Posted by Christopher Stevenson
Sporting events are great with kids. I've taken my kids to football, basketball, soccer, and hockey games, but I've resisted taking my kids to a baseball game for years. The thought of trying to occupy three kids under ten years of age for nine innings of ball was too much. This week, though, the Madison Mallards showed what can be done.
The Mallards are the latest in a long line of collegiate- and minor-league baseball teams in Madison. Most of their 
predecessors, with the exception of the Madison Muskies, failed to catch on. Folks seemed to enjoy going to games, but lost interest after a while and the teams left. The Mallards, on the other hand, have experienced great success in town. (There were over 3,000 people at the game I was at.) How do they do it? It's not about the baseball; it's about the experience.
The Mallards try to maintain a high level of energy from the time you walk into the park until you leave. They have activities for the kids to keep them busy and happy--inflatable bouncy houses, playground equipment, and mascots galore. Food choices range from typical Wisconsin ballpark fare like hot dogs, fried cheese curds and ice cream to more unusual foods like smoked brisket and turkey legs, pulled-pork sandwiches, and most interestingly, the Glazer double-bacon cheeseburger, a burger that has glazed donuts for buns. (I know; I don't get it either.) And, to my great delight, a wide selection of good beers, including Bass Ale and Madison's own Great Dane.
There was no dead air between innings, either. There was always something happening during breaks in play. T-shirt tosses, air-guitar contests, money booths (sponsored by a credit union, no less), and singing fans filled the gaps. There was no time to get bored.
Really, when I think about the game, it felt more like a county fair than a ball game. Everyone was happy when we left, even if my four-year old never watched a second of the game. How'd it happen? I think the Mallards' management team knows what it is doing.
It's not a fluke that the Mallards are succeeding where other teams failed. They looked at a traditional baseball game, identified the weakest points (bad food and weak beer, slow play, boring breaks in the game, not interactive) and fixed them. I think credit unions can do the same. Why settle for tradition when tradition isn't good enough? Shake it up and see what happens.
For more on member experience, check out Lisa's recent post, How Can CUs Treat Regulars Right?
