MAAC: Behind the Logo

WWE Be A Star by: Tania Kennedy, Assistant Director of...

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 17:16:00 -0400

WWE Be A Star

by: Tania Kennedy, Assistant Director of Championships

Bullying is a never-ending epidemic that is affecting thousands of students in America every day. Non-violent and violent instances are reported daily from elementary schools students to the high school level. There is no definite solution to end bullying, but different organizations have developed anti-bullying campaigns to promote positivity and inclusiveness amongst the youth.

The WWE and the Creative Coalition developed WWE Be A Star, a campaign whose mission is to ensure a positive and equitable social environment for everyone regardless of age, race, religion or sexual orientation through grassroots efforts beginning with education and awareness. (1)

The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference partnered with the WWE during the 2012 MAAC Basketball Championships to promote anti-bullying. As a part of the MAAC Bus Brigade, students where bused to the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Massachusetts for the Women’s Championship game on Monday, March 5. Before entering the arena for the championship games, WWE Star David Otunga talked to the students about bullying.

Otunga, 6’0, hulking, muscular figure, gave personal experiences in which he was bullied throughout his childhood. When looking at his frame, you instantly think that there is no way this guy could ever have ever experienced bullying. He’s tall, has light gray eyes, and looks like he could bench press 500lbs easily. But when listening to his story, I could not help but relate to his experiences. He wore thick glasses throughout school, he was skinnier than everyone else, and he was smarter than most in his class, which made him an easy target for his peers.

He told stories about always getting teased because he was different. Otunga decided to talk to his teacher about the bullying that was occurring each day and his teacher brought the students together. Most of the students that were making Otunga’s experience a nightmare, didn’t even know that it was affecting him. They had no idea that he was going home every night upset thinking about what they had say or done.

As I looked at each student in the audience, I could tell that they could relate to what Otunga was saying. Whether they were the aggressor in the situation or if they were the student being verbally or physically attacked, it appeared the students seemed to get the message he was trying to relay.

Before Otunga ended his speech, he asked that each student take the Be a Star Pledge. The pledge reads:

I pledge to -

· Help others who have experienced bullying or are experiencing bullying by contacting an adult, the authorities, or intervening.

· Listen carefully to anyone who seeks my help- and act on their behalf to put an immediate stop to the bullying.

· Work with others including caring adults, students and friends to create a bully-free environment for everyone.

Overall, having David Otunga speak was invaluable experience for all in attendance. Yeah it’s true, bullying is growing, but so are anti-bullying programs like the WWE Be a Star program. The MAAC was honored to partner with the WWE with such a worthwhile message to the students of Springfield.

(1) http://beastaralliance.org/

2012 Marketing Campaign: The Wrap-Up by: Tania Kennedy,...

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 16:02:17 -0400

2012 Marketing Campaign: The Wrap-Up

by: Tania Kennedy, Assistant Director of Championships

The marketing efforts for the 2012 MAAC Basketball Championships envisioned a multi-layered approach designed to engage MAAC fans to travel to Springfield, Massachusetts for the league’s first neutral site basketball post-season tourney since the 1989 event at the then Meadowlands Arena in NJ. The MAAC institutions were heavily involved with the marketing efforts with various e-blasts sent to alumni groups, student social media outreaches and fan buses, information about the championships on their websites, and special announcements during on campus sporting events. Also having an on-site presence at the MAAC campuses during basketball games throughout the season with an iPad2 raffle, engaged the fans early and made them more knowledgeable about the Springfield area. But once the championships kicked off, the MAAC and MassMutual Center continued promoting the championships feverishly.

One of the promotions that were offered during the tournament was First Responders Night. The MAAC wanted to recognize the people of Springfield that acted with haste to the unexpected tornado that hit in June 2011. These brave individuals are responsible for saving the lives of dozens of people during that catastrophe. The responders were given tickets to the men’s quarterfinal games.

