:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/58312205/usa_today_10505925.0.jpg)
2017 was a magical year for Head Coach Doug Martin and the entire New Mexico State Football program.
The senior-laden team helped push NMSU to their first winning season since 2002, setting many program and bowl records in the process. Most importantly and most valuable of all, they broke the program’s 56 year bowl drought.
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/10027765/usa_today_10505942.jpg)
That helped the University receive a valued $24.4 million in article placements within the Washington Post, ESPN, USA Today, Business Insiders and the Los Angeles Times. They even had articles in India, Turkey and the UK!
According to Jason Groves of the Las Cruces Sun News, New Mexico State had hired Meltwater, a national media monitor company, to track the university’s earned media since the summer.
The report did not include the Arizona Bowl broadcast, any ESPN Sportscenter features or any commercials the school produced.
The craziest part about this news is that the November value was just $2.7 million. One month and a bowl game for the ages gained the Aggies $21.7 million in coverage!
Other Bowl Game Values
The bowl game had other extreme value for the university, albeit none of these are on the official news release.
- Program Relevance
NM State’s football program is finally on the map and recognized as being able to field a quality football team again! No longer will