(05-23-2013 04:03 PM)MemTigerFan Wrote:  I think you have to define what "national brand" means in this context. If it's about how well we do consistently (recruiting / winning / etc) and how we are referred to by hardcore basketball fans (not just individual team fans), then I would agree we are a national brand.

if it's in the context of a brand like marketing and like a product, no I don't think we're a national brand but wish we were and hope we can grow to be one. To me, in this context, we'd have to be recognized easily by our logo all over the country. Too many people I've met around the country have no clue from our logo or even know our name when I tell them (this happens because I wear my Memphis gear a bunch traveling and people ask who it's for).

UTK is not a brand in basketball, but they are a bigger brand as a whole, so people will know them much easier than they will know us.

Blame the Big 6 BCS baloney for that. Our logo isn't as recognizable because it seems only hardcore Memphis fans care enough to hunt down logo gear. It isn't as easily available as Big 6 BCS gear.

I had hoped that getting into the Big East would help with that...but the Big East is no more. We may be slightly better off conference-wise, but whether we're better off recognition-wise remains to be seen.

(05-23-2013 05:07 PM)MuchLuck Wrote:  

(05-23-2013 02:41 PM)BLUEandGREY901 Wrote:  

(05-23-2013 02:24 PM)MuchLuck Wrote:  

(05-23-2013 01:57 PM)BLUEandGREY901 Wrote:  I was having an arguement/conversation with my buddy that is a UT fan. (Stupid, I know) and I was trying to explain to him that Memphis WAS a national brand in college basketball. And that UT was a regional brand. I was telling him that being a national brand in college hoops does not mean you have to be a blue blood program (UK, UNC, UCLA, Kansas, etc..) If you recruit at the highest level nationally, can schedule home and homes with top teams, and when you think of your team, you immediately think basketball, then you are a national brand. With UT, if you talk about UT hoops in this area, then people care just enough to talk about it. But if you go to California, nobody cares. But with Memphis, you can talk about Memphis hoops anywhere and people will automatically think basketball and can carry on a conversation about Memphis hoops. So am I correct in saying that Memphis is a national brand in college basketball?

The bigger stretch is probably convincing people UTK is regional.....or a brand at all in basketball...

Haha this is true. But I decided I would be nice to him an act as if UT was even regional. UT as a whole, with the exception of Pearls time, just can not attract high rated players nationally. Their highest rated player since Pearl is Hubbs, (I don't consider stokes as a legitimate pick up for UT since he would have been a Tiger if we would have had a scholarship) but Hubbs was in UT's backyard so he was easy to get. Since Cal left, we have continued to recruit at the highest level nationally and locally, UT has not. If UT gets a kid from another part of the country, he is not a very high rated player. Like the other gentleman just said, if you talk about UT in another part of the country, they know about Lane Kiffin, but that's about it.

I doubt all UTK fans are delusional, but the kids over on VN are definitely out of the normal loop. It's kind of like the college athlete who has a little brother that always wants to join in on all the pick up games. It's nice that he's interested in playing and wants to be part of your group, but everyone kind of wishes he'd go find some kids his own age.

Isn't that the truth about the kids over on VN!! The things that I read from time to time over there are very comical!!

(05-23-2013 04:03 PM)MemTigerFan Wrote:  I think you have to define what "national brand" means in this context. If it's about how well we do consistently (recruiting / winning / etc) and how we are referred to by hardcore basketball fans (not just individual team fans), then I would agree we are a national brand.

if it's in the context of a brand like marketing and like a product, no I don't think we're a national brand but wish we were and hope we can grow to be one. To me, in this context, we'd have to be recognized easily by our logo all over the country. Too many people I've met around the country have no clue from our logo or even know our name when I tell them (this happens because I wear my Memphis gear a bunch traveling and people ask who it's for).

UTK is not a brand in basketball, but they are a bigger brand as a whole, so people will know them much easier than they will know us.

I find that most people I meet from the Midwest to TX know our logo

(05-23-2013 06:28 PM)lenetzach Wrote:  

(05-23-2013 04:03 PM)MemTigerFan Wrote:  I think you have to define what "national brand" means in this context. If it's about how well we do consistently (recruiting / winning / etc) and how we are referred to by hardcore basketball fans (not just individual team fans), then I would agree we are a national brand.

if it's in the context of a brand like marketing and like a product, no I don't think we're a national brand but wish we were and hope we can grow to be one. To me, in this context, we'd have to be recognized easily by our logo all over the country. Too many people I've met around the country have no clue from our logo or even know our name when I tell them (this happens because I wear my Memphis gear a bunch traveling and people ask who it's for).

