Watch parties allow schools to target out-of-town alumni

Two Missouri Valley Conference schools have utilized basketball game watch parties this past week as a way to engage alumni and supporters across the country. Bradley University and Creighton University took advantage of nationally televised games to connect with alumni outside of Normal, Illinois and Omaha, Nebraska, respectively.

Bradley attempted to stir its supporter base with “BU Coast to Coast” broadcasting the Braves game against Missouri Valley Conference pre-season favorite Northern Iowa on Tuesday, January 12. Bradley pitched the watch parties by saying “BU Coast to Coast” is the next best thing to cheering on the Braves in Carver Arena. While the Braves ended up losing to Northern Iowa, the national exposure provided a unique environment for local alumni chapters to gather across the country and wear their school colors with pride.

Creighton put on a similar event with its “Get Blue National Game-Viewing” on Saturday, January 16. The Jays took on Missouri Valley rival Wichita State on ESPN2, and many of Creighton’s 20 national alumni chapters participated in the event. The Jays squeaked out a 57-56 victory over the Shockers, much to the delight of the alumni watching across the country.

Many schools across the country use watch parties for bowl games or rivalry football games, but they are not as common with other sports. Bradley and Creighton are both non-football schools that have men’s basketball as its main revenue generator. Watch parties represent a great way for any athletics department to partner with the alumni association and take advantage of national television exposure.

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Sean Phifer