The University’s recent move to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) and the Big South Conference for football, the announcement of a partnership with ESPN3, and revamped logos and letter marks are several of the actions that are intended to move the Monmouth University Athletic Department towards a new identity.
“I think things are happening for all the right reasons and it’s not because there hasn’t been a lot of hard work behind the scenes because there has been, but now you’re starting to see the fruits of some of that labor. We have a lot more work to do though,” said Marilyn McNeil, Vice President and Director of Athletics.
Monmouth’s transfer from the Northeast Conference to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) for the 2013-14 academic year was the first move towards an attempt for greater exposure of the University.
“Any time you make those jumps to a new league, you do it to better your visibility and your chances of competition,” said Greg Viscomi, Assistant Athletics Director for Communication and New Media.
The added exposure is generated by an increase in televised sporting events, such as four or more broadcastings of the Monmouth men’s basketball team on ESPN3 this season.
According to Eddy Occhipinti, Assistant Athletics Director, the ESPN3 broadcasts are a major way to boost visibility, as they will reach approximately 95 million homes. “Through our broadcast, we’ll be able to publicize all of our teams and all of our student athletes and different things on campus too. The ESPN3 deal is definitely the most tangible way that we’ve expanded our brand and our identity across the country,” said Occhipinti.
The ESPN3 programming will be produced by a collaboration of staff from the Department of Communication, Athletics Department staff, alumni, and students. Todd Myers, Director of Programming and Acquisitions at ESPN, said, “ESPN3 is excited to have Monmouth University join the school production initiative. Monmouth will be the first school from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference to produce and deliver live events on their own for distribution on ESPN3. It’s a tremendous opportunity to showcase Monmouth’s athletic programs to college sports fans across the country.”
Additionally, the transfer to the Big South Conference for football garners visibility from conference games aired on American Sports Network, one of the largest and most diversified TV broadcasting companies in the country.
The Big South is rated the second or third conference in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and the top ranked team in the FCS, Coastal Carolina University, is a competitor of the Big South. These standings increase the populations that Monmouth can reach. Viscomi said, “Joining a new league, you would hope that increases recruiting and makes you more attractive to better recruits, which leads to better on-field play.”
To complement the changes in Monmouth athletics, a primary athletic logo, two secondary logos, a primary wordmark and letter mark, and sport-specific logos for each team and many athletics department support areas were introduced in May.
The previous logo had been used since 2003; however, it became a source of inspiration for the new design, establishing a sense of history. According to McNeil, the new hawk on the logo is intended to symbolize action and movement, representative of the student athletes and students on campus.
The original idea was to change the “MU” logo to a different design, yet the new President, Paul R. Brown, and upper administration believed that one letter “M” would better represent the University. McNeil said that the single letter is a statement piece, showing confidence in the ability to say, ‘We are Monmouth.’
Due to the new logos, the Multipurpose Activity Center (MAC) floor was repainted for the upcoming men’s and women’s basketball seasons. Other facilities, such as Kessler Field, the football stadium, still require renovations.
The stadium has not been altered since it was originally built in 1993. “It’s a facility that doesn’t work for anybody, and most particularly the students. They have no place to sit, there’s no identification for them there. It’s not a very prideful piece and people walk by it quickly, so that’s absolutely a number one priority,” said McNeil.
Gracie Williams, a captain on the women’s lacrosse team, feels as though the Monmouth Athletics program has progressed. “I think moving to the MAAC is tremendous for Monmouth Athletics. The competition is better and it’s great exposure for the school,” explained Williams. “I love the new logos as well. They are unique and strong which is perfect for building an identity in the MAAC and the rest of the NCAA. It’s a great time to be a Hawk.”
While these efforts are all aimed at gaining recognition and exposure for the University, they must be communicated so that individuals are aware of the changes that have been made. In addition to a redesigned website, communications staff is focusing on reaching audiences through all media channels, including television, Internet, and live web streaming.
Steve Feitl, Regional Sports Editor for the Asbury Park Press, said, “Everything Monmouth is doing will raise the profile and exposure of the athletics program…far more people will have awareness of Monmouth University moving forward.”
PHOTO COURTESY of Eddy Occhipinti