UTK is not a brand in basketball, but they are a bigger brand as a whole, so people will know them much easier than they will know us.

I find that most people I meet from the Midwest to TX know our logo

People don't know our logo any less than Arizona or similar programs.

LOL. The same people that consistently pop in here with negative program comments are the same saying our logo is not recognizable. Do you think us daft?
For years, our logo has been one of the most recognizable in the country-mostly because of our bb success.
We just need to do those things that will make more people want to buy our gear-win a Natl. Champ. in some major sport.

We have a small fan base, so we gotta do something to truly become a national brand sales wise.

I lived in Philadelphia for 5+ years and casual sports fans there definitely knew about UofM basketball. Depending on their age, college basketball fans, even casual ones know D Rose, John Calipari, Penny Hardaway. The older ones remember Keith Lee and the 73 crew (Finch, Kenon).

All that to say, Memphis is definitely a national brand.

As for UT, the same type fan could tell you Bruce Pearl and (if they're 50 years old) maybe Bernard King. That's about it. Everyone knows who Allan Houston is but I don't think he gets associated with UT cause they sucked so bad when he was there.

Here in Nashville, I've had many people mistake the logo on my hat or shirt for MTSU. Both schools use the same color blue M.

Sadly, more often then not, people just ask me what school it represents. That's why I prefer to wear gear that s-p-e-l-l-s out Memphis.

I'm not confident that we are a national brand like Duke, UNC, UK or UCLA.

(05-23-2013 08:08 PM)TigerTitan Wrote:  I'm not confident that we are a national brand like Duke, UNC, UK or UCLA.

I don't think anyone on the planet earth would suggest we are on par with the blue bloods.

Thats why they are called "blue bloods".

We are however, one of the more well known programs outside of that super elite group.

(05-23-2013 08:08 PM)TigerTitan Wrote:  Here in Nashville, I've had many people mistake the logo on my hat or shirt for MTSU. Both schools use the same color blue M.

Sadly, more often then not, people just ask me what school it represents. That's why I prefer to wear gear that s-p-e-l-l-s out Memphis.

I'm not confident that we are a national brand like Duke, UNC, UK or UCLA.

Same for me when I lived in Nashville. Had a white and blue hat with a blue M.

(05-23-2013 08:28 PM)Jedi Master Sipho-Dyas Wrote:  

(05-23-2013 08:08 PM)TigerTitan Wrote:  I'm not confident that we are a national brand like Duke, UNC, UK or UCLA.

I don't think anyone on the planet earth would suggest we are on par with the blue bloods.

Thats why they are called "blue bloods".

We are however, one of the more well known programs outside of that super elite group.

This^^^
You do not have to be a blue blood to be a national brand. If you recruit at the highest level nationally, and when people think of your school, they immediately think hoops. And recruits see it as "awesome" to get an offer from your school, then you are a national brand. Arizona and Memphis are almost identical programs when comparing all time tournament resumes. (If you count accolades that we had vacated. they happened) sweet 16's, elite eights, final fours, and national title game appearances are almost identical between the two schools. Arizona just has 1 title and we dont. And Arizona is defintely a national brand. And Memphis most definitely is a national brand!

(05-23-2013 08:41 PM)salukiblue Wrote:  

(05-23-2013 08:08 PM)TigerTitan Wrote:  Here in Nashville, I've had many people mistake the logo on my hat or shirt for MTSU. Both schools use the same color blue M.

Sadly, more often then not, people just ask me what school it represents. That's why I prefer to wear gear that s-p-e-l-l-s out Memphis.

I'm not confident that we are a national brand like Duke, UNC, UK or UCLA.

Same for me when I lived in Nashville. Had a white and blue hat with a blue M.

If it doesn't have the leaping tiger, it's not Memphis in my opinion.

(05-23-2013 05:38 PM)BLUEandGREY901 Wrote:  Isn't that the truth about the kids over on VN!! The things that I read from time to time over there are very comical!!

They're a funny bunch over on VN. Ill-informed and it irritates them to no end that Memphis is a better program. They wont admit it, but they know it.

Lots of talk that Memphis "only had success when we cheated"....... ummm, except the Tigers went to back to back elite 8's in 2006 and 2007. Both are still in the record books and UT has NEVER gone back to back. Funny and ironic thing is----- they've gotten in trouble w/ the NCAA more recently than Memphis has.

