Seeking to further establish itself with sports fans as a destination for fan wear, licensed merchandise and sports memorabilia, eBay Sports will launch its most ambitious promotion to date.
The "Stay True to Your School" program kicks off with the college football season in late August. Through an eBay deal with the Official College Sports Network, which produces sports Web sites for more than 130 college athletic departments, including Notre Dame, OCSN will work with its top schools to develop unique sports experiences, such as sideline access, customized answering-machine messages from the head coach or signed items to auction.
The schools that sell the most merchandise during the promotion will receive a donation from eBay to their scholarship funds. An accompanying consumer sweepstakes offers $5,000 plus a trip for four to the homecoming game of the winner's favorite college football team.
ESPN's Stuart Scott, an eBay spokesman, will do a media tour backing an accompanying online poll that asks about the most memorable college football moments. The program will be supported with radio, Web ads, direct marketing and print in Sports Illustrated, ESPN and USA Today.
Jon Fitch, senior marketing manager at eBay Sports, said the program will be measuring sales on eBay itself as well as pre- and post-awareness of eBay as a place to buy college merchandise and PR impressions.
Velocity Sports & Entertainment of Wilton, Conn., is handling the program.