At the beginning of the previous academic year, the institution announced it would drop football at the conclusion of the season. The announcement created public relations issues with alumni, current athletes, and the local community. Donations to the athletic department have dropped 35% in the past year. At the same time, women’s volleyball advanced to post-season play for the first time in the program’s history, winning the conference championship and earning an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament. The men’s soccer team, coming off its best season in five years, has landed two superstar recruits who turned down NCAA Division I scholarships in order to attend Strops University.
You have been hired to create a marketing plan focusing on the broad success of athletics at Strops University, with a specific focus on reversing the decline in donations to the athletic program. The university seeks to build support for all of its student athletes. A key component of the marketing plan will be a sports information packet that highlights the accomplishments of each team. Based on the information provided, select two teams—one recently successful, and one recently struggling—and create a comprehensive sports information plan to distribute to alumni and fans at games. Your plan should include areas such as academic success, community service, etc. in addition to winning percentage in an effort to increase support of, and donations to the programs.
