Breaking Down the Big Ten Conference Online

Each week we will break down a different conference across the D-1 landscape, giving you a look into how they are connecting with fans (and recruits) across their website and social media. Along the way, we'll elevate a few things in each conference that are best-in-class: what we can learn from the schools that make up each conference.

As a reminder, we break down leagues based on how squads finished last season. Thus far we've checked out the ACC (here). Thanks to Michigan State's Final Four appearance last season, we'll turn our attention to the Big Ten linked here and shown below. You can stay plugged into this journey via this blog, via the Digital Hoops Blast Facebook page (linked here) or on Twitter -- I'm @pawlow34.

Today, we'll start with a look into the Big Ten Conference Official Website. What's to love about the Big Ten?

The Conference Made PSAs cool.

Really.

The best take something that, by definition, is just not cool and flip it around completely. And when I saw this, I did a double-take. It's a rebranding effort that would make even the best movie director proud... The Big Ten built their brand around the idea that you get the chance to play on TV, in big moments, at schools that will help you academically. That was pulled together under the theme of "Big Life. Big Stage. Big Ten." But apply this to a PSA? The official release (here) said that the Big Ten Conference now has a soundtrack for their season, featuring artists Public Enemy, De la Soul, and JJ Grey. As you can see in the video below, the conference took the concept and applied it to pictures in a way that we not only get the concept, but also get inspired.

How could this be better? Pump these up more. I had to go to the Big Ten YouTube page, and do a search for the campaign. These are great statements on what the league feels like... and that's a fantastic message to publish!

A smart and authentic blog powers the Big Ten Site.

Blogs. A good one can act as the oil that keeps all the parts of a conference website engine working together. And the Big Ten has a solid one, here. The image below comes from the home page -- and positions the conference blogs as a key Feature (I'd agree).

Clicking in and you get a feed of the latest posts (which right now lean heavy to football).

You are one click away from sharing the posts to just about any site you could want...

Then hit the basketball page, below, and you'll see this same blog is now reinterpreted. There are 3 entry points to the basketball version of the blog from the Hoops home page.

Click in and you get the same blog, but now it is filtered directly for your sport...


The beauty of this is that we can use one engine that powers all sports. So, in effect the investment the conference makes to support basketball or football can also help tennis or wrestling. Nice.

How could this be better? It's a simple touch, but starting each post with the 2-3 letter abbreviation isn't as effective as it could be. Yes, it is communicative but it could be more inspiring or emotional. I'd look to find ways to build the brand of each sport and carry this through the writing style.

The conference delivers the ultimate team audio library.

Clicking into the Big Ten's multimedia section, here, is a bit overwhelming at first. There's a lot to take in...

But you'll note they have a section titled 2009-2010 Big Ten Coaches Teleconferences. I clicked on Purdue's... and behold. We get an amazing archive of a year of coach soundbytes for the Boilermakers. It's sleek, easy to listen in, and really it's easy to explore. This is great on another level, as it is something most schools don't have the infrastructure in place to create for themselves. So the conference has created a resource to support their schools.

How could this be better?

Tagging -- rather than simply say which games the coach is talking about, give us themes that are relevant to the coach. For example, "Coach Painter talks about the importance of defensive intensity in the upcoming games..."

From a school level, partner with each of the 11 programs to air this audio on their sites. I think you could really create a great resource for the schools by simply helping them package the content!

That's it.

What's up next? Big Ten week continues tomorrow. We will take a peak at how the Big Ten is leveraging social media. Then, we'll wrap the week up with 3 peaks into things I found fantastic across the 11-team Big Ten Conference landscape.

Don't forget, you can follow along via the Digital Hoops Blast Facebook page (linked here) or on Twitter -- I'm @pawlow34.

Andy