Promoting the Home Opener

Friday was Team Photo Day at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, followed by the team's first day training on the stadium field. It was also the final opportunity for media interviews before tomorrow's home opener.

With that, we wanted to take a minute to recognize the local media coverage, since it's been a positive week of attention. Now, we're not saying we're 'there' with regards to media coverage. However, we want to recognize the coverage and give Rapids fans that may have missed some of it, a little recap.

• The Denver Post not only provided their readers a full page preview on the Rapids ahead of the season opener last week, today they have another large feature on newly acquired Marvell Wynne.
• All of the local TV stations have been at practice this week and many of them last week; and many local radio DJs and other TV personalities have also touted the team's home opener on air.
• Props to defender Drew Moor for being a studio guest on 9News at 6 am this morning -the day before the home opener - to promote the Rapids game tomorrow. As we watched him answer - in our League's 15th year - questions about the popularity of the sport, we wondered how many professional athletes in any sport would be as willing to help promote the team and sport as athletes like Drew and his colleagues are.
• Coach Gary Smith was then a guest on ESPN Radio 1600, where he, too, was once again asked about the sports popularity. He also handled it like a pro and turned the interview into a discussion the media would have with any other head coach.
• Earlier this week, in an effort to get other media engaged, the club put together Easter Baskets with Rapids goodies and personally dropped them off to many radio and TV talent in the area. Everyone likes goodies, and the media are no different. In turn, we got extra plugs about the home opener during morning rush, lunchtime, and drivetime radio as well as morning, afternoon, and evening news.
• Among the radio drops were: KBCO 97.3, KTCL 93.3, KPPT - The Party 95.7, ALICE 105.9, KS 107.5, KOSI, KKFN 104.3, ESPN Radio 1600, and KOA 850.
• Last but not least, let's not forget internet, with stories MLSsoccer.com on searching for a forward, on Lopez, on Kosuke, and Pablo; or FCDenver.org's practice updates and story on LaBauex; or Soccer365.com's feature on Omar and Casey.
• Finally, it always helps media when they know that people are seeing / reading their content. If you appreciate the coverage of the local media (even though we'd all like more), shoot them an email and let them know.

Promoting the Home Opener