MAC Best Practices: Kent State Gives Us Context - the Right Kind

This blog is all about inspiration. Today we start with 3 days elevating best practices from the squads that make up the MAC. You can also follow along on Facebook (linked here) or on Twitter -- I'm @pawlow34.

What makes something a best practice? This isn't about the most intricate experience. It's about looking at the world from your consumer's point of view and delivering something that hits it right smack on the head. For this work, I'm treating the primary consumer as that prospective student athlete.

Let's go...

It's all about context. The right kind of context. Kent State University shows us how the right kind can lift a program.

Hit the Kent State Basketball page,

On the right-hand side of the page you'll see Championship Tradition. Clicking in takes here, to a collection of entry ways into descriptions of a culture of winning. (and a phenomenally powerful visual)

I clicked on "20 Win Seasons". That takes us here, to a list like no other in any Mid-Major program I've checked lately (and, yes, I have checked a lot of them out!) As you'll see below, it is a list of 20-win seasons (definitely a measure of a great year) in the past 12 years. The following schools have gone 12-for-12: Kansas, Duke, Syracuse, Gonzaga, and Florida. Check. All dominant programs.

But who's gone 11-for-12? (definitely good company to follow that list!) Kent State, Kentucky, Utah State, Texas, and Creighton.

Wow.


So, not only has Kent State won 20-plus games 11 of the past 12 years... but they are on par with Kentucky and Texas and just behind Kansas, Duke, Syracuse, Gonzaga, and Florida!

What I love here is the context. Kent State could have just made a bold statement: "We have won 20 games in 11 of the last 12 seasons." Nothing wrong with that... But what they did was benchmark themselves against legendary programs. And by doing this, they subtly do the same for recruits. Benchmark yourself against those programs!

Nice work here, as it definitely lifts the program!

How could this be better? Give us the stories behind the numbers. What are the biggest wins each year? What is the atmosphere like? How loud is it? If the program is all about winning, give us that emotion and a little more of the story behind the fact!

Tune in tomorrow as we share more inspiration from the MAC! And, don't forget, you can follow along on Facebook (here) or on Twitter: I'm @pawlow34.

Andy