The Florida Beef Council’s recent promotion at the MLB Speedway Classic in Bristol, Tennessee was a resounding success, drawing crowds and beef lovers from all over the country. The event, which made history as the first Major League Baseball game ever held in Tennessee, also set an attendance record, making it a prime opportunity for beef industry outreach.
We spoke with Deanne Maples of the Florida Beef Council about the impact of this high-profile event. “It was the first major league game ever held in Tennessee, but it also set an MLB attendance record with about 91,000 fans, and I’m going to tell you based on how busy our booth was in the fan zone that day, I think we saw about all 91,000 come by to see us.”
Beef Councils from six Southeastern states—Kentucky, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina—joined forces to make a strong presence in the fan zone. “We handed out things like beef sticks, and stickers, and recipe trading cards so fans could take home new beef meal ideas. People also got in line to take their photos inside of a giant T-bone steak cutout, which was really fun.”
In addition to handing out samples and beef recipes, local beef producers were on hand to educate attendees about the full pasture-to-plate process. “They enjoyed that, and then we had several beef producers on hand as well who were able to talk with folk about everything really from pasture to the plate experience.”
Maples noted the deep connection between baseball and beef. “First off, baseball fans love their beef, whether it’s a hot dog at the park or steak on the grill at home.”
With fans from across the Southeast and beyond, the event reached far beyond its regional footprint. “I talked to people from states like California, New York, cities like Chicago, states like Texas, and even on up into Canada. I mean, people came from across the country to be part of this historic game at a neat place like a NASCAR Speedway.”
The Council also went digital. “We actually did a digital program as well that reached out to fans. So we did a beef giveaway, and so we were able to collect people’s email addresses, and we’re starting to analyze those results, and that’s backing it up.”
Audio Reporting by Dale Sandlin for Southeast AgNet.