The Chicago Fire and D.C. United have been named as finalists for the University of Massachusetts Amherst Sport Management program's prestigious 2005 PRISM Awards (Professionalism, Results and Innovation in Sport Management). The two Major League Soccer clubs make up half of the four-team field of finalists. The PRISM Awards are presented annually to organizations at both the major and minor league levels that demonstrate organizational excellence in five categories of sport franchise management: strategic mission, innovative marketing, community relations, customer service and employee relations.
The 2005 Finalists in the Major League category are: Chicago Fire (MLS), D.C. United (MLS), Memphis Grizzlies (NBA) and St. Louis Rams (NFL). The PRISM Award winner in both major and minor league categories will be announced in June. In addition to on-field presentations at the winners' venues, both winners will be honored and invited to make presentations at the 3rd Annual Sport Marketing Association Conference in Phoenix in November 2005.
Through the collective efforts of the Fire organization, the club has succeeded in fostering an emotional connection with the fans and with the community at large. The team supports a variety of educational programs, as well as youth development soccer programs such as the Chicago Fire Academy and Chicago Fire Juniors. Through the outreach efforts of the Community Relations Department and the FireWorks for Kids Foundation, the Fire are involved in numerous community-based events, festivals, and other grassroots activities.
One of the strengths of D.C. United's initial application was the club's commitment to the core principles and to the brand image throughout every commercial activity. The club's dedication to its community is evidenced by the wide variety of programs the team, and its non-profit foundation, manage and assist each year. Because of the consistent reinforcement of the image and identity of the club and what it stands for, the team's players, staff, and fans come together in an environment of shared commitment and passion, helping D.C. United become the most decorated team in the history of American soccer.
Past PRISM Award winners in the major league category are: Minnesota Wild (2004); Houston Texans (2002-03), Washington Capitals (2001) and Orlando Magic (2000). Past winners in the minor league category are: Dayton Dragons (2004; 2002-2003), Sacramento RiverCats (2001) and Chicago Wolves (2000). For more information on the PRISM Awards, visit www.umass.edu/sptmgt.
