Summary: Just when you thought
there was virtually no advertising that major league baseball couldn't sell, the
Chicago White Sox have sold their games' starting times.
Wall Street
Journal, October 12, 2006
CHICAGO -- The Chicago White Sox will start weeknight home games at 7:11 p.m. as
part of a sponsorship deal struck with convenience-store chain 7-Eleven, the
team announced Wednesday.
White Sox spokesman Scott Reifert would not disclose the value of the three-year
deal with Dallas-based 7-Eleven Inc. but said the revenue it generates probably
will be reinvested in the team or its ballpark.
The new 7:11 p.m. start time does not represent a drastic change, since many
weeknight games at U.S. Cellular Field currently start at 7:07 p.m., Mr. Reifert
said. "We're just talking about four minutes, so it's not much of an
inconvenience for the fans," he said.
The White Sox played 55 weekday games at home this year, 46 of them at night.
Margaret Chabris, a 7-Eleven spokeswoman, said fans also can expect to
occasionally leave the ballpark with 7-Eleven coupons and other promotional
items in the next few years. She said a recent study conducted by the company
showed that many of its customers are sports fans.
"The White Sox have offered us a tremendous opportunity to get in front of a
demographic that we like to attract," Ms. Chabris said. "We want to be able to
interact with them in an entertaining, fun arena." She said the company has been
working to develop sponsorship deals with other sports teams and entertainment
venues.
The Chicago area was targeted for such a deal because of its high concentration
of 7-Eleven stores, she added. There are more than 180 7-Elevens in the area.
The company also owns more than 200 recently acquired White Hen Pantry
convenience stores, Ms. Chabris said. "Every time the media announces the game's
start time, it will be a gentle reminder of our sponsorship," she said.
The 7-Eleven chain is a unit of Seven & i Holdings Co., a Japanese conglomerate.