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Minor league veteran and Game Day Advising founder Mike Van Hise breaks down how teams can squeeze more revenue from the same building—without gutting budgets or fan experience. We talk menu engineering, speed vs. margin at concessions, season-seat strategy, staffing math, and a simple “3% better” rule that compounds into real profit. If you lead marketing, ticketing, or operations, this is a tactical roadmap you can use this homestand.

Key Topics Covered

Clarity over cuts: Why operational efficiency starts with knowing where money flows (and leaks), not slashing line items.
Concessions that move: Menu simplification, bottles/cans vs. fountain, and designing for speed so fans buy twice, not once.
Presentation = price: “Cook to order” stations (grill, tacos/nachos) that lift perceived value and per caps.
Ticketing mix that protects you from weather: Targeting a 33/33/33 revenue blend (season seats / groups / singles) and pushing pre-sold to 55–66%.
Season seats the right way: Focus on business buyers; don’t waste cycles trying to jump a single-game fan to 70 games.
Change management: Killing “this is how we’ve always done it” by building trust and showing a clear plan.
Smart staffing: Use entry-gate data, cross-train roles, and cut idle time early to avoid morale hits later.
The 3% Rule: Micro-efficiencies across 150–200 budget lines, vendor prepay discounts, and compounding gains.
Per-cap wins: Right number of beer taps, local SKUs for pricing power, and distributor intel (what’s actually selling).
Fail small, learn fast: Encourage $100–$500 tests; avoid the $10,000 mistake. Keep a “Book of Bad Ideas.”

Timestamps

00:00 – Why operational efficiency = clarity, not cuts
02:53 – Defining operational efficiency for sports teams
06:01 – Concessions: menu design, SKUs, and speed vs. margin
08:59 – Ticketing strategy: groups vs. season seats (and when to push each)
11:57 – Overcoming “we’ve always done it this way”
15:03 – Baseball’s timing reality: build for 90–130 sec windows
17:53 – Game entertainment efficiency (and why fireworks always work)
20:56 – The “Book of Bad Ideas”: inventory, concerts, and learning loops
21:21 – Over-prep vs. under-prep: where margins die
23:22 – Culture: allow small mistakes; forbid big ones
28:12 – The 3% improvement rule (and vendor discount plays)
33:11 – Per-cap levers: cook-to-order, local beer, the right number of taps
37:40 – What Game Day Advising actually does (and how to engage)

Call to Action

Book a 30-minute consultation with Mike and the Game Day Advising team to map your top efficiency wins for next season.
Check out Mike’s article on season seat strategy and grab his full-club assessment overview. (Links in episode description.)

Resources Mentioned

Game Day Advising – Operational efficiency, ticketing, F&B support (link)
Season Seat Strategy article by Mike - (link)

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The Journey Before The Journey - Rabbi Morris Panitz