The Fun Belt

Established in 1971, The Sun Belt Conference has a well-earned reputation as the home of the pesky underdog. Their member institutions—14 schools in 10 contiguous states—consistently punch above their weight in competition, upsetting blue blood programs with higher earning athletic departments. Beyond the near-annual upsets, the Sun Belt is one of the last major college athletic conferences to embrace regionality, allowing fans easier access to away game travel because games mean more when you’re playing a team in a bordering state, increasing the chances of rivalries being formed.

This was a multi-layered challenge. First, college athletics are undergoing a massive upheaval. Century-old rivalries have gone by the wayside in search for a tightening, yet lucrative pot of TV money. This makes it harder—and more expensive—for smaller athletic programs to compete and attract coaches and players. How can we lift up our programs, celebrate their success and stick it to the bullies at the same time?

Second, how can this conference as a whole stay in the national spotlight throughout the regular season, and beyond? How can we maximize coverage and create assets that can be used at both a football game or a basketball tournament?

More to come. Stay tuned….