FANS of mobile marketing?

In our Emerging Media class discussions on mobile marketing, we've touched on the direct connections marketers can have with their audiences when communications via rich text message, directly to their pockets. Well, one of my high school friends who is studying Sports Industry Management at Georgetown showed me another way it can work to gain information from fans seated within a stadium or arena. He's on staff with the Washington Capitals, and posted this photo from a recent game*:

In case the text isn't clear, it's a simple question for fans: "What are you doing celebrate St. Patrick's Day?" Fans have three options to text back. This is a great way, while being entertaining for fans during a lull in the game, for Caps marketing staff to build a database of hockey fans at the arena using quick mobile technology. My friend manages the jumbotron promos for each game and says these survey questions are part of a partnership with Verizon. The "Verizon Insta Poll" collects the data from fans and sends two bounce-back messages: one from Verizon promoting a new phone or calling plan, and the second is from the Caps about purchasing season tickets for the upcoming season. 

Should the marketing staff choose to use the numbers (if they can gain access to them through Verizon), they can/should always add the option of texting back 'STOP' at the end and subsequent messages from the Caps. I'd bet that many of the Capitals fans choose to stay in and receive team updates if there were also promotional codes offering chances to save $ on tickets. Smart move to get extremely valuable information from one silly St. Patty's survey!

* He posted the photo because he snuck in a photo of his pug, Tank, as option #3. What a cutie.