When it comes to creating unique retail experiences, the folks at Soccer.com and Sports Promotions Group are no strangers to pushing the envelope.
They were the first TentCraft customers to use our truss solution to create an incredible Nike shoebox pop-up store — something that was later replicated by Florida A&M University. And they’ve since used that same truss structure to create other eye-catching pop-up retail shops at national-caliber youth soccer tournaments.
So, when the online retailer was approached by Nike and NBC about creating a pop-up experience to sell custom soccer balls outside the L.A. Memorial Coliseum for the Premier League Fan Fest, Sports Promotions Group again trusted TentCraft to help come up with a solution that was as visually impactful as it was practical and useful.
And, of course, something that attracted attendees like a magnet.
The end result was a custom-printed event dome that exceeded expectations in terms of not only the overall look and feel, but also in sales of Nike soccer balls.
Mike Thomas, of Sports Promotion Group, said events like the Premier League Fan Fest aren’t typically viewed as a “big sale opportunity.” Typically, he said, it’s 70% marketing and 30% sales. But the custom dome, which was installed at the entrance to the Coliseum, ultimately drew people in and the retailer sold out of all of the soccer balls.
“It definitely exceeded our expectations,” Thomas said. “Typically, these events where so much free stuff is given away, sales aren’t the greatest. The dome created enough curiosity for people to come up and see what was available, and fortunately, many of them purchased a soccer ball.”
The TentCraft Event Dome is a geodesic dome structure with a 20-foot diameter that can easily be assembled in under an hour thanks to its tool-free design. The branded canopy is made of heavy-duty, 600 denier polyester — the same material used in our high-quality pop-up tents. As many as 35 people can comfortably hang out inside the dome. For Soccer.com, the size allowed for an 8’x8’ mightyTENT with no roof to serve as a branded backdrop, in addition to the retail staff of about a half-dozen people.
The windows on the Event Dome make for an organized retail experience. The group used one window to sell products and a second window for pickup. “It really kept the line flowing,” Thomas said.
Security of Event Dome
One of the surprising aspects of the TentCraft Event Dome was how secure it feels, Thomas said.
“Once you zip in the door, you’re secured from all sides and you don’t have to worry about people sneaking in and possibly taking anything,” he said.
While the structure was set up in a gated area at the Coliseum, Thomas added the retailer felt comfortable keeping its crate of products inside the dome overnight.
“When it’s all zipped up, there’s less opportunity for people to root around in your tent,” he said.
Rebranding Your Event Dome
This won’t be the last time Soccer.com uses its Event Dome. There will likely be more Premier League Fan Fest experiences in the future, but a big selling point of the structure is the fact that it can be rebranded with a new custom-printed canopy for different events.
Soccer.com will also likely use it at youth soccer tournaments in the coming year. Because of the efficient retail experience it creates, Thomas said a minimal amount of people can easily work in it — something that’s helpful when there’s a staffing crunch.
“Honestly, the nice thing about this is that we haven’t decided how to use it for everything at this point,” Thomas said. “We know there’s a lot of opportunities, though.”
