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Intercollegiate Forum

Colleges Continue To Focus On Keeping Up With Millennials, Creating Content For Them

Keeping up with millennials and learning to curate content and events to target that group was a primary focus during a panel on Day 2 of the ’16 Learfield Intercollegiate Athletics Forum. Ole Miss Senior Associate AD/Communications & Marketing Michael Thompson said millennials “feel like they’re satisfied with the experience with a much shorter duration.” Thompson: “If they leave the game at halftime, (they feel) that they have gotten all they want to get out of that game. …  We’re getting them there, but it’s a matter of them feeling satisfied much sooner than some of our other fans do.” Pac-12 CMO Danette Leighton said it is "very important that we learn to speak and keep that relationship” with millennials. “It’s not just about getting them to a game.” Areas of focus and solutions were thrown out, but a single consensus seemed to pass. “There’s other ways to see how they stay engaged,” said Ticketmaster VP/Live Analytics David Smrek. Both Smrek and Texas Associate AD/Strategy & Analytics Juan Garcia agreed events need to offer fans more than just a seat now. Meanwhile, the panelists mentioned other metrics by which to measure data, including social media. “We hear over and over again,” Smrek said of social media, “bringing (that) data into one comprehensive profile.” Notre Dame Assistant AD/Marketing Brian Pracht discussed his school’s nascent operation. “It’s generally easier to work with our external partners,” he said. “(There are) a lot of good options out there, (and) vendors can support you in your efforts.” The panel agreed that there is still much to be gleaned from data in the college sports landscape. Thompson: “How do we turn that learning into something we can make revenue from?” Added Leighton, “It takes people and process, so the reality is there’s a lot of technology out there, and you have to establish what’s right for you.”

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