CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- America East Conference has announced its basketball grant program for the 2011-12 season, offering financial assistance to all nine member institutions for the marketing and promoting of their men's and women's basketball programs as well as the conference brand. It is the sixth year of the initiative, which has given more than $150,000 in funding to the membership over that span.
Among the grant program’s goals are increased attendance and an enhanced fan experience at conference games while creating excitement and awareness for the America East Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championship presented by Newman’s Own.
Each of the nine institutions submitted a proposal to America East, which were reviewed and evaluated by the conference office, and then will be implemented by the schools.
The following are the campus initiatives for 2011-12:
Albany: Increased awareness of the America East Championship presented by Newman’s Own and the America East brand at the annual Big Purple Growl, the winter homecoming doubleheader on Saturday, February 4.
Binghamton: Promotion and marketing of the National Girls and Women in Sports Luncheon on Monday, February 6. Seven-time Olympic medalist Amanda Beard will be the featured speaker at the event, which has an attendance goal of 600. Proceeds from the event, which have exceeded $100,000, support the BUAC Women’s Scholarship, awarded annually to a deserving student-athlete.
Boston University: Promotion and marketing for the Play4Kay initiative in the women’s basketball game vs. Stony Brook on February 11. The first 700 fans will receive a Boston University/America East co-branded pink t-shirt.
Hartford: Promotion and marketing for the Play4Kay initiative in the nationally-televised women’s basketball game vs. UMBC on February 19. The first 500 fans will receive a Hartford/America East co-branded pink t-shirt. Additional funds will be put toward advertising the game, with a goal of a sellout crowd of 4,017.
Maine: Conference branding at Maine’s annual “America East Fandemonium” doubleheader on January 28. Among the many prizes at the game are all-session tickets to the America East Championship presented by Newman’s Own.
UMBC: Increased attendance at that day’s game and an overall awareness of the America East Championship presented by Newman’s Own are the goals of the annual RAC in Black men’s basketball game vs. Hartford on February 7.
New Hampshire: Promotion, including 1,200 t-shirts, and marketing for two basketball games. One co-branded t-shirt will be included in the “Welcome Back Cat Pack” on January 25 for the first men’s basketball home game (vs. Maine) after the academic break. Another t-shirt will be co-branded for the Wildcats’ Play4Kay women’s basketball game on February 11 vs. Albany.
Stony Brook: Conference branding and championship promotion are the focus for Stony Brook during the conference season. The Seawolves will continue their efforts to mobilize the championship’s largest group of student fans across Long Island Sound and into Hartford in March.
Vermont: Promotion and marketing for the Play4Kay initiatives at the Vermont-Stony Brook men’s game on February 12 and the Vermont-Albany women’s game on February 15. Fans making a donation to the Vermont Cancer Center will receive a Vermont/America East co-branded pink t-shirt. Last year more than $8,000 in donations were collected. In addition, Vermont will use part of the grant to support the school’s celebration of the 40th Anniversary of Title IX.