Hartford Steps Up Marketing For Big East Women's Hoops Tourney
 |
Hartford Officials Marketing Toward All 16
Big East Women's Hoops Teams With Microsites |
With all 16 Big East women's basketball teams now qualifying for the March 6-10 conference tournament at the XL Center, Hartford officials are seeking to make the tournament a "must-attend event" and to "expand the fan base," according to John Altavilla of the HARTFORD COURANT. Greater Hartford Convention & Visitors Bureau National Sports Marketing Manager Curt Jensen: "The fact that all the Big East schools are going to be here ... gave us a chance to market the event in a new way." Support for the Big East women's basketball tournament "hasn't matched expectations in the past," with a crowd of 9,982 attending last year's Connecticut-Louisville championship game at the 16,500-seat arena. Still, the XL Center in October was awarded a two-year extension through 2011 to host the tournament, beating out the Mohegan Sun Arena. XL Center Senior VP & GM Chuck Steedman: "It's the best (women's) collegiate conference tournament in America, but it still has an upside." With all 16 teams qualifying for the tournament, Hartford officials have produced "micro websites for each school and its fans, highlighting what will be available to visitors." Fans also can visit enjoyhartford.com/bigeast to "discover what has been planned." Jensen: "We feel Hartford is a destination location where fans can vacation while they see the games." Steedman indicated that sales of the $99 strips that include admission to all 15 tournament games were "up 48[%] as of Saturday." And by the time the hosting contract is up for renewal, Steedman "anticipates Hartford may once and for all be as synonymous with the women's basketball tournament" as MSG is for the Big East men's basketball tournament (HARTFORD COURANT, 1/5).
|
