Bucs’ RED initiative a hit with women despite early criticism
Parm Mehmi tries on some Bucs shoulder pads while on a tour of the locker room during a RED event last month. JASON BEHNKEN/STAFFBy Ira Kaufman | Tribune Staff Published: December 12, 2015TAMPA — The marketing department of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers learned a powerful lesson over the summer: It’s all in the details.In August, the Bucs announced a new initiative termed “RED,” designed to appeal to the club’s female fan base. Within hours, the Bucs faced a backlash from some notable media outlets, criticizing the organization for pandering to women with references to fashion and cooking.A story in USA Today termed the club’s new marketing effort “embarrassingly sexist,” and The New York Times weighed in with a negative column. But the Bucs took the blows and declined to comment.Instead, the Bucs staged a RED Launch Party in September, attracting more than 1,500 fans to the West Club at Raymond James Stadium. The organization followed up three weeks ago with a “Siege the Stadium” event that was also well attended.“Anytime that women can get their own personal tour about what goes on during game day, that’s something special,” said event host Gayle Sierens, a former NewsChannel 8 anchor who in 1987 became the first woman to do play-by-play for an NFL regular-season game.“Women are as passionate as any man when it comes to sports, but we’re not all made exactly the same. I thought the criticism was a little bit unfair.”According to the NFL, women make up 43.5 percent of its fan base.Last month’s RED initiative attracted more than 2,000 women who were given an up-close and personal look at areas typically reserved for players and coaches only — including guided tours of the Bucs home locker room and the team’s sideline bench area at the stadium.Bucs Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks and former Pro Bowl defensive end Simeon Rice mingled with fans at the event, along with Darcie Glazer Kassewitz, co-president of the Glazer Family Foundation and a driving force behind the RED campaign.“We wanted to give our fans full access,” said Glazer Kassewitz, whose family has owned the team since 1995. “I think there needs to be a greater connection to our fans and, as the female voice in my family, I feel it’s important to connect with our female fans in particular. We did two years of research on this with focus groups — what sets the Bucs apart is our commitment and passion to this cause.”Other Bay area sports teams have also designed campaigns targeting their female audience.The Tampa Bay Lightning attracted a sold-out crowd of 170 women for a “Lightning University” event Nov. 9 that featured a tour of the locker room and a roundtable panel discussion that included franchise founder Phil Esposito. The final station was hosted by Jessie Cooper, wife of Lightning head coach Jon Cooper.The Rays have invited their female fans to Professional Women’s Night at Tropicana Field, which included a pre-game talk with female leaders in the organization.“You have to reach that fine balance of engaging different demographics while not speaking down to them,” said Kevin McIntyre, executive vice president of sales and general manager of Leverage Agency, a sports, entertainment and media marketing agency based in New York City.“It’s worthwhile to reach out to any audience ... if it’s done the right way. For example, you can do it by engaging women, offering them something different than male consumers. The key? You have to do it in a way that’s uplifting.”Sharon Keel, a Bucs fan from Pasco County who attended last month’s RED event, said any backlash was unwarranted.“I don’t think what the Bucs have been doing is condescending in any way,” she said. “It’s wonderful to see a turnout like this and everyone seems to be enjoying themselves.”Jen Welter doesn’t understand what all the fuss is about, either.Welter, 38, played 14 years in women’s football leagues and, last summer, served an internship helping to coach linebackers for the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals during training camp.“I’m so impressed with what the Bucs are doing,” Welter said. “To see an organization in the National Football League being so open and excited about incorporating women — that’s the future and it’s great to see Tampa is taking the lead in this movement.”
