The Phoenix Suns will build its mobile strategy for the upcoming basketball season with an enhanced text messaging strategy to nurture fan loyalty and increase sales.

The National Basketball Association team is partnering with Phizzle to use its Web-based mobile platform for delivering real-time interactive campaigns as a way to drive excitement and fan participation. The strategy will enable the Phoenix Suns to track specific fan interests and provide more relevant and timely campaigns.

?One of the biggest hurdles is to get fans away from the comfort of their home where they have a big-screen TV and access to all sorts of information and get them to come to a game,? said Ben Davis, CEO of Phizzle, San Francisco. ?Our goal is to provide the information that is relevant to the game to the people that are there.

?With the social media sidelines reporter, the team will be able to rope in content not just through Twitter and Facebook but through mobile as well,? he said. ?Being able to get a sideline report via mobile will definitely increase opt-ins and participation.

Driving corporate revenue
The team has been involved in mobile and social media marketing for some time already. It recently hired a social media sidelines reporter to help enhance the fan experience.

Through the Phizzle partnership, the Phoenix Suns plans to deliver a variety of text messaging campaigns including text-to-win promotions, text-to-vote polls and text-to-screen. The first efforts are expected to begin appearing in January.

Phizzle is also providing the team with a comprehensive set of mobile and SMS marketing tools to create integrated, multichannel, mobile marketing programs for fans, event sponsors and local advertisers.

The partnership with Phizzle will provide the Phoenix Suns with greater flexibility when it comes to managing its marketing efforts, especially in the arena.

?They are looking to expand their database while at the same time drive corporate partnership revenue,? Mr. Davis said.

?Because our solution is tightly integrated with their broadcast technology they will be able to launch and create a lot more flexibly branded types of campaigns,? he said. ?The graphics in the arena will be able to reflect a brand?s image more so than they have been able to do ? that?s one of the bigger differences.

?We can help them provide a branded campaign that keeps the experience focused on the actual game itself.?

Additionally, any communications sent to game attendees via mobile will be able to include coupons for relevant offers that can be redeemed during and immediately after a game.

?It is really all about creating multiple touch points for their fans, whether it is mobile, in the arena or providing a social media presence both in and out of the arena,? Mr. Davis said. ?The goal is to give their fans as much flexibility as possible to engage with the brand across multiple platforms.?

Final Take
Chantal Tode is associate editor on Mobile Marketer, New York

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