, when I enter the lineup onto our graphics for social media, I still picture the view from section 148 as my mom pointed to each position.
This year, when I stopped by to visit my cousins at our family seats, there, of course, was a scorebook sitting in the lap of my little cousin, Kieran, with his mom beside him. He had a head start on me. At this game, he was seven years old and had already been keeping score at games for three years.
Photography by Mitch Leff
I also remember making new friends in the Phanatic Phun Zone. I went down slides, played tag and organized a massive hide-and seek game with kids I just met. It was the perfect way to get out my excited energy before a big Phillies game.
When I saw my cousin Kieran a second time this year, he was coming back from a new section of the ballpark I wish I could’ve experienced at his age. The Yard, featuring the Citizens Phan Field, is a Citizens Bank Park replica wiffle ball field with a massive video board that shows each kid swinging at home plate and making plays in the field. Kieran breathlessly described the same thrill of playing competitively with kids he had just met. He looked at himself on the screen and felt like a Major Leaguer. Back at Kieran’s seats were his dad and younger brother, Julian, who had just turned five. He’s a bit young to name the Phillies’ starting lineup, but he’s old enough to find ice cream in a helmet as magical as I did. It blew my mind as a kid that a sweet treat became an extra souvenir. According to Julian, his stack of plastic Phillies helmets at home rivals mine.
My experiences at Citizens Bank Park as a kid solidified my love for the Phillies and gave me memories that will last a lifetime. Now that fans have returned to South Philadelphia, memories are being made by new generations of fans who become longtime customers and pass on their passion to their families. It’s experiences like mine and my cousins’ that make investing in families so important.
Let’s be real –– sports can be intimidating for families. Loud atmospheres and intense fans can make families question whether their children will have a safe and enjoyable experience.
That’s where baseball stands out. Its natural laid-back atmosphere as the game of summer with dozens of games to attend naturally creates a family-friendly environment. The Phillies take it a step further by making sure Citizens Bank Park is equipped for family activities.
Photo by Geneva Heffernan
As my cousin excitedly mentioned, his favorite spot is The Yard. Around the 70-foot field is a big-league sized dugout, a shining Liberty Bell replica and bright big screen that comes together to create the MLB experience.
The Yard also features a bullpen equipped with a radar gun for kids to test their fastballs. Next to that is a 30-foot rock climbing wall with graphic depictions of the Phillie Phanatic and the Philadelphia skyline. There’s even a hot dog launching cannon where kids can fire at targets like the Phanatic does on the field. All of this fun is located right next to a massive, old-fashioned ice cream bar.
There are practical options for families as well, such as the Kid’s Corner and Phood Cart that offer ballpark favorites at kid-sized portions and affordable prices. Behind home plate is a clean and private nursing lounge for mothers of newborns. For kids younger than eight years old, there’s an entire jungle gym at the Phanatic Phun Zone by the first-base gate. Citizens Bank Park isn’t just for watching baseball and leaving. It’s built for a day of family fun.
The Phillies also make attending a game affordable and welcoming. With full capacity crowds, the team has offered a family bundle that includes four tickets and $48 worth of food and merchandise credit for a total of $100.
Photo by Geneva Heffernan
Sundays are also centered around kids, often featuring exciting giveaways for fans 14 and younger such as shirts, beach towels, back-to-school bags and more. Nine lucky kids in Phillies gear are also selected each Sunday to stand on the field with their heroes pregame for the national anthem.
It’s not easy to find safe, affordable activities that keep kids occupied and create lasting memories. It’s even harder to find ones that are enjoyable for parents as well. That’s why the Phillies organization is always brainstorming to find new ways to create a safe, welcoming environment for families. As the needs of families change, we want to be on the forefront of creating accommodations and entertainment spaces.
And when I see my little cousins, I always know we have something to bond over. I’ll never forget when I snagged a Bryce Harper home run in batting practice before my gameday staff shift two years ago. When my cousin visited me, I handed him the ball from his favorite player and saw his face light up. That’s a special moment he and I will never forget.
This guest blog was written by Graham Foley. Graham is a Marketing and New Media Associate in his second year working for the Phillies. He specializes in social media content, helping to upkeep the Phillies’ social channels, as well as content creation in editorial posts and podcasts. Before working in the front office, he worked two seasons on the gameday staff as a 50/50 raffle ticket seller for the Phillies.
Download our FREE family marketing guide for sports teams
*By providing your contact details you are opting-in to receive promotional marketing materials via email from Kidzsmart