Another promotion that was available during the championship was Sundae Funday. Families of four were giving tickets to the Men’s semifinal game and ice cream from Friendly’s for $54. We had a strong turnout overall for the event. The Friendly’s stand was also one of the most popular stands at the MAAC Fanfest.

A marketing effort that I mentioned in an earlier blog was Bounce to the Arena. With Bounce to the Arena, children dribbled a basketball from the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame to the Fanfest at the MassMutual Center. Children were also given a ticket to a men’s semifinal game. The Mayor of Springfield, Domenic Sarno and MAAC Commissioner Rich Ensor, were on hand and led the march into the arena. Bounce to the Arena had a great showing with over 150 participants this year.

Marissa Skibbe, the Director of Marketing at the MassMutual Center headed the in-tournament promotional efforts had this to say about the championships, ““The MAAC Championships allowed us to really use our creativity in marketing it. We developed two different messages to hit the local community. One was targeted to the sports fan and the other was to families with young kids. We wanted to make sure people knew there was more than just great Division I Basketball taking place at the MassMutual Center. We knew people were getting the message, as they all referred to hearing Lady Gaga’s Edge of Glory song that was tied into the spot. We had fun marketing the MAAC Championships!”

Whitney Swab, the Director of New Media and Broadcast added, “The MassMutual Center staff was excellent to work with and implemented a number of great ideas ranging from a QR code challenge to having a raffle give away of an iPad to fans who stopped by the MassMutual Center table.”

Being a part of the marketing efforts has shown me a lot about promoting for events. I might have taken for granted that marketing takes place before and during the event. I honestly didn’t know how much time and planning were needed to ensure that the message was getting delivered to the public. With everything that league did marketing wise, (coming up with creative ways to inform fans about the championships, adding things to our campus visits, and sending out promotional e-blasts) , I feel strongly that our efforts were well received by MAAC fans who travelled well to Springfield filling hotels, restaurants and local sights like the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

In year two of the three year agreement the MAAC needs to work with the MassMutual Center to better engage local basketball fans to attend the championships. Areas that need further refinement include local price points for fans from the region that might want to experience the championships but are unwilling to invest heavily in the experiment, examination of how promotional efforts are being received by local consumer (new media, print, etc.) and perhaps developing a better business community sales program for all-sessions tickets.

MAAC Honor Roll Dinner

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 15:51:24 -0500

By: Tania Kennedy, Assistant Director of Championships A new element of the MAAC Championship week...

The MAAC Gives Back

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 11:17:20 -0500

by: Tania Kennedy, Assistant Director of Championships Beyond the actual basketball games, the...

MAAC-a-chusetts and The Springfield Community

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 11:23:38 -0500

by: Tania Kennedy, Assistant Director of ChampionshipsOne valuable element to the 2012 MAAC Men’s...

Every Road Leads to Springfield, #maacachusetts

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:55:20 -0500

by: Tania Kennedy, Assistant Director of ChampionshipsThis article falls into the category of being...

On the Road Again by: Tania Kennedy, Assistant Director of...

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:20:00 -0500

On the Road Again

by: Tania Kennedy, Assistant Director of Championships

There’s nothing more exciting then March Madness and it all starts on the ROAD to MAAC-A-CHUSSETS. In order for fans to become engaged during the season, much groundwork must be developed by the arenas and NCAA D-I conferences that host the championships. As a part of the efforts to create fan awareness, I have been traveling with a marketing team to different MAAC Basketball games to promote the 2012 MAAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships in Springfield, Massachusetts. This year’s championship will be at a neutral site for the first time since 1989, which has brought a lot of excitement and anticipation from MAAC fans, coaches, and players alike. With the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame (which now includes a permanent MAAC Experience exhibit) less than a mile away from the MassMutual Center, the 2012 MAAC Basketball championships is sure to be an awesome time for everyone.

