Our organization is the Springfield RiverHawks baseball team playing in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League. 2018 will be the first year the RiverHawks will be participating in the FCBL. Our goal is to expand the FCBL into a league that receives interest from baseball fans as well as interest from the average person trying to enjoy a fun experience at a reasonable price. At this point, the FCBL is seen as a little brother to the Cape Cod Baseball League. Through outstanding competition and top notch baseball, we hope to help the FCBL be seen as equal to the CCBL. From our own standpoint, the RiverHawks want to attain a league championship and perform at a high level. While we value winning, we want to ensure our players are getting the experience they need to move on to the next level in their career.
http://thefuturesleague.com/view/futuresleague/futures-collegiate-baseball-league-13/history
Agency
Programs: Benefits and Values
The RiverHawks understand the importance of giving back to the fans and the community of Springfield. We are all a family in the RiverHawks organization and we take pride in that. Providing programs, outside of baseball games for the community, is of value to the organization. This is our way, "The RiverHawks' Way," of saying thank you. One of the main ways we enjoy celebrating our fans and community is by having themed promotional games. This includes nights like Dr. Seuss, where we have custom jerseys wore during the game and auctioned off, and Dr. Seuss characters interact with fans during the course of the game, all to honor the history of Dr. Seuss in Springfield and for the enjoyment of the fans. Similar programs that the RiverHawks supply include:
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RiverHawk Rookies: Youth baseball opportunities in collaboration with the Cal Ripkin Jr. Foundation and Springfield College.
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Meet the Team Night: Fans are invited to join the RiverHawks following the game, to meet the future stars.
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RiverHawk Rewards: Spectators will be given a punch card that will be punched upon entrance to any home game. Spectators with a full punch card will be rewarded with a free admission to any home game and RiverHawk merchandise.
Events such as these allow the organization to show its appreciation to the fans and the community. New programs and events are added to every season, which keeps fans engaged and loyal. According to a study done on customer loyalty, "Commitment, trust, satisfaction, and loyalty incentives (e.g., reward programs, perks, favorable treatment) have all been positively linked to customer loyalty" (Beck, Henderson, Palmatier, Watson 2015). The fans are the support for the RiverHawks and as an organization in the FCBL, we want to give them an experience like no other teams in the league can supply, and make everyone feel welcomed into the RiverHawk family.
Watson, G. F., Beck, J. T., Henderson, C. M., & Palmatier, R. W. (2015). Building, measuring, and profiting from customer loyalty. Journal Of The Academy Of Marketing Science : Official Publication Of The Academy Of Marketing Science, 43(6), 790-825. doi:10.1007/s11747-015-0439-4
