FOX Sports Southwest Fan Express Connects with Outer Market Viewers

* VIP Luxury Bus Transports Fans to Rangers Games

* Promotion offered to Radio Stations in Texas Rangers Radio Network

When the Texas Rangers were looking for ways to take advantage of last season's first-ever trip to the World Series to grow their fan base, they turned to long-time television partner FOX Sports Southwest for assistance.

FS Southwest Sr. VP/GM Jon Heidtke and Marketing Director Mary Hyink put their creative minds to work during the offseason and developed a successful promotion that is attracting fans from the team's outer markets. The FOX Sports Southwest Fan Express, a 56-passenger VIP luxury coach wrapped in full-scale Rangers player images, is transporting fans from across the Southwest to and from Arlington during the 2011 season.

Heidtke and Hyink presented Rangers marketing officials with the idea of visiting cities in the outer-markets and bringing them to Arlington in style on board the Fan Express.

The promotion immediately was embraced by Rangers CEO & President Nolan Ryan.

"The Fan Express is a great way to connect fans from all over Texas and surrounding states to Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Outreach in the outer markets is very important to us, and we appreciate the efforts of FOX Sports Southwest to assist us with this." --  Nolan Ryan.

The Rangers provide a bank of tickets and Hyink works with radio stations in the Texas Rangers Radio Network to schedule the bus trips. The radio stations hold local sweepstakes in their markets to determine who will ride the Fan Express to Arlington.

Fans on board the bus receive official Rangers gear provided by the team and refreshments courtesy of Dr Pepper/Snapple. On the drive to Arlington, they watch the Rangers’ 2010 Highlight DVD “It’s Time!” and FOX Sports Southwest via satellite on high-definition TV sets located above each row of seats.

  

When fans arrive at the ballpark, they're greeted by Rangers Fan Ambassadors at a VIP entrance and escorted to their seats. FOX Sports Southwest Rangers reporter Jim Knox interviews the fans during the game telecast, adding to the special experience.

“The whole crew and the experience we enjoyed were first-class all the way. From the bus ride up, to the reception at the game, to the bus ride home was outstanding. In these troubling economic times it’s nice to see a company that actually cares about their viewers. Everyone on the bus that day had a wonderful time. If ya’ll have another trip I'll gladly take a half day off and do it again. -- Tyler, Texas Rangers fan Joel Howell.

The Rangers also have taken advantage of the Fan Express to execute several of their promotions:

- The bus transported students from Rangers pitcher Darren Oliver's summer Ollie's Greening Up Program! to a Rangers game.

- Nolan Ryan's wife, Ruth, borrowed the Fan Express for a weekend reunion she hosted of the New York Mets wives from the 1969 world championship team. The bus drove the group around Dallas-Fort Worth for a shopping trip and sight-seeing tour when the Mets were in town for an interleague series. 

- A group of more than 50 wounded soldiers recuperating at Fort Sill's Warrior Transition unit in Oklahoma rode the Fan Express to participate in team's 4th of July weekend celebration.

Due to the overwhelming success of the Fan Express promotion with the Rangers, FOX Sports Southwest is looking to grow the concept for a similar Fan Express type bus for the college football season.  

“It’s a wonderful promotion.  When I heard about it I immediately jumped at the opportunity. We have a large base of Rangers fans in our area that keeps growing as the team continues to win. This is our chance to give our listeners a special trip to watch a Rangers game in person.” -- Bob DelGiorno, owner and CEO of the Rangers’ Texarkana radio affiliate KPYN