When the San Francisco 49ers face off against the Kansas City Chiefs this Super Bowl Sunday, the team's brand will be in the best position that it's been in for decades.
But it's how the franchise thrives through good and bad times that defines success, 49ers CMO Alex Chang told Cheddar.
"A strong brand, whether it's in sports or outside of sports, needs to be able to thrive in times that are great and times that might be a little tougher," he said.
Not that winning doesn't help. Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara sold out every home game this year, and 90 percent of those seats were season ticket holders, according to Chang.
"This is one of the strongest brands in sports, but absolutely this season, with the success the team had and the performance on the field, we've seen that translate into great business off the field," he said.
Now the goal is to keep up the brand's momentum, regardless of what happens next Sunday or in the 2020 season.
One way the 49ers are doing that is improving the stadium experience by addressing the fan's second biggest concern next to performance on the field: the food and beverage experience.
Starting next season, food and non-alcoholic drinks will be included in the cost of season tickets, making the game day experience a little more seamless for diehard fans.
"We think including the cost of food and beverages in their season ticket prices is a way to remove friction from that experience and provide great value," Chang said.
The new feature was announced as teams throughout the NFL struggled to keep up attendance. The 2019 season reached a 15-year low with an average of 66,648 fans attending per home game, according to Sports Business Daily.
"We're always looking for ways to make it more accessible," Chang said.
