Teresa Tatlonghari
Soccer Scores in Nashville
Meet Teresa Tatlonghari, vice president of marketing at Nashville Soccer Club. Teresa is an award-winning marketer who has led marketing strategy for two of the top three attended Major League Soccer openers in league history. She previously worked with the Orlando City Soccer Club and ran her own marketing consultancy in Orlando.
Until now, Nashville SC has played all of its home games at Nissan Stadium, but the 2022 home opener will take place at the club’s new stadium on May 1. The stadium will be the largest soccer-specific stadium in the U.S. and Canada.
How did you get involved with sports marketing?
Teresa was working in advertising when she first took on the Orlando City Soccer Club as a client. She worked with them as they transitioned into the Major League and decided to start consulting for other soccer teams. She then moved to Nashville to help Nashville SC with their strategic branding and fan engagement as they joined the league.
Who are the primary Nashville SC fans?
One of the things that sets soccer apart from other sports is its global reach, and as a result, the Nashville team’s fan base is incredibly diverse. The team has many millennial fans, but the youth fan base is also growing rapidly because so many young people play soccer and are interested in the sport. The organization also has a large Latino fanbase, and Teresa and her team have worked hard to market to that demographic with digital marketing, partnerships with local Latino businesses, and a Spanish-speaking staff in the sales department.
What role does social media play in your marketing?
Most of Teresa’s paid marketing budget is directed toward digital marketing, and they’ve seen great engagement from fans around the world. In fact, Nashville SC is second in the league for fan engagement on social media, even though the fan base is new and smaller than some of the more established clubs.
How does Nashville SC market to women?
Teresa is committed to upholding the MLS tradition of making soccer games a welcoming place for everyone. Nashville SC works hard to have a family-friendly environment so women can feel comfortable attending with or without their children. They’ve even established a family zone, where children can attend for discounted prices. Teresa also focuses on marketing to women with promotions like a Mother’s Day celebration and by creating merchandise that’s wearable for women.
What is the best way to attract new fans to the club?
Teresa says, “This is a sport where it’s incredibly word of mouth. People come, they have an amazing time, and they tell everybody.”
Resources and Links
The Nashville SC website
Teresa Tatlonghari on LinkedIn
