Colleges working with Google on ticket strategies

Michigan State doesn't have a hard time selling tickets for their popular hockey team but as the team is going through a tough season this year they turned to Google to help push tickets. Michigan saw a 14 to 1 return through Google's search-engine marketing. Michigan State's assistant director of sales and marketing Jim Donatelli said that the money the school spent with Google helped push Spartans' official website higher on the search page when fans are searching for tickets. Pro teams have been working with Google over the last five years to strengthen their online presence through search-engine marketing. Michael Lorenc whose a 14-year veteran at Google has spent the last four years as the company's head of industry for live events that are held in Ann Arbor, Michigan. What his division does is create campaigns with teams and leagues so that they have a higher-profile position on the search page. For the last several months, this movement to help primary ticket sellers reach their customers has moved into the college ranks and now more than 20 schools have begun advertising with Google to improve their search position. The 20 plus schools spending money with Google they're spending anywhere from $1,000 dollars into the five figures and Donatelli says that Michigan State has spent $12,000 dollars with Google during its football, basketball and hockey seasons with an overall 9 to 1 return. Craig Ricks whose the vice president of marketing at Spectra Ticketing says that "its the next big trend for our schools and in the next three years or so, every college is going to invest in this heavily." I believe this will become very popular in the future and I think all the professional and college sports teams will use this trend to create revenue.