Seton Hall Athletics
It is an exciting time to be a fan of Seton Hall basketball. There has been a buzz around this program ever since the arrival of the new recruiting class which ranks 13th nationally. The Pirates will look to make their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2006, but there is more to this year than the product on the court.
Each year Seton Hall Athletics Marketing strives to effectively market and promote all of Seton Hall’s varsity sports. With each year comes new opportunities.
One of the major focuses of the marketing team this year is to promote, not just the basketball team, but the athletic program as a whole. The concept of “Blue Rising” was introduced in the offseason. Anyone driving to the Prudential Center can see the slogan on display on the brand new men’s basketball billboard. According to Assistant Athletic Director for Marketing and Promotions Kelly O’Neil, “Blue Rising” means, “Seton Hall Athletics on the rise.” That same message can be seen on all social media platforms for Seton Hall athletics, accompanied with the hashtag, “Blue Rising.”
Pirate Blue, the fundraising arm of all athletic programs at Seton Hall also makes a concerted effort to improve the resources and facilities for athletes and staff. The latest installment of the “Pride & Excellence” campaign, the new varsity locker room project, is underway. Once completed all of the Pirates’ varsity sports will have a sport-specific spot for the first time ever. All Pirate Blue projects can be credited to the support of the Pirate Blue donors.
Another difference in this year is the less-is-more approach being applied to game day promotions. Do not expect to see a promotion attached to every home game, but expect some memorable ones in its place.
“This year we simplified our efforts and built some bigger game plans around specific games,” O’Neil said. “We want some games to appeal to the average fan, the fan that is not coming as a season ticket holder, appeal to our student body.”
Fans should keep an eye out for Military Appreciation Day at the Hall’s home opener on Sunday, Nov. 17, as well as Ugly Christmas Sweater Day on Tuesday, Dec. 2, the same day of the annual tree lighting on campus. There will be a coupon and free ticket promotion, the giveaway being a Seton Hall-branded ugly Christmas sweater t-shirt.
“We have a lot of tricks up our sleeve,” O’Neil said.
When marketing any sport the goal is to get people in the stands. By all means, it appears that Seton Hall is looking to achieve such goals. Ticket sales are improving in numbers among students and alumni. Currently there are just under 1,000 student season ticket holders. To put that in perspective, there have been more student season tickets sold at this point of the year than there were all of last year according to Assistant Athletic Director of Ticket Operations, Jim Semerad. Semerad added that Seton Hall students can purchase their season tickets for $100 and if every ticket is used their purchase will be refunded.
Those in attendance at Seton Hall basketball games will notice several new looks to the team, including in gear. As of July 1, Under Armor, the global leader in sports performance and innovation, became the new provider of all athletic gear for the Pirates. The brand new uniforms for the men’s basketball team were unveiled on Nov. 5.
“I think our first uniforms that we launched are pretty standard, pretty sharp,” O’Neil said. “Unbelievable material. Obviously I’ve seen a lot of basketball uniforms in my day, but this material it’s second to none. It has such a lightweight yet breathable feel to it.”
With all the changes surrounding the 2014-15 season an important question to ask is: What do the fans think?
Sophomore David King says he expects the atmosphere at The Rock to be “electric” this year. King, who is not a season ticket holder, but frequently attends games is involved with the student marketing team and said he’s very excited about the Under Armor deal.
“I feel like it’s a new, fresh look for the University. It’ll bring life back into athletics,” King said.
Season ticket holder Matty Goldberg also shared his excitement for this coming year.
“I plan on being at every home game,” Goldberg said, “I’ve never been to a Seton Hall game so I am excited to see what the atmosphere is like.”
The general consensus among fans is that it should be an exciting year with much to look forward to.
Thanks to the hard work to those behind the scenes, it is safe to say the revival of Seton Hall Athletics has arrived.
Matt Zeigafuse can be reached at matthew.zeigafuse@student.shu.edu or on twitter @mattzeigafuse