Also, a lot of conference bashing. They are more than likely completely unaware that Memphis is 105-77 all time vs the current SEC teams. A few posters have pointed out over on VN that we were 19th in ESPN's all time poll that was based on actual on court and tournament success while the bUTtchuggers didnt crack the top 50, yet those idiots choose to ignore that.

Just need to beat them the next 4 times we play. Take the lead in the series b/c thats all they have to crow about. Wouldnt have that had they not ducked Memphis in the 80s.

(05-23-2013 09:36 PM)Tanyaskees Wrote:  

(05-23-2013 08:41 PM)salukiblue Wrote:  

(05-23-2013 08:08 PM)TigerTitan Wrote:  Here in Nashville, I've had many people mistake the logo on my hat or shirt for MTSU. Both schools use the same color blue M.

Sadly, more often then not, people just ask me what school it represents. That's why I prefer to wear gear that s-p-e-l-l-s out Memphis.

I'm not confident that we are a national brand like Duke, UNC, UK or UCLA.

Same for me when I lived in Nashville. Had a white and blue hat with a blue M.

If it doesn't have the leaping tiger, it's not Memphis in my opinion.

Call the brand police:

Yes the block M can be used but it's hilarious that people think someone should recognize that.

The leaping Tiger will NOT get confused for MTSU

Other than a few high schools in the region that have ripped it off, it is unique, and not only is it identifiable, it's identified.

(05-23-2013 06:28 PM)lenetzach Wrote:  

(05-23-2013 04:03 PM)MemTigerFan Wrote:  I think you have to define what "national brand" means in this context. If it's about how well we do consistently (recruiting / winning / etc) and how we are referred to by hardcore basketball fans (not just individual team fans), then I would agree we are a national brand.

if it's in the context of a brand like marketing and like a product, no I don't think we're a national brand but wish we were and hope we can grow to be one. To me, in this context, we'd have to be recognized easily by our logo all over the country. Too many people I've met around the country have no clue from our logo or even know our name when I tell them (this happens because I wear my Memphis gear a bunch traveling and people ask who it's for).

UTK is not a brand in basketball, but they are a bigger brand as a whole, so people will know them much easier than they will know us.

I find that most people I meet from the Midwest to TX know our logo

it really varies. I just got back from my yearly bowling tournament in Reno, and a couple on our team who are from Wichita Falls, TX saw my hat and asked if it was for a minor league baseball team in Memphis.

They knew where we were from, and didn't even know we had a major university here, let alone a basketball brand.

As Hoolpa said too, I'm hoping our recognition grows more with our league having an ESPN contract. Even when we're not the ones playing, chances are good highlights from our games could be played as well as our records, so I'm hoping we get talked about more and more. But it's difficult getting recognized outside of the Big 6.

(05-23-2013 02:03 PM)HornLakeTiger Wrote:  Asking if Memphis basketball is a national brand.....on a Memphis message board.

Yep, you'll definitely get a legitimate answer here....

Actually, you might be better served by going to twitter and asking this same question to someone with an educated opinion, such as Mike Decourcey...@tsnmike.

HornLakeRebel...Thanks for the input.

(05-23-2013 05:32 PM)Hoopla Wrote:  Blame the Big 6 BCS baloney for that. Our logo isn't as recognizable because it seems only hardcore Memphis fans care enough to hunt down logo gear. It isn't as easily available as Big 6 BCS gear.

I had hoped that getting into the Big East would help with that...but the Big East is no more. We may be slightly better off conference-wise, but whether we're better off recognition-wise remains to be seen.

I agree with your representation of what has happened in the past. In that context, exposure is more important than money. Too bad the Big East we thought we were getting fell apart, but the exposure will still be great, much better than anything we have seen.

The Orlando Sentinel reported this week that more than 60% of all BB games will be televised on ESPN or ABC, and 90% of all conference football games. Elsewhere, others have reported that all AAC conference BB games will be televised, plus perhaps 23 OOC games.

For Memphis, that means that all our conference BB games, and a number of our OOC games, will be televised on ESPN or ABC. Even most of our conference FB games will make it.

And CBS' OTA major network channel (NOT CBS Sports Network) will televise some of the best BB games.

All this should make a big difference, both in recruiting and in national awareness. In both revenue sports.

Seems that many of our OOC matchups are made for TV events. That would indicate national brand to me, or why else would they do it?

You're first mistake was trying to have a rational conversation with a UT fan