Cleveland Cavaliers: Driving Season Ticket Renewals with Dynamic Engagement

Industry

Sports and Entertainment

Challenge

Before LeBron James returned, the Cleveland Cavaliers struggled with below-average season ticket holder (STH) sales and declining attendance. The team needed a solution to boost fan engagement and increase ticket renewals ahead of the upcoming season. Traditional renewal efforts were not driving the desired retention rates.

Results

The Cavaliers achieved a >90% online renewal rate, significantly improving season ticket retention. The dynamic, personalized renewal campaign increased fan engagement and streamlined the renewal process, ensuring higher participation and commitment from existing ticket holders. This success set a new benchmark for future renewal efforts.

Key Services

Digital Campaign Strategy, Personalized Content & Dynamic Imaging, Customer Engagement Optimization, Online Ticket Renewal System, Performance Analytics & Reporting

www.cavaliers.com

90%+

Online Renewal

45%+

Engagement Rate

30%+

Attendance

25%+

Sales Performance

The Pedowitz Group helped us create a dynamic and engaging renewal experience that improved season ticket retention and deepened fan engagement. Their strategic approach drove over 90% of online renewals and significantly boosted attendance, setting a new benchmark for our marketing success.

Damion Chatmon

Sr. Director of Emerging and Digital Technology Solutions @ Cleveland Cavaliers

About the Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team in the NBA, known for their passionate fan base and championship success. As a leading sports franchise, they continuously seek innovative ways to engage season ticket holders and drive renewals.

The Challenge

Before working with us, the Cleveland Cavaliers faced declining season ticket holder (STH) renewals and below-average attendance, particularly in the years before LeBron James rejoined the team. They needed a more effective way to engage and retain existing season ticket holders while also increasing overall fan commitment. The challenge was to create a dynamic, personalized renewal campaign that would drive online renewals, improve the fan experience, and streamline the ticket renewal process.

The Solution

The Cleveland Cavaliers sought a solution to modernize their season ticket renewal process and improve engagement with their fan base. They explored various digital marketing and ticketing solutions but needed a more personalized and dynamic approach that would drive renewals at scale. After evaluating different options, they selected our team for our ability to deliver a highly customized, data-driven renewal campaign with engaging digital content.

By implementing a dynamic content strategy—including personalized emails, interactive renewal pages, and targeted messaging—the Cavaliers were able to create a seamless renewal experience for season ticket holders. Features such as dynamic images, custom flash content, and tailored messaging played a key role in enhancing fan engagement. This approach simplified the renewal process and fostered a stronger connection between the team and its most loyal supporters.

“The ability to deliver a tailored, interactive experience made all the difference. We saw engagement levels soar and a record renewal rate—far beyond what we expected.” - Damion Chatmon, Senior Director of Emerging and Digital Technology Solutions

The Results

The Cleveland Cavaliers achieved record-setting season ticket retention and fan engagement by implementing a personalized, data-driven renewal strategy. The campaign’s success reinforced the importance of digital personalization in ticket sales and set a new benchmark for renewal efforts in the sports industry.

Key Outcomes:

90%+ online renewal rate, streamlining the ticket renewal process.
45% increase in fan engagement, driven by dynamic, personalized content.
30% boost in average game attendance, improving the in-arena experience.
25% increase in season ticket sales, surpassing pre-campaign benchmarks.

The Cavaliers’ success demonstrated how a strategic digital engagement approach can drive loyalty, improve retention, and enhance the fan experience.