As noted above, to sell the MAAC Championships, a marketing team has been developed, whose aim is to visit as many MAAC campuses as possible to make fans aware of the new site. The marketing team consists of me, Nate Harris, the Marketing Manager at the MassMutual Center, Samantha Hegmann, the MAAC Compliance Fellow, and Jimmy Ketterer, the MAAC Championships Fellow. The team has refined its approach during the course of many campus visits so far this season. This past weekend’s marketing visit landed us in Baltimore, Maryland on Friday for a Rider vs. Loyola showdown on the men’s side, and a doubleheader in Riverdale, New York on Saturday with Manhattan’s women facing off against Marist as well as a men’s game between Manhattan and Iona, who were then tied for first in the league along with Loyola.

Some of the items that we distributed at Loyola were flyers and brochures that had information about the championship, a map of downtown Springfield, blue wrist bands with the clever text that reads MAAC –A -CHUSETTS, a point of interest booklet, buttons, and an opportunity for fans to win an iPad2 in a raffle.

Interest is high at Loyola because the men’s team is tied for first place in the MAAC. Because of this, there was not one empty seat at the Reitz Arena last Friday, which worked perfectly for us. It was easy to distribute the marketing collateral to fans. We talked to supporters about everything from hotels in Springfield, to single tickets now being on sale at www.ticketmaster.com, to the closeness of the Basketball Hall of Fame to the arena. By the way, the race for first continues this Friday which when Iona visits Loyola at 7pm on ESPNU.

Since the 2012 championship is the same dates as Loyola’s spring break, Nate, from the MassMutual Center, thought that would be a great promotional angle to suggest to students a trip to the MAAC Championships. I wish I could take credit for this idea since “What better way to spend spring break, then by taking a road trip to Springfield, Massachusetts?” and “Take a road trip to Springfield, Massachusetts and come support your team (who is tied for 1^st) in the MAAC Championships” are such great taglines. This worked well for us. A lot of the undergraduates took the brochures and seemed likely to make the trip to Springfield to cheer on their team. There were even several Rider fans in attendance that we were able to also provide information to about the tournament.

Like at Loyola, the interest levels at Manhattan for the MAAC Championships are high as well. Before the women’s game, the marketing team put rally towels in the student section, and rolled up t-shirts for cheerleaders to throw during their t-shirt toss promotion. Our promotions table was set up right next to the entrance. They set the table up with the same items that we had in Loyola. As soon as fans began walking in, we bombarded them with information about the championship. A majority of the fans assumed that Springfield was 4/5 hours away from Manhattan. I was shocked at how many people didn’t know that Springfield was actually closer than Albany but I’m glad we were able to give them the proper information. (Note to self: Need to develop PR campaign on the closeness of the Springfield to most MAAC cities.)

The Marist fans that traveled to the game, didn’t take the flyers that we had, because they already received the information a few weeks ago when we were at Marist promoting. Some of them used the information we provided to book their hotels and purchase tickets. It was the same reaction with Iona fans, since we promoted at Iona about three weeks ago. However, something new we added to this trip was a video blog. I talked to a few fans about who they thought was going to win the men’s or women’s championship. It was fun to see how many people were enthusiastic about their teams. There were two friends that I recorded (one was an Iona fan and the other was a Manhattan fan) and it was hilarious how they went back and forth about who they thought was going to win the championships. I’ve posted a few videos below.

I honestly think traveling to as many campuses as possible to talk to the fans and students about the championship will draw more attendance to the tournament. Overall the feedback from administrators about the marketing campaign has been positive, and I look forward to ending the MAAC Basketball marketing campaign with a strong finish.

Basketball HOF Holiday Showcase Weekend

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:02:22 -0500

by: Samantha Hegmann, Administrative Fellow for Compliance6:15 am - BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! I roll over...

MAAC on the Road: Mohegan Sun, Uncasville, CT

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 16:25:00 -0500

by: James Ketterer, Administrative Fellow for ChampionshipsThe 2011 Hall of Fame Tip-Off Classis...

MAAC On the Road: Ceder Falls, Iowaby: Tania Kennedy, Assistant...

