Objectives & Strategies
Possible Objectives:
Increasing fan engagement and attendance at home games
Increasing fan engagement and attendance at home games is a challenge that many college football teams face. Teams can use a few strategies to help draw in fans and keep them engaged.
One example could be that the team creates a rewards program for fans that attend the games. Fans could accumulate points each time they attend a game, and the rewards could range from discounts on merchandise to exclusive access to team events.
Teams can get creative with this and plan special events around the game, such as a tailgate with food, games, and entertainment for fans or a halftime show with special guests.
Other examples include the University of Iowa, which held a pink-out game to raise breast cancer awareness, and the University of Nebraska, which has a popular pregame ceremony called “Husker Nation”. Both of these events have been successful in increasing fan engagement and attendance.
Enhancing the team's brand image and reputation
Enhancing a college football team's brand image and reputation can be done by emphasizing the team’s successes, both on and off the field. Hypothetically, a team could create a video series highlighting the team’s community service efforts or the team’s academic achievements. This would help to show the team’s commitment to building something more significant than just a football team.
Actual examples of college football teams that have done this include the University of Michigan, which has produced a series of videos highlighting the volunteer efforts of their players, and the University of Tennessee, which created a program to recognize and reward student-athletes who achieve high academic success. Additionally, a team could focus on creating a positive fan experience. Teams could leverage social media to engage with fans or host events such as tailgate parties or watching parties. This would help bring together the fans and create an atmosphere of camaraderie that would help to strengthen the team’s brand image and reputation.
