NCAA Basketball Marketing: What We Could Learn from #15 Robert Morris

We're in search of inspiration- things that all of us can take and apply into our worlds. Then we will apply a "Plus One" method to make each inspiring thing even better. Thus far, we've looked at top seeded Duke, #2Villanova, #3 Baylor, #4 Purdue, #5 Texas A&M, #6 Notre Dame, #7Richmond, #8 California, #9 Lousiville, #10 Saint Mary's, #11 Old Dominion, #12 Utah State, #13 Siena, and #14 Sam Houston State.

Now's when it starts to get really interesting... Here we go.

South Region #15 Seed Robert Morris: What's Inspiring about Robert Morris Marketing? (link here)



1. A partnership with a local sports writer

Sam Houston State reached out to sports writer Paul Meyer to produce a weekly update on the squad, which was archived on the site as a news feature (shown below). This is a pretty solid idea, as they take an objective, expert perspective and deliver it to fans through the season. In an age where we look everywhere we can for original information, this is a fantastic starting point. Check it out here.

Plus One: Take this idea and deliver it in the form of a blog. Doing so gives fans the chance to interact, subscribe, and more easily navigate the program. And, of course, that style opens up more of the program for a prospective recruit to check out.

2. The Athletics Hall of Fame

Hall of Fame. I love these, by their very nature, as they are a subtle reminder to the recruit that the program delivers success, enabling people to excel and be recognized for it. As you can see below (or here), Robert Morris recognizes the best athletes with their years and sport below. And this is done by year, so we get a feel that success is constant.

Plus One: We have a list of success, but not the stories behind it. And that's the opportunity. Don't just tell us who made the Hall, tell us why, what impact they had on the school and the community. Connect future recruits to these success stories, and the impact could be monstrous.

3. Visitor's Guide...

As you'll see in the images below (and here), Robert Morris elevates a guide of where to eat and stay when you visit the campus. Sweet idea. I love this not just because it provides a value to the consumer, but because it creates a feeling that a Robert Morris game is a destination to plan for!

Plus One: Like the Hall of Fame, don't just give us a list. We can get that from the Yellow Pages. Give us what we can't get - the stories behind why it's a favorite destination for a Robert Morris fan. Talk to alums and current players. What's the best pre-game meal? Where do they go eat with their family? This is another opportunity to connect us to the program in a surprisingly deep way!

What's next?

We'll be back Monday with a breakdown of #16 seed Arkansas Pine-Bluff. Then we'll start wrapping this up.

As always, you can follow along on Twitter - I'm @pawlow34.