Sports Marketing Machine Podcast 124: Maximizing Your Football Marketing Plan: What to Do When You Can’t Do It All
In this episode, Jeremy Neisser sits down with two seasoned college athletics marketers: Scott Peace (Senior Associate AD for Revenue Generation at UNI) and Kelly Wilga (Assistant AD for Marketing at Sacramento State). Together, they dive into what it takes to successfully plan and execute a football marketing campaign.
From budget discussions and scheduling promotions to engaging students and running creative, on-brand theme nights, this episode is packed with actionable insights. They explore how even teams with limited resources can deliver unforgettable fan experiences and improve attendance through collaboration, strategy, and bold creativity.
Takeaways
- Start football marketing planning early — often as early as March.
- Prioritize student engagement, especially for early-season games.
- Build partnerships across campus to extend your budget and reach.
- Theme nights and experiential promotions (like hot tubs or tattoo artists) can dramatically boost attendance.
- Always evaluate the ROI of long-standing marketing traditions — and be willing to scrap or evolve them.
- Focus on controllable factors of fan experience from “driveway to driveway.”
- Giveaways still work, especially when they're creative and unique.
- Use athletics as a platform to highlight broader university initiatives.
- Even with a tight budget, you can get creative and make a big impact.
- Don’t accept the limitations of a small team — lean on relationships, data, and smart execution.
Memorable Quotes
💬 "You can never have enough money to get your messaging out."
💬 "Flooding the zone with digital retargeting is essential."
💬 "We're not going to settle for the norm anymore."
💬 "Delivering a memorable fan experience should be your #1 priority."
💬 "Think creatively. That isn’t always expensive."
Chapters
00:00 – Kickoff: Importance of Football Marketing
02:52 – Budgeting and Scheduling
05:49 – Student Engagement Strategies
08:39 – Enhancing Game Day Experience
11:51 – Creative Promotions & Brand Alignment
14:42 – Innovation & Risk-Taking
22:26 – Balancing Fun with University Identity
25:35 – The Rise of Theme Nights
32:03 – Lessons Learned and Venue Improvements
38:25 – Fan Experience as the Ultimate Driver
43:42 – Advice for Small Teams with Tight Budgets
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