Pensacola Sets All-Time Record Crowds for the 2022 SEC Soccer Tournament

Pensacola’s first-ever hosting of the 2022 Southeastern Conference (SEC) Soccer Tournament featured upset wins, overtime games and saw record-breaking crowds jamming the stadium at Ashton Brosnaham Park, exceeding attendance records for the SEC’s 37-year history of women’s soccer.

“The embrace and overwhelming interest we’ve received from the Pensacola community has been a wonderful experience for our staff, the teams and the players,” said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey. “To see the number of people lined up and waiting to get in, and for our staff to have to make more space to accommodate everyone, well that is certainly a good problem to have and an encouraging sign for our future here. I’m excited to get into the planning for next year already.”

Throughout the weeklong tournament, each match was met with groundbreaking attendance records, exceeding all expectations. The tournament’s run saw more than 10,000 spectators filling the stands to watch the powerful matches.

 EW Bullock collaborated with teams from Pensacola Sports and the SEC to build out the marketing and PR plan, develop the creatives and implement the campaign.

Event marketing and public relations kicked off in February 2022 with a press conference on Pensacola Beach announcing that Pensacola would be the new host site for the tournament.

Ongoing PR initiatives included interviews with select SEC coaches and Pensacola Sports officials. The results included more than 50 stories with over 100 million estimated impressions and a media value of more than $100,000.

Sample media coverage links:

The marketing plan, implemented throughout the summer and fall months, included tactics designed to attract out-of-town visitors as well as initiatives to generate excitement and interest from the local market. Ads promoting the tournament began running in mid-September, aligning with the launch of ticket sales.

Campaign elements included:

• Public relations tactics
  • Digital and social advertising
• TV, radio, print and outdoor advertising
• Environmental marketing – street pole banners, sidewalk stickers, event banners
• Email marketing
  • Engaging with local youth soccer teams

 

Ad samples:

Billboard:

 

Digital ad:

 

Print ad: