Ballpark business

When the Mavericks minor league baseball team kicks off its season on April 3, not only will the players be ready to pursue their fourth California League Championship but the front office will have done its share to prove fun and business go hand in hand.

"The Mavericks can help advertise your business in new and creative ways," Mavericks assistant general manager Tim Altier told audience members of a recent Zank's Coffee Club gathering at Hesperia Christian School. "We come up with new ideas every day."

The only professional sports team in the Victor Valley, the Mavericks organization lives by its motto, "Yes, wow and fun!" And that, Altier said, equates into great opportunities for business, small or large.

Advertisers who purchase banner, program or other promotional opportunities tap into the positive view most people have for America's pastime, and baseball fans are a captive audience, he said.

Demographics bear out other positives: 78 percent are homeowners; 70 percent have households with incomes of $50,000 or higher; and more than half have children under 17 years old living at home. Perhaps surprisingly, an estimated 44 percent of those who attend Mavericks games are females.

"They're decision makers," Altier noted.

Sports marketing has grown so big that today it is an estimated $33.8 billion industry, according to Altier.

Another perk of becoming a Mavericks sponsor is that sponsors don't receive their tickets through the mail or at the will call window — their tickets are hand-delivered.

"Customer service is our No. 1 priority."