Big 12 College Basketball Marketing: #11 Colorado

It's time to continue our analysis of the Big 12 Conference. We're going to look at how programs are communicating to young athletes from a digital point of view.

We dive into this because websites and digital marketing create an opportunity for coaches and programs to share what they stand for. Young athletes are going to check you out. What are you telling them? The internet is always there, and always on.

The best coaches and programs take advantage of opportunities.

So let's keep moving. Thus far our Big 12 journey has shown us #12 Texas Tech.

#11: Colorado

The Digital Scouting Report

Strengths: Buffs TV is worth tuning into. A really simple but cool Twitter ticker.

Weaknesses: Really nothing in the way of basketball content.

Full Scouting Report:

When I think of Colorado Basketball, I think of Chauncey Billups. He's a legend in the NBA, a leader whose work ethic has helped him emerge from a role player to a star. I'm thinking the Buffs site is actually going to be so filled with Chauncey it's going to smell like him. (You're welcome for that image)

Hitting the home page, here, and you'll see the Facebook and Twitter icons on the right hand side of the site header. But I want you to look a little bit deeper, feast your eyes on the Twitter logo beneath the main navigation.

Need an assist in seeing that? Let's zoom in here. You'll see they actually have the Athletics Twitter feed set up as a ticker. Killer. I love this. So anytime they update their Twitter feed, the home page of the athletics site changes. Nice!

OK, so you know I need to click in. Looking at their Athletics Twitter page, here, and you see a site that does a decent job of updating live scores. (See the volleyball update below) They have around 1000 followers, and I'd say overall it's ok if you are into all of their sports programs. I did find the people they follow (the boxes in the lower right) a bit odd. I mean, you have a potpourri of schools. I'm not a fan of following your rivals. But to follow schools such as Harvard and Rutgers? I'm just confused.



OK, going back to the home page, let's zoom in on the Multimedia Menu. Buffs TV is all over this (you've got about 4 options to hit it), so let's go ahead and launch it...

I am a pretty big fan of this. You can be too if you click here. This is a pretty high quality video network, with interviews, highlights, and coaches shows. I'd guess this is at least 95% football - I could only find one basketball-related video here. Maybe this will change in the season?

OK, so if you have to get hoops content, maybe you just have to hit up the Basketball home page. As you can see, video is pumped into the site, at least when the lead news story is hoops-related. There's a couple of links on the right hand side of the page that were intriguing. Especially the Alumni section (All-Time Lettermen)...

It just makes sense, but not too many sites do this. Provide a way to tell your history through the guys who wore the jersey. I clicked in, super excited for what was about to hit me.

Now I want to hit up the Pros section, eager to finish this journey where I started it: Chauncey Billups...

And my bubble bursts.

Coming soon. Sigh.

And that's pretty much what I felt when I went through the site. There is some content (last season's basketball media guide is posted online as a PDF - see below), but in general the Buffs are not yet putting attention to what could be a pretty unique place to play.

Thanks for reading.

Come back tomorrow as we continue our quest for the best in the Big 12.

Andy