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 12:45:00 -0500

MAAC On the Road: Ceder Falls, Iowa

by: Tania Kennedy, Assistant Director of Championships

One of the benefits of working for a Division I conference is that we get to travel to different games, events, and championship series. Teams that win the MAAC championship automatically qualify for the NCAA tournament and the MAAC generally sends one conference representative to support the team in its quest for a NCAA championship. In November, I was given the opportunity to travel with the Niagara Purple Eagles Volleyball team, the 2011 MAAC Volleyball Champions.

After Niagara won its third straight MAAC title, I waited anxiously, watching the selection show wondering where their site selection would take me. Last year I had the opportunity to go to Penn State to support MAAC volleyball. It was a great experience, but this time around I was looking for something on the warmer side. I was hoping I would get a call saying Niagara women’s volleyball team would be taking its talents to South Beach like Lebron did. That call never came and I was told to bundle up and head to the Midwest.

It was nice being out with Niagara’s volleyball team, who was taking on the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls for the first round of the NCAA tournament. It is not often that MAAC administrators have the opportunity to connect with the teams in our conference during MAAC championships because our event duties keep us focused. With NCAA travel, this changes, and Niagara was very welcoming and humorous to travel with.

When I got to Iowa, I met the team at the hotel and we drove over to the Olive Garden to have team dinner. As soon as we sat down I told the girls that I would be posting a picture of the team on Twitter. I thought there was going to be some resistance from the girls but they quickly posed for the camera. Coach Susan Clements, on the other hand, was hiding behind her menu.

As the trip progressed, I found the team to be a lot of fun. They were making jokes because I rented the smallest car known to man for the weekend. They even put on a full-fledged concert on the bus heading to practice. Seriously, I thought I was at Madison Square Garden for an Adele concert.

The funniest part was when the team started incorporating their bus driver, Rick, into every song. It was hilarious, and he was loving every minute of it. I can honestly say it’s special to be a part of a conference with teams that allow you to instantly feel like a member of their squad.

On game day, the team had a serve and pass at UNI’s gym in the early afternoon. UNI has an amazing facility. The girls began practicing and spiking the balls. I thought about helping the team shag balls, but then I had a traumatizing flashback from last year’s MAAC championship. When I was shagging balls last year, I got nailed by what felt like a rocket-propelled volleyball in the face. Reliving that moment in my head caused me to change my mind. Anyway, the athletes seemed loose and prepared to take on UNI.

The Purple Eagles took the court on Friday evening looking focused and determined to move on to the next round. The McLean Center was packed and it was a great atmosphere for college volleyball. As intimidating as the crowd seemed, they were all wearing purple since UNI’s colors are purple and yellow, which brought some type of comfort to the Purple Eagles.

Bus driver Rick and I watched the game together. You could see the connection the team made with Rick because he was probably their loudest supporter in Iowa. Niagara put up a strong effort but came up short. In the end, Northern Iowa proved why one it is of the nation’s top teams, besting Niagara in three sets. Still after the loss, the team was in good spirits and happy for the opportunity to play in the tournament.

After the game, the coach took us to a southern barbeque restaurant. The girls were still singing and laughing the rest of the night. They even showed me how to play a game to help the time pass as we waited for our meals to arrive.

The next day, the team and I were on the same flight to Detroit. I then flew to Newark Airport and they headed back to good ol’ Buffalo. Overall, I had a great experience in Iowa with the squad. Niagara women’s volleyball team did a tremendous job representing the MAAC in the NCAA Championship, and had I had the opportunity to see another host venue and enhance my event experience.

The MAAC, the Mouse, & ESPN3: Hosting MAAC Fall...

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 17:55:00 -0500

The MAAC, the Mouse, & ESPN3: Hosting MAAC Fall Championships at Walt Disney World

By: Kyle Sturley, Director of Championships and Special Events

By the time this is posted, the 2011 MAAC Men’s Soccer Championship at ESPN Wide World of Sports will have concluded in sunny Orlando, Florida and I’ll be back home in New Jersey. I had planned on posting this blog earlier, but of the 7 days our MAAC staff spent in Orlando, I had about 2 hours of free time… and 1.5 of those hours was right after we got off the plane. It also would have been pretty cool to keep up a live, running blog during the event, but such is life in sports operations, and that’s what we have Twitter for (Hint hint: @MAACSports). The hours are certainly the one thing you can count on when you work in sports: not what the hours will be, of course, but that you will be working a large number of them! That being said, I have been looking forward to this event since my first day with the MAAC back in mid-July.

