Ballparks of America, located in Branson, Missouri, is the ultimate youth baseball tournament vacation with five Major League replica fields. Their 1.2 million sqft campus holds team suites and indoor batting cages and works closely with the most popular local attractions.
The Diagnosis
Ballparks of America selected the EventConnect platform to address specific needs that could create efficiencies, drive additional revenue, and offer a better and more unified customer experience.
1. Consolidation of systems and data
Combine existing scheduling, 3rd party housing partners, merchandise sales, and web forms for registrations across one central and unified technology platform.
2. Optimized management of lodging
Create a better system and process for servicing and partnerships with hotels, integrations with short-term vacation rentals, and driving more significant revenue where applicable.
3. Custom technology development
Develop custom technology specific to needs, unlike anything else available in the market–including enhancements to scheduling and scoring, pay-per-player registration model, and add-on enhancements.
The Approach
EventConnect’s approach involved onboarding Ballparks of America quickly, developing custom solutions, launching for the upcoming season, and optimizing to create further efficiencies.
1. Onboard
Speed to market and launch within weeks (set-up with hotels, contracting, event registration build, integration into site, marketing materials, etc.)
2. Launch
Launched the newly integrated and complete calendar of events for the upcoming season. Registration and hotel links all live across a unified platform.
3. Optimize
Improved registration workflows, reporting, hotel feedback, onboarded alternative housing solution in Condos & Vacation Rentals, enhanced add-on features, and more.
4. Improve
Streamlined technology into one platform to minimize data redundancy, increase overall connectivity, and improve participant/team experience and happiness.
“EventConnect has been an amazing partner and huge value add for Ballparks of America. They have provided us with a powerful backend system that allows our staff and customers to have an efficient process from start to finish. EventConnect has been eager to work with us to build new features like a per-player cost registration process, spotlight merchandising, custom reporting, and more. Their willingness to meet our needs with improvements has enhanced our customer experience and increased revenues exponentially.”
Brad Margolin, Sales & Marketing Manager at Ballparks of America
The Results
1. 200% YoY Revenue Growth
With the ability to push registration live sooner than in years past, the outcome was faster time to block and, thus, increased hotel revenue.
2. New Revenue Streams
New monetization strategy – Together, EventConnect & Ballparks were the first companies to contract and track Condos & Vacation Rentals successfully.
3. Room Nights Per Team
Establish one of the most important metrics to gauge profitable growth while developing multiple strategies to increase this metric event over event, not just YoY.
4. Add-On Sales & Merchandise
New feature developed to allow teams and participants to purchase merchandise, photo packages, food and beverage (+more) during and after registration.
Hotel partner testimonials
Across 5600 bookings, EventConnect achieved a 99% booking feedback score.
“I am happy to say that EventConnect is a pleasure to work with. They are a very organized & detail-oriented company, and I enjoy working with them. We look forward to working together as a team for an extended time. I appreciate their support.”
– Welk Resorts, Renee Youngblood, Group Sales Manager.
“I recently began working with EventConnect for Ballparks of America in Branson. Working with Event Connect has been a great experience. The RFP process is smooth and easy to use; a very user-friendly process that provides thorough information to EventConnect, Hotelier and Guest. The dashboard is a great tool providing a visual of all events, rooms contracted, requested & picked up. Having a live visual of current reservations is beneficial and not waiting until the cutoff for a room list (and hope). Live activity is a VERY efficient tool! The portal, allowing guests to request more rooms and types of their choice, is an amazing, efficient and helpful addition. I am very pleased and honored to be working with EventConnect.”
– The Suites at Fall Creek by Diamond Resorts, Anne Lederer, Regional Hotel Sales Manager
“The booking process was fast and intuitive.”
– Sarah M
“Thanks! Easy to use!!!”
– Stephanie M
“Outstanding service”
– Tracy T
Want to see what EventConnect can do for your youth baseball organization? Book a demo today.