This article is part of a monthly series highlighting successful annual events held by Scouting America councils.
More than a month before the Kansas City Royals open their season on March 27, Scouting’s takeover of Kauffman Stadium (aka The K) is well into the planning stages.
Scouts in uniform — about 2,500 of them — will fill the stands during this annual outing. They’ll participate in a parade around the field and see themselves on the video board. A Scout will toss out the ceremonial first pitch, and another will be recognized with a Lifesaving or Meritorious Action Award. At least for one afternoon, the ballpark will feel like it belongs to Scouting America.
Scout Day at the pro baseball stadium is an annual tradition dating back about two decades. It stems from a carefully built partnership between the Heart of America Council and the KC team.
“We’ve been doing this a long time, so we kind of have it down,” says Matt Armstrong, the council’s director of marketing and communications. “They key is to break it into individual projects. One person works with our color guard, for example. Somebody else handles the first pitch.”
Being Prepared
Planning begins when Major League Baseball releases its schedule. The council works with the Royals directly to select a spring Sunday home game, avoiding summer camp season and fall recruitment while tapping into the excitement of baseball’s return. From there, a small but dedicated volunteer committee — usually four or five people — work on the specifics.
There are ticketing logistics to organize and marketing plans to execute. The council negotiates pricing tiers in advance, aiming to keep tickets affordable for families and beneficial for the council. Units that purchase 15 or more tickets work directly with a Royals representative to avoid extra fees and choose their seats together.
Incentives such as free parking passes for bulk purchases help drive early sales and simplify logistics for families. The council uses email campaigns, social media, digital advertising and website retargeting to reach families who have attended in the past or shown interest in similar events.
Scouts even have the option to purchase a co-branded Royals/Scouting baseball cap. Event patches that read “Scout Day at the K” with a baseball in the middle are available to the first 2,000 Scouts.
On game day, committee members are spread throughout the stadium, working closely with Royals staff to stay on schedule. Armstrong says the main thing is to build those relationships and make the event beneficial for everyone.
“It’s worth the effort when you look out into the stands and see that many people in Scout uniform,” Armstrong says. “People who aren’t in Scouting are introduced to our organization in such a positive way. And, of course, we’re at a baseball game, so it’s fun”
Game Day
Scout Day ticket holders are allowed into the stadium early, giving them exclusive access to the outfield experience — base running, mini golf and other kid-friendly activities before gates open to the public. The Royals also provide professional photographers and video assets, which the council uses for real-time social media updates and post-event promotion.
Armstrong advises people to arrive early to watch the Scout parade, which often includes 1,000 or more Scouts circling the field before the game. On-field recognitions include first pitch, first catch, color guard and Ewing Kauffman Distinguished Eagle Scout honors — named after the team’s first owner, who was also an Eagle Scout.
“Even the stadium operations staff I’ve gotten to know over the years enjoy the parade,” he says. “We stop and watch the video board together because it’s so much fun to see that many Scouts in uniform smiling and circling the field.”
Armstrong acknowledges that it helps to live in an area with Major League Baseball. If you don’t, creativity is key: Scout Days could be held at minor-league games, for instance.
“When the game starts, it’s fun to look around and see thousands of Scouts,” Armstrong says. “I think it shows people that Scouting is still here, it’s thriving and we’re a part of this community.”
Inspire Leadership, Foster Values: Donate to Scouting
When you give to Scouting, you are making it possible for young people to have extraordinary opportunities that will allow them to embrace their true potential and become the remarkable individuals they are destined to be.
Related
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source blog.scoutingmagazine.org ’