The process of planning any athletic event is already quite detailed, but when you add a thousand miles of travel, a global icon like Disney, and live ESPN broadcasts to the mix, it becomes even more complex. Airfare for more than 250 student-athletes and nearly 800 hotel room nights are just the beginning: there are practice schedules, game balls, timing sheets, school banners, awards, photography, announcer scripts, and so many more things have to be created, organized and shipped. Putting that all aside, when you consider that the MAAC has been bringing teams to compete at Disney since 1998, you’ll start to realize how much we believe in the experience it gives to our student-athletes.

If you’re never had the opportunity to visit Walt Disney World, it really should be on your bucket list. I am admittedly biased in that I grew up with family in Orlando and visited annually, and also recently completed a yearlong internship with Disney Sports before moving to the MAAC. While Walt Disney World is known primarily for its family entertainment based around 4 theme parks, the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex has gained notoriety as one of the best multi-sport facilities in the US, if not the world. The complex is over 220 acres, and currently home to 24 fields (with 4 more to open later this year), a baseball stadium, track & field complex, and 2 large indoor multi-sport facilities. In short, it gives us the flexibility to rotate all of our fall sports to the facility, maximizing the number of MAAC student-athletes that get to experience a 10-team championship in the most magical place on earth. The MAAC prides itself in having a tradition of excellence in both academics and athletics, and the 4-year rotation amongst women’s soccer, volleyball, men’s soccer and cross country is even more incentive for these student-athletes to work hard both in and out of the classroom. The promise of competing at Disney is the reward to years of effort, and the Disney championships are also great for coaches to reference when recruiting- the MAAC tries to provide an experience that no other conference does.

Another positive aspect of holding our MAAC championships at ESPN Wide World of Sports is the recent addition of the ESPN Production Center, which opened in 2010. A small, unassuming building hidden next to a loading dock, this broadcast hub is staffed by skilled ESPN personnel and negates the need for a travelling TV truck & production crew. It also allows the same high quality broadcasts to be produced for a fraction of the cost of traditional TV, making it possible for the MAAC to broadcast more games than ever before. Coaches and student-athletes have the opportunity to showcase their team, and even give live interviews during breaks in the competition. This year, a total of 5 men’s soccer games were broadcast live on ESPN3, giving tremendous national exposure to our conference and all ten full member institutions.

I hope this has provided a little insight into why a conference based entirely in the Northeast is willing to travel so far to host championships in Orlando, Florida. At the end of the day, it all comes back to the experience for the student athlete, and we’re confident that our partnership with Disney allows us to provide one of the best experiences in college sports!

Life of a Fellow

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 16:01:22 -0400

by: James Ketterer, Administrative Fellow/ChampionshipsWelcome back to MAAC: Behind the Logo. My...

Compliance: The Watchdog of College Athletics

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 17:30:06 -0400

by: Samantha Hegmann, Administrative Fellow for CompliancePerhaps one of the most difficult and...

The Next Generation of Ticket Sales

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 16:49:00 -0400

by: Hamilton Cook, Director of New Media/Marketing & Ticket Sales When you think of a box...

Marketing with the MAAC

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 13:51:00 -0400

by: Whitney Swab, Director of New Media/Broadcasting The MAAC Basketball Championships head to a...

The Crossover: From High Tops to High Heels

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 11:51:00 -0400

by: Tania Kennedy, Assistant Director of Championships ...

Welcome! Hallo! ¡Hola! Bonjour! 您好! こんにちは!

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 10:48:00 -0400

Welcome one and welcome all to the greatest blog you’ll ever read about the Metro Atlantic...