FERRIS ATHLETICS MARKETING DEPARTMENT LANDS NATIONAL AWARDS

Ferris State Receives A Gold Award For Best Event Attendance Promotion By NACMA

The National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators (NACMA) has awarded Ferris State University Athletics a pair of national honors for its marketing and promotional efforts during the 2004-05 athletics season.

Ferris was presented with a gold award in the group three division for the best single-day attendance promotion in football and was also recognized as a bronze in group three for the best student promotion.

The FSU Athletics Department gained first-place recognition for the Ferris Football Frenzy event which established a new modern-day attendance mark at Top Taggart Field as a crowd of 8,426 fans attended the Bulldogs’ 2004 gridiron season opener against archrival Grand Valley State University on Aug. 28. The University of California-Davis attained silver accolades while Western Illinois University garnered bronze laurels. Ferris also was bestowed with a bronze award for the best student promotion as a result of conducting the Ferris Basketball Fan Fest. Placing ahead of FSU were Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Fla.) and Martin Methodist College (Tenn.).

The Ferris Athletics Marketing Department consists of Associate Athletics Director For Advancement Brian Kegler, Events, Facilities and Marketing Manager Michael Haggerty along with student assistant Navreet Gill.

(Left to Right): Associate Athletics Director For Advancement Brian Kegler, NACMA President Tim Roberts and Events, Facilities and Marketing Manager Michael Haggerty.

“Without question, the two national awards the Ferris marketing and promotions department received at this year’s NACMA Convention are examples of a total team effort,” said Kegler. “Without the assistance of several other departments on campus, this type of recognition would never have been possible. Ferris Athletics would like to personally thank Alumni Relations, Student Leadership and Activities, Entertainment Unlimited, Finance Division of Student Government, Public Safety, Catering and Dining Services, Physical Plant, and employees of the ticket office for their involvement with these events. It was an honor to work with each department this past year to increase attendance at our athletic events and to promote Ferris pride amongst our alumni, students, and the community.”

The winners were announced during the NACMA’s 14th Annual Convention, which was held June 15-18 at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Initiated in 2003, the NACMA Awards program honors outstanding achievement in marketing and promotions. Awards are presented in 18 categories with each category divided into three groups based upon school size and conference affiliations to promote fairness.

NACMA, which is administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), is the first organization of its kind to provide educational and networking opportunities; enhancement of acceptable operating standards and ethics; and establishment of the overall prestige and understanding of the profession of athletics marketing administrators.

NACDA, which is now in its 41st year of operation, serves as the professional and educational association for more than 6,100 college athletics directors, associates, assistants and conference comissioners at more than 1,600 institutions throughout the United States , Mexico and Canada. Through its series of management seminars, clinics and workshops and publication of the bi-monthly magazine Athletics Administration, NACDA offers educational opportunities to its members. More than 2,000 athletics administrators annually attend the NACDA Convention. Additionally, the Association operates the Sports Academy Directors’ Cup program, which honors the all-sports champion in each of the NCAA Divisions – I, II, III and the NAIA, for a total of four trophies.