Change Bruin? UCLA AD To Be More Involved In Football Marketing

UCLA AD Dan Guerrero Thursday said that he "would become more active in the school's marketing of the football program" after backlash from an ad campaign this week aimed at attracting Fresno State Univ. fans to Saturday's game at the Rose Bowl, according to Brian Dohn of the L.A. DAILY NEWS. UCLA this week ran newspaper and radio ads in the San Joaquin Valley to "entice Fresno State fans to come to the Rose Bowl" for Saturday's game. Guerrero said that it was "his understanding 'everything was pulled' in relation to the marketing campaign in the central valley, but damage was already done." Guerrero: "I can assure you, from my prospective as we move forward, you'll see a different approach to our marketing efforts this season" (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 9/26). Guerrero added, "There is a fine line between what the (marketing department's) charge is and balancing that toward talking about marketing to the enemy, if you will" (L.A. TIMES, 9/26).

SENDING THE WRONG MESSAGE: Syndicated radio host Jim Rome said of the ad, "I don’t know how you interpret that. I interpret that to mean ‘Come on down to L.A., watch your team beat our team down. We can’t draw our own fans, so maybe you’d like to come down to the Rose Bowl and watch your boys roll.’ Like that wasn’t going to get back to L.A.? Like nobody was going to find out back home?" More Rome: "What kind of message is that to send? You’re taking out an ad in the opponent’s local newspaper asking them to come to your stadium?” (“The Jim Rome Show,” 9/25). Fresno State coach Pat Hill "estimated that as many as 25,000 Fresno State fans could attend the game" (Portland OREGONIAN, 9/26).