136 - Operational Efficiency Playbook: Getting 3% Better with Mike Van Hise

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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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