One aspect of how the San Francisco Giants do business that Larry Baer is most proud of is the pride that employees take in their work, no matter what role they play in the organization.
“You don’t have to be me like me and have grown up a Giants fan,” says Baer, the team’s president and CEO.
“We are part of bringing joy and providing meaningful experiences to people. On a Tuesday night, you can walk around the upper deck and see mothers and daughters; fathers and sons; spouses; dates; and people who came from work having a great time. Everyone is a part of delivering the experience. It’s not just the players.”
As we took a closer look this month at the Giants success both on and off the field, it became clear that there are many, many contributors who play a part in what the three-time World Series champions have accomplished.
But just as the team on the field isn’t resting on its laurels, the same goes for the people who work behind the scenes.
Provide value
Shana Daum is constantly looking for new ways to engage nonprofits and help them raise awareness for the causes they represent.
“We dedicate resources on a regular basis that we might otherwise sell to a corporate sponsor,” says Daum, vice president of public affairs and community relations for the Giants.
The team offers an opportunity for these groups to deliver their message to fans on the scoreboard at AT&T Park.
“It’s a 30-second message and there is a ton of value to that,” Daum says. “We could sell that to someone, but as an organization, we’re saying no. We’re protecting that and offering it free of charge to a community partner who would never have a marketing budget to increase awareness and get their message out like we can.”
Start conversations
In addition, groups can use the Community Clubhouse, which is located behind home plate on the promenade level of the ballpark.
“We invite our community partners to come in with their staff or volunteers to interact with fans during a game,” Daum says. “Everybody can pass by this area and they can have conversations with the people directly involved with these charities or nonprofits and learn what they’re all about.”
The effort of the Giants on all fronts has not gone unnoticed by others in the Bay Area.
“The Giants organization loves the city and the region and contributes millions of dollars in grants to support a wide range of community and civic organizations,” says Rufus Jeffris, vice president of communications and major events for the Bay Area Council. ●
Mark Scott is senior associate editor of Smart Business Northern California.
