Kick-off to College Football: Van Wagner Sees Increased Investments in Brands Connecting with Sports On and Off the Field August 28, 2023
The long-awaited arrival of the 2023 college football season is here. “Week 0” kicked off the season this past Saturday, igniting the hearts of sports fans across the country.
In the world of sports, few names carry the weight of excellence like Van Wagner. As fans buckle up for a season of touchdowns, tackles, and unforgettable moments, they’ll see Van Wagner’s impact across just about every facet of the game, from productions and sport presentation to advertising and college partnerships.
Van Wagner College: Marketing and MMR Innovators
Multimedia Rights and Corporate Sponsorships
Van Wagner’s commitment to the NCAA and impact on college athletics doesn’t stop there. Van Wagner College, the fastest organically grown sports marketing and collegiate multi-media rights company in the industry, represents colleges, universities, and conferences across the U.S.
As a leading multi-media rights holder, Van Wagner’s dedicated College team curates impactful corporate sponsorship programs that maximize brand exposure and fan engagement while also generating new revenue opportunities for colleges and universities. By leveraging our extensive network and expertise, our team ensures that each college’s unique spirit and traditions are highlighted, fostering a sense of pride among students, alumni, and fans alike.
A great example is the Jersey Mike’s College Tailgate Tour, which this season is expanding to twice as many campuses. Jersey Mike’s Subs, known for its fresh sliced/fresh grilled subs, will soon kick off a multi-city college tailgate experience. In collaboration with Van Wagner, Jersey Mike’s will have expanded visibility at FanFest areas and tailgate zones, offering free sub samples along with special giveaways and games, to enhance fan engagement and elevate the game day experience.
The Second Annual Toyota HBCUNY Classic
This year, Van Wagner’s involvement in the second annual Toyota HBCUNY Classic underlines our commitment to inclusivity and excellence. For a second year in a row, our team will oversee sponsorships and corporate partnership programs to enhance the game day experience and provide value to advertisers getting in on the action. New this year, Van Wagner Productions will be on-site directing the in-venue sport presentation and the streaming broadcast on CNBC.
Van Wagner Dorna: Enhancing the Venue Experience
Van Wagner’s commitment to delivering an exceptional game day experience extends beyond production and MMR.
Van Wagner Dorna TV-Visible Signage plays a pivotal role in providing marketing resources within the venue itself. Van Wagner is the global leader in TV-Visible signage, positioning brands “into the action” across 300+ professional and college sports teams and events. We own and sell high-impact TV-visible signage behind home plate, courtside, and along fields of play across MLB, NBA, NHL, NCAA, MLS, and international soccer.
By seamlessly integrating branding, advertising, and interactive technologies, Van Wagner enhances the atmosphere and creates lasting connections between brands and millions of sports fans in venues or watching sports on television.
Allstate Field Goal Nets Program
In the ever-evolving landscape of sports advertising, Van Wagner’s innovation shines brightly. A prime example is the Allstate Field Goal Nets Program, which is celebrating its 19th season. In 2005, Van Wagner collaborated with Allstate, ESPN, and ABC on a new idea: painting Allstate’s familiar “good hands” icon on goalpost nets across college football stadiums. A simple idea blossomed into a new brand-building platform for advertisers one of the most visible marketing endeavors in college football history.
This program not only enhances safety by protecting fans and property from stray kicks but also provides advertisers with an unmissable platform to showcase their brands to fans in the stadium and millions more watching the game on television. This kind of TV-Visible signage offers advertisers and brands the most cost effective and efficient brand exposure during live broadcasts, goal replays and highlights, and higher recall levels at a fraction of the cost of commercial media.
Today, Allstate’s significant brand presence continues throughout the football season. The nets, now woven into the fabric of the game, are visible in hundreds of games, official bowl games, and conference championships, delivering significant brand awareness and product placement in some of the most-watched college football games in America. In addition, Allstate incorporated a charitable component, making a donation to the school’s general scholarship fund for each field goal and extra point that travel through an Allstate-branded net during their home games.
Van Wagner Productions: Changing the Game of Football and Sport Presentation
Decades of Experience in College Football
When it comes to capturing the essence of football on the big screen, Van Wagner stands at the forefront of Sport Presentation. Renowned for our expertise in production and creative content for the NFL (38 Super Bowls and counting!) and NCAA, we have continuously elevated the way millions of fans experience the game whether in the stadium or watching from home.
Decades of experience with events like the CFP Championships and countless college bowl games have solidified the Van Wagner Productions team’s reputation as a driving force behind the electrifying atmosphere of college football, including:
- 15 years of NCAA Championships
- 10 years of College Football Playoff National Championship
- 40 Rose Bowls
- 4 Power Five Conference Championships (ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12)
- 35+ seasons with USC & UCLA, and newer partners ASU and University of Wisconsin
We work for months behind the scenes, developing content and visual effects to ensure every fan in the stadium and at home has a front-row seat to the action. From the exhilarating pre-game shows to the entertainment on the jumbotron, and sideline talent engaging fans, Van Wagner leaves no stone unturned in delivering an immersive and unforgettable experience.
Electrifying player introductions, immersive graphics, and music integration are just a few Sports Entertainment elements we continue to elevate all season long. Then on game day, we take our positions in the Control Room and around the stadium to direct a minute-by-minute playbook incorporating music, graphics, commercial breaks, and halftime entertainment.
Long-standing NFL Partnership
At the professional level, the National Football League (NFL) has enlisted Van Wagner’s expertise in production and sport presentation for decades. As one of the NFL’s longest-standing partners, we work closely with the NFL and essential production partners on marquee events such as the Super Bowl, NFL Draft, Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement and game, The NFL International Series, and Pro Bowl Games.
Van Wagner Aerial: Advertising in the Uncluttered Skies
With the largest fleet of billboard-towing aircraft in the country, Van Wagner Aerial is the premier aerial advertising company that brands, advertisers, and agencies turn to.
Van Wagner elevates brand messages to new heights, capturing the attention of target audiences in a way that traditional advertising methods simply cannot match.
- Stand out in the crowded marketing landscape by flying in the uncluttered sky.
- Reach a wide and diverse audience in any market.
- Enhance brand recall and leave a lasting impression on consumers.
- Maximize exposure and engagement, reaching the right people at the right time.
Using the largest, most vibrant, and fully customizable Aerial Billboards and eye-catching Skytyping techniques, we reach audiences at the beach, major sporting events and venues, tailgates, music festivals, and more. The brand-building opportunities are endless.
Super Bowl and Bowl Games
The college football faithful come early and stay late. Alumni, students, and regular fans alike flock to some of the biggest stadiums in the country to support their team. The Football Foundation reported that 47.5 million fans attended college football games in 2019, and our extensive fleet allows you to become a part at all those games.
The benefit of Aerial Advertising is that it extends beyond the confines of stadiums and arenas, unlike traditional sponsorship packages. We can fly over virtually any major stadium, arena, or coliseum in the US. Our campaigns have flown over iconic events like the Super Bowl and college bowl games, captivating audiences on the ground.
What About Tailgating?
Football tailgating starts hours before gates open and provides an extended moment of celebration when fans – potential consumers – are open and available to share your brand message. Swooping banners and sky-high displays ensure that the enthusiasm of fans extends from the stadium parking lot to our advertisers.
The beauty is that the sky above a sports venue is a clutter-free canvas, and the spectacle of an aerial billboard flying slowly overhead is an attention-grabbing sight. Our campaigns deliver high ad recall rates and impressions on the ground from 15 to 20 miles away.
As the 2023 football season kicks off, Van Wagner’s undeniable impact will continue to shape the landscape of sports advertising and entertainment. The team’s dedication to excellence is not just a footnote; it’s an integral part of the playbook that elevates every game, making each touchdown and tackle an experience to be remembered.