SCC Blog

What does it take to build a collegiate athletic program?

I was in Albuquerque last month and read an interesting article in the Albuquerque Journal.  The headline read ‘Lobos Head to Bahamas Minus J.R.’, a reference to new University of New Mexico men’s basketball head coach Steve Alford’s decision to travel without one of their top players because he is behind in his school work.  I had forgotten that UNM had recently tabbed Alford as coach, news that made waves in the world of collegiate men’s basketball.  After reading the article, I took a moment to analyze the situation and realized that UNM and Alford were charting the perfect course for establishing the foundation for a great program from a business perspective.

Let’s examine.

Step One:  Make a prominent hire to add instant credibility to your program (Alford).  Alford is a name that resonates with fans of college basketball.  His glory years as a player at the University of Indiana (under the leadership of legendary coach Bob Knight) were capped off with a championship in 1987.

Step Two:  Establish core values and develop culture.  Alford has stepped in and already made a statement as to where the core values of his program lie by leaving his star player behind because the prospect of his graduation lies in peril without catching up on school work.  Alford commented on his new recruits, noting that he is excited about “not just talent, but the kind of person and student.”

Step Three:  Generate positive publicity and goodwill in the community.  While Alford’s recent decision to leave J.R. at home obviously sets a certain expectation level for player conduct, it is his commitment to public appearances that stands out.  With an incredibly busy schedule in preparation for taking the team out of town, Alford still makes time to address a group of 250+ members of the community at a Rotary Club luncheon.  It is that type of dedication to community relations efforts that creates the ever-important connection between a fan base an athletic program.  Alford also promised the Rotary crowd that his teams would be involved in “enormous amounts of community projects.”

Alford also recognizes the importance of drawing credible, big-name program opponents to build buzz, elevate the level of excitement about the team and establish the program as one of the top basketball programs in the country.  He has suggested that they (UNM athletics) plan to use the Pit (UNM’s home basketball arena) as the “basis for landing teams”, adding that the Lobos won’t schedule any home and home series with any of the nation’s premier schools until he has successfully built a competitive foundation.

Step four:  Understanding the impact on the business of UNM athletics.  Alford understands that his new role as head coach of the UNM men’s basketball team has implications that go beyond wins and losses during the season.  He understands that his hiring is expected to impact UNM athletics financially.  Hiring Alford will boost revenues in a number of ways, beginning with an increase in ticket sales, sponsorship and the sales of licensed goods.  Additionally, he recognizes the platform his position provides as a spokesperson for the University, commenting on the importance of television contracts from a revenue perspective.

Here’s an excerpt from the article that demonstrates Alford’s business pedigree:

(Comments referencing the existing television contract with the Mountain West Conference in which none of the satellite carriers currently have a contract with the conference to carry regional games…) “Alford hopes to change that (most cable companies do however cover).  ‘We’ve got to hope we get satellite, if we (do), it will be a big-time package.  We’re supposed to find out in the next few weeks to a month, so hopefully that gets taken care of.  If not, we’ve got to think about where we go from there because then it’s not a good situation.’”

Here’s a guy who gets it from a business perspective and certainly understands what it takes to take a program to that proverbial “next level”. 

*** Teacher Questions ***

1) Have you seen a situation similar to this in your community?  What comparisons can you make to the Lobos program?

2) Do you think Alford will be successful in his bid to create the foundation for success at UNM?  Why or why not?

3) In what ways can a successful athletic program impact a college or University from a business perspective?

Posted in Community Relations, General, Marketing, Media, Public Relations/Publicity, Ticket Sales |

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