Columbia Fireflies extend existing partnership with StellarAlgo as 2022 season begins

MiLB club doubles down on commitment to use data-driven decision making to better connect with fans 

Columbia, SC – StellarAlgo and the Columbia Fireflies, Single-A Affiliate of the Kansas City Royals, are proud to announce a long-term extension to their partnership. The Fireflies have been a champion user of StellarAlgo’s Customer Data Platform (CDP) since 2019, using the platform to surface insights and create personalized campaigns that have helped them realize some of the best results in the MiLB. In particular, their data-driven approach to nurturing new fans led to a retention rate that was among the top three of MiLB clubs for the 2021 season. 

“There was no need for debate in our decision to continue working with StellarAlgo and using the Customer Data Platform to drive our fan engagement – it was a given,” said Brad Shank, president of the Columbia Fireflies. “StellarAlgo’s CDP has been a tremendous asset to our organization, helping us to support the development of our staff, enabling us to better understand and engage with our fans, and to execute personalized campaigns that produce real results. We appreciate StellarAlgo’s dedication to our partnership which, coupled with the immense value of the platform, is truly game–changing.” 

Over the past three years, the Fireflies have used the data available in their CDP to better understand who their fans are, creating personalized campaigns and measuring which efforts are most effective. Going into the 2022 season and beyond, the Fireflies are focused on continuing to innovate, using their CDP and data-driven approach to better understand, connect with and grow their fanbase, and deliver the best possible entertainment experience in the Midlands.   

“The Columbia Fireflies have been an amazing partner and we’re thrilled to extend our relationship with them. The club has grown so much over the past three years, developing and deploying data-driven processes and providing our product team with thoughtful feedback, some of which has led to new CDP features and developments that our 100+ partners benefit from today,” said Megan Kurcwal, SVP of sales and emerging leagues business operations. “I can’t wait to see what’s next for this innovative club and look forward to continuing to support the Fireflies and the outstanding results they’ve achieved through their planned approach to segmentation, personalization, and engagement.”  

StellarAlgo’s Customer Data Platform is the easiest way to build and monetize the world’s most passionate audiences. Backed by proprietary machine learning technology, the platform’s predictive capabilities enable live audience organizations to gain valuable insights and a thorough understanding of their fans, while also unlocking the ‘Why’ behind conversion. Recognizing the significant growth and opportunity of teams and leagues outside the NHL, NFL, NBA, MLB, and MLS, StellarAlgo launched the Emerging Leagues business unit (ELBU) in 2022, which is dedicated to supporting the unique needs and cultures of these businesses. StellarAlgo is partnered with more than 50 emerging teams and leagues across North America. For more information, please visit stellaralgo.com.  

About StellarAlgo 

Founded in 2016, StellarAlgo is the leading customer cloud platform for the sports and entertainment industry, serving live audience organizations in North America and Europe, including enthusiast brands, sports teams, sponsors, and live events properties. With the most modern Data Warehouse offering on the market underpinning its flagship Customer Data Platform (CDP), industry professionals use StellarAlgo’s customer cloud platform to connect and engage with fans on a personalized level never before seen in the industry.  

Backed by proprietary machine learning technology trained on over 40-billion interaction data points across more than 100-million unique records, StellarAlgo’s customer cloud platform enables industry professionals to predict and understand how fans engage with their favorite properties while implementing a fan-centric approach that maximizes the lifetime value of their fan universe – it’s the reason more than 85 major and minor league sports franchises, entertainment, and live audience organizations put the StellarAlgo platform at the core of their operations. StellarAlgo is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. For more information, please visit stellaralgo.com. 

About the Columbia Fireflies 

The Columbia Fireflies, located in Columbia, South Carolina, are the Single-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. Winners of Ballpark Digest’s Best New Branding and Logo Award in 2016, the Fireflies play in the Carolina League and feature games against teams across the south including in-state rivals Charleston and Myrtle Beach. The team partnered with the city of Columbia and Hughes Development to construct Segra Park, a multi-use outdoor sports and entertainment venue at the center of the BullStreet District. The Columbia Fireflies are owned by Hardball Capital, owners of the Fort Wayne TinCaps and the Chattanooga Lookouts. For more information, visit ColumbiaFireflies.com, or follow the Fireflies on Twitter (@ColaFireflies), Facebook (facebook.com/columbiafireflies), and all popular social media platforms. 

About Segra Park 

Segra Park, named the Ballpark Digest Ballpark of the Decade, the 2018 South Atlantic League’s Best Playing Surface, and the 2016 Ballpark Digest Ballpark of the Year, is a 365-day per year multi-use sports and entertainment venue located in the heart of downtown Columbia, South Carolina. Segra Park is the home ballpark for the Columbia Fireflies, the Single-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. Designed for baseball, concerts, football, soccer and a host of other activities, the venue seats approximately 9,000 for sporting events and up to 15,000 for major outdoor concerts. With 16 luxury suites and a 7,000 square-foot Club Level Lounge, Segra Park also hosts everything from business meetings to wedding receptions, and everything in between. For more information, visit segrapark.com.