http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/26/sports...ml?hp&_r=0

We partnered with IMG. I'm beginning to think IMG has no IMaGination.

That's a good article -- touches on a lot of interesting points.

(As an aside, I'm a bit surprised the NYT didn't make a reference to Louisville as "Southern". The paper often sticks in gratuitous references to Southern-ness, but perhaps the sports writers are a little more sophisticated.)

Shows what can happen when you take a proactive approach to marketing.

Good article. Thanks for sharing.

This line really stuck out to me:

Quote:Lately, the [athletic] department has also sent money back to the university — $350,000 annually, plus a one-time $2 million donation to finance a pay raise for the faculty and staff, whose salaries had been frozen.

Imagine how differently our faculty would feel if athletics revenue was financing their pay raises?

(08-26-2013 09:26 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  Shows what can happen when you take a proactive approach to marketing.

Not just marketing. They had a vision for their athletic program and what it could do for the university as a whole.

I hope Rice's new leadership will provide that sort of vision (and I hope it isn't too late to matter).

(08-26-2013 11:06 AM)Gravy Owl Wrote:  

(08-26-2013 09:26 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  Shows what can happen when you take a proactive approach to marketing.

Not just marketing. They had a vision for their athletic program and what it could do for the university as a whole.

I hope Rice's new leadership will provide that sort of vision (and I hope it isn't too late to matter).

I am very worried that 1) they won't and 2) it is.

I was just watching a CFB preview show on ESPN this weekend and was thinking about how much ESPN pimps the SEC and other than SEC, #2 position seems to be Louisville, Teddy Bridgewater, etc. Highlighted the Cincy/Louisville game in November as one of the 'top 5 of the year'....really, Cincy/Louisville?.... Hype seems miles beyond what they are worth and then read this article and things suddenly come together..

Lesson..When you are confused on why things are like they are...follow the money...and things will become clearer...

Yes, Owl40. Did you catch the flare-up over the concussion documentary last week that ESPN suddenly pulled out of? Yet another case.

You want more to digest. Consider these Deadspin articles (I rarely read it, but the first caught my eye, leading to the second).

http://deadspin.com/what-i-learned-from-...er-5979510
http://deadspin.com/5929361/how-espn-dit...ebow-story

I was told in an MBA marketing class that marketing involved more than just advertising and salesmanship. It also involved meeting customer needs and communicating your message. Meeting customer needs may involve tailoring your product to what they need instead of just selling something off the shelf. So the vision is part of marketing.

Our vision is we want athletic programs that are winning but we do not want to lose the academic component to it. We do not want to be like the schools that use up their athletes eligibility and leave them unable to have a career other than making it as a professional in their sport. Our athletic programs should make the rest of the world take notice of Rice and what we have to offer. We received positive publicity with Neely's football teams and Graham's baseball teams where people learned about us as a top academic university.

(08-26-2013 11:06 AM)Gravy Owl Wrote:  

(08-26-2013 09:26 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  Shows what can happen when you take a proactive approach to marketing.

Not just marketing. They had a vision for their athletic program and what it could do for the university as a whole.

I hope Rice's new leadership will provide that sort of vision (and I hope it isn't too late to matter).