University of Massachusets Athletics
Always UMass and Coca-Cola
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July 17, 2000
By JIM WROBEL
The Maroon & White
UMass Athletics and Coca-Cola have joined efforts in a promotional campaign surrounding the first night football game in the 36-year history of McGuirk Alumni Stadium. UMass will host William & Mary on Thursday, Aug. 31 at 7:00 p.m., in the historic season-opener.
Coke will be putting in "pole" signs at all major distribution points promoting not only that game, but also the entire home football season. These signs will be seen at the end of aisle displays that Coke has in supermarkets as well as other large retail outlets. Coke will also be hanging bottleneck tags that can be redeemed for reduced priced general admission tickets. UMass will offer $2 off any general admission adult or child's price ticket the day of the game to anyone that brings a Coke can and trades it in when purchasing a ticket. Because of this promotion UMass will also benefit from a two-week advertising campaign as a tag spot on Coke radio ads in Western Massachusetts and Connecticut.
"UMass Athletics and Coke have had a great relationship for so many years," said Thorr Bjorn, Associate Athletic Director for Marketing and Promotions. "Brendan Flynn, the Sales Manager of the Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Greenfield, has always been willing to use the Coke brand to help us promote our programs. We are now going to take that to the next level.
"This is another great opportunity to get some new folks coming out to our games," said Bjorn. "I feel that once people come to see Coach Whipple's team and the excitement it generates, they will want to come back. Everyone is so excited about the first-ever night game at McGurik Stadium. There are additional costs surrounding that game. Costs that we need to take a bite out of by selling more tickets. Using Coke to help us accomplish this is a win for everyone, UMass Athletics, Coke and most importantly the fans."
Fans will also be seeing coke promotions as well throughout the entire season along with some of UMass' other sponsors that are stepping to the plate to be involved with a top-ranked football program. During each game Coke will be giving away a premium item throughout the course of all seven home games. "We are not talking t-shirts here, this will be a top quality, oops, that would ruin the surprise," said Bjorn. Other sponsors, such as Big Y, don't want to miss an opportunity like this either. They have agreed to not only sponsor the New Haven football game but also will be giving away a free large pizza to a lucky fan each time UMass scores a touchdown. Remember the 77-0 game versus Northeastern and the 62-20 score against Connecticut. Now that is a lot of pizza.
"We don't have a huge advertising budget, so what we are doing instead is working with our sponsors who advertise every day and piggy back on what they are already doing," said Bjorn. "It makes so much sense for both of us, UMass Athletics and the sponsors."
Look for all different types of sponsor promotions in the community with companies like Big Y, Kraft, Cumberland Farms, The Springfield Union-News and Citgo.
"We will be doing some creative things like a trip to the NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four in a Cumberland Farms/Kraft promotion that is in the plans to run from November through February," said Bjorn.
"This is going to be a real exciting year in the promotion of UMass sports," said Bjorn. "Not only do we have a goal of increasing our sponsorship dollars from $600,000 to $700,000 this year, but we also will be doing everything possible to get our name in front of the consumer. We will be working with our sponsors to increase their exposure while at the same time increasing ours. Now that we have gotten our dollars up to a respectable amount from $250,000 four years ago to over $600,000 today, we are now going to turn our efforts to not only increase our dollars but also our brand awareness."