Florida Marlins’ New Ballpark

Florida Marlins with Wragg & Casas

Goal

In the Marlins efforts to build a new ballpark in the City of Miami, Wragg & Casas was tasked with engaging the public in the concept and generating support for the project, with the ultimate goal of getting both the City of Miami and Miami-Dade County commissions to approve the project

Challenge

The Marlins, which currently play on the football field in Dolphin Stadium, have been on more than a 10-year quest to develop a permanent home, through a public/private partnership, for the two-time World Series Champions in Miami. But long-standing misconceptions about the project, as well as the recent economic downturn, threatened to kill the team’s final chance on securing the support it needed to bring the Marlins to Miami. Not only did Wragg & Casas need to provide information to the public, but also combat incorrect information that had circulated for years.

Social Media Tactics

To stem the tide of public opinion and combat years of misinformation required a campaign that relied on grassroots outreach and extensive media relations combined with newer, social media methods of communication.

Wragg & Casas took the messaging straight to the targeted audiences. We created an issues-based Web site, with custom social media features, to disseminate the team’s information, combat the rumors and rally support for the project. The site gave fans an interactive place to stay on top of upcoming meeting dates, post their own photos showing support and even downloading signs for their cars, yards and offices championing the ballpark. It also served as a resource for media, with a special section designated with high-resolution renderings and photos for direct download. But the social media went one step further. We engaged the Marlins in a virtual grassroots outreach by auditing their audiences on the World Wide Web, identifying the most influential message boards and blogs and engaging the Marlins in the online conversations. From fan sites to Facebook, we were able to engage key audiences that were in support of the cause but unaware of how they could help. And when the media printed information that was wrong, rather than relying solely on the traditional method of seeking an often obscure correction, we sent the correct information straight to the public through blogging and e-mail campaigns.

Results

After a seven-month campaign, the facts of the new ballpark overtook the rumors in much of the media and with the general public. On March 19, the City of Miami approved the ballpark and the county commission followed with its approval four days later, finally and definitively paving way for the new ballpark to begin construction in the summer.