Dream Bat Study

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Dream Bat Study

• By Kyle Graham
• Steve Carr
• Neil Cacciola
• Steph Bergeron
• Mike Dombrowski

2
Background Information

• Founded in 2005 by Tim Mayo
• Once he graduated college, Tim knew his playing
  days were over but he wanted to stay involved in
  baseball.
• He also knew his younger brother had a good
  chance of playing professional baseball.

3
Background Info Cont.

• With that in mind Tim bought a Lathe off of eBay,
  and the first Dream Bat was made.
• The Dream Bat company offers custom made bats,
  made to the specifications of the customer

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Problem Statement

• Research is necessary to determine how the Dream
  Bat Company can improve the companys line of
  baseball bats for the Franklin Pierce College
  Baseball team.

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Research Objectives

• To Identify both positive and negative features
  of the baseball bats.
• To determine if the Franklin Pierce Baseball Team
  likes the branding strategy.
• To determine if team members would remain loyal
  to the brand after serving on the Franklin Pierce
  Baseball Team.

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Literature Review History of Baseball Bats

• Early on bats were made in all shapes and sizes
• In the 1850s baseball was an extremely young
  sport and players experimented making their own
  bats (Long, Short, Flat, and Heavy)
• The Players concluded that rounded barrels worked
  best

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Literature Review History of Baseball Bats

• In 1859 a rule was made stating that a bat could
  be no larger than 2.5 inches in diameter, but any
  length.
• Ten years later in 1869, another rule was added
  that stated the bat could be no longer than 42
  inches.
• Both of these rules stand true today

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Literature Review- Bat Materials

• White Ash
• Maple
• Aluminum
• Hickory
• Bamboo

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Literature Review- Bat Materials

• The majority of bats are made from White Ash.
• White Ash is used because of its hardness,
  durability, weight, strength, and feel.
• Trees that provide the lumber for baseball bats
  are often over 50 years old, and only the top 10
  of the wood harvested in used to make
  professional bats.

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Literature Review- Choosing a Bat

• Level of play
• Size of the batter
• Cost
• Comfort

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Development of the Survey

• Developed in class with the input of Professor
  Little, other classmates, our group members, and
  the owner of the Dream Bat Company, Tim Mayo.
• Input was provided on November 6, 2006
• Revised and resubmitted on November 8, 2006.
• Final revisions were made on November 10, 2006.

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Definition of the Population

• Franklin Pierce varsity and junior varsity team.
• The total number of players is 60
• 36 varsity and 24 junior varsity
• Sample size is based on a non-probability
  convenience sampling.

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Data Collection Method

• Data was collected Wednesday November 15, 2006.
• Data was collected at Dr. Arthur and Martha Papas
  Field.
• Between the hours of 1200 pm and 500 pm.
• 36 varsity and 14 junior varsity players were
  surveyed for a total of 50 surveys.

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Assumptions

• All surveys will be answered honestly
• 100 of the Franklin Pierce Baseball team will
  answer survey.
• All questions are easily understandable
• There are no flaws in the survey
• Survey answers are projectable

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Limitations

• Time because our Marketing Research class is only
  one semester long
• Sample Size because we can only survey the
  Franklin Pierce Baseball Team
• Everyone one survey may not have used a Dream
  Bat.
• Only three bat types were given to the Franklin
  Pierce Baseball Team

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Survey Questions

1. How often do you use Dream Bats?
2. On a scale of 1-10 how satisfied were you with
   the Dream Bat?
3. What type of bat do you prefer?
4. On a scale of 1-10 how was the feel of the Dream
   Bat?

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Survey Questions Continued

1. Which weight distribution do you prefer?
2. Please estimate how much you would spend on an
   Ash Bat?
3. Please estimate how much you would spend on a
   Maple Bat?
4. Please estimate how much you would spend on an
   Oak Bat?

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Survey Questions Continued

1. What other types of Wood would you like to see a
   Dream Bat made of?
2. Do you have any suggestions to improve Dream
   Bats?
3. Have you ever been to the Dream Bat website
4. If yes, were you satisfied with the Dream Bat
   website?

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Survey Questions Continued

1. On average how much do you spend on wood bats per
   season?
2. Where are you from?

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Question 1
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Question 2
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Question 3
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Question 4
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Question 5
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Question 6
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Question 7
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Question 8
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Question 9
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Question 10

• What can Dream Bat do to improve their product?
• Thicker Handle (5)
• Stickier Handle (2)
• Thicker Knob (4)

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Question 11
31
Question 12
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Question 13
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Question 14
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Cross Tabulation 1
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Cross Tabulation 1 Continued
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Cross Tabulation 2
37
Cross Tabulation 2 Continued
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Cross Tabulation 3
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Cross Tabulation 3 Continued
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Discussion

• According to our Literature Review the majority
  of baseball players prefer white ash.
• According to our survey the majority of players
  on the Franklin Pierce Baseball Team prefer maple
  bats.

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Discussion

• If Dream Bat can market to the NE10 and get there
  name out there at the collegiate level.
• NE10 is a well known conference that can help
  this small company emerge.

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Conclusion

• Research Objective 1- To Identify both positive
  and negative features of the baseball bats.
• Pros
• The majority of the population thought the price
  range was right for the bats.
• Cons
• 46 of the population gave the bats a 5 out of 10
  for hardness.
• 40 of the population gave the bats a 5 out of 10
  for overall satisfaction.

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Conclusion Continued

• Research Objective 2 - To determine if the
  Franklin Pierce Baseball Team likes the branding
  strategy
• 70 of the population had never been to the Dream
  Bat website.
• Of the 20 that had been to the Dream Bat website
  only 41 were satisfied.

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Conclusion Continued

• Research Objective 3 - To determine if team
  members would remain loyal to the brand after
  serving on the Franklin Pierce Baseball Team
• 52 of the population never use Dream Bats.
• The majority of the population thought there was
  a lot of improvement needed for the bats.

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Recommendations

• Use higher quality wood for making bats.
• Start marketing product more in Massachusetts.
• Stop making birch bats
• Expand into making Hickory, Bamboo, and Oak bats.

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Questions?Thank You