From food trucks to chicken wings, a few ideas for field advertisements at UB Stadium
Here’s a look at Western New York businesses that could and should place ads on the field at UB Stadium this season – and some who may not. The University at Buffalo is considering advertising on the field at UB Stadium for the upcoming season. The NCAA has approved this change, allowing commercial sponsor advertisements to be placed in three spots on fields for regular-season games. These can be done on a game-by-game basis or over the course of a season. This could create another revenue stream for college athletic departments. Potential spots for local businesses to showcase their brands on nationally televised and streamed platforms could be significant revenue opportunities. Some businesses like Lloyd Taco, Anchor Bar, Mighty Taco, and Wingnutz are considered safe bets.
公開済み : 3週間前 沿って Rachel Lenzi の Sports
Picture it: The University at Buffalo football team is playing Ball State on a Tuesday night in November. You're watching the game on an ESPN platform, and an eye-catching logo advertising your favorite Buffalo-area restaurant or apparel shop is splashed across the field at UB Stadium.
Soon, social media starts to buzz.
What is “Lloyd” or “Wingnutz” or (insert local business here)?
Where is it located?
What does it sell?
Should I try it if I’m in Western New York?
A regional reach for a local taco shop or brewery suddenly has national visibility, thanks to some collective curiosity, some strategic advertising placement, and college sports’ governing body allowing a significant aesthetic change to college football fields beginning this season.
The NCAA announced June 6 that commercial sponsor advertisements can be placed in three spots on fields for regular-season games: A single advertisement centered on the 50-yard line in addition to no more than two smaller flanking advertisements elsewhere on the field. On-field advertisements can be done on a game-by-game basis, or over the course of a season.
The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel approved the change last week.
Surely, it becomes another revenue stream for college athletic departments. UB's athletic department confirmed to The News that it is exploring the possibility of placing advertisements on the field this season; UB only had university and Mid-American Conference branding on the field at UB Stadium in 2023.
If that comes to fruition, it could become an opportunity for local businesses to get eyeballs on their logos on nationally televised and streamed platforms, through the widely watched world of college football.
Here’s a look at Western New York businesses that could and should place ads on the field at UB Stadium this season – and some who may not.
Safe bet? Mighty Taco. The taco chain opened more than 50 years ago on Hertel Avenue in North Buffalo and has become a local mainstay for its Super Mighty Burritos and Buffitos.
Scott McCandless, an advertising agent and media consultant representing Mighty Taco, told The News in an email that while Mighty Taco has moved away from its sponsorship at UB, it would consider the possibility of on-field advertising if it was cost-allowable/affordable.
Bold choice: Lloyd Taco. The green food trucks are ubiquitous to Western New York and at UB football games. Lloyd is known for being on wheels but can have real estate on the turf at UB Stadium.
Pat Fisher, a brand manager with Lloyd, said the possibility of placing an ad on the field at UB Stadium depends on the pricing, but that partnering with local colleges and universities is on Lloyd’s to-do list.
Fisher also considers the reach that an on-field ad could have during a midweek MACtion game. SportsMediaWatch.com tracked viewership data for the 2023 football season and found that midweek UB football games on ESPN platforms averaged about 365,000 viewers per game . While it may seem small compared to what games involving Alabama, Florida State or Washington draws, UB’s four televised midweek, night games were among the top viewership draws in the MAC.
“We definitely want to get the out-of-towners to Lloyd,” Fisher said. “We want to be a stop for people when they’re coming to Buffalo. We want to be on that list of places they want to check out. When you go to a new city and you’re doing your research, you want to know the cool places to hang out, to drink or get something to eat. We want those people from out of town to put us on that list. Having more people know about your brand is always awesome.”
Safe bet? Anchor Bar. It’s a Western New York institution whose claim is that it’s the birthplace of the Buffalo Wing – or chicken wings, as the locals call them. Given the restaurant's culinary historic significance, it would only be fitting for the restaurant and its satellite locations (including three in Texas) to take a dip into a small parcel on a SUNY flagship campus.
Bold choice: Wingnutz. The wing spot on Millersport Highway is a stone’s throw from UB’s North Campus and a favorite of UB’s football staff, and of safety Marcus Fuqua, who became an ambassador for the wing spot in October. Wingnutz hosted the UB men’s basketball team last weekend after its players returned to campus for summer workouts.
Safe bet? New Era. The company has cornered the market on baseball caps and recently purchased ’47, which also creates hats and apparel for major American sports teams and leagues. New Era’s reach also is going international: The company announced Tuesday it will outfit Team USA’s Olympians and Paralympians for the 2024 and 2028 Summer Games and 2026 Winter Games. Also, Reuters reported in September 2023 that New Era is preparing for an initial public offering .
It would make sense for a major corporation to make an investment in local advertising. Sports Business Journal reported last week that industry analysts suggest on-field advertisements could provide schools anywhere from the mid-six figures to $3 million annually .
A catch, though, is if New Era’s advertising presence would infringe on UB’s apparel agreement with Nike, which outfits the Bulls’ athletic teams.
Bold choice: Store716. The Depew-based company offers quirky conversation pieces, from red-and-blue Zubaz-striped swimsuits and combat boots to T-shirts that boast “Buffalo vs. Everybody,” and bases its marketing philosophy on striking while a trend is hot. After all, this was a local merchant that had a short-lived “Tyree Jackson For Heisman” T-shirt to recognize the former Bulls quarterback at the start of the 2018 football season.
However, David Gram, a co-owner of Store716, explained that the company’s marketing philosophy is nontraditional – it’s constantly pivoting to embrace trends in Buffalo, and focuses on short-term attention grabs rather than long-term signage.
トピック: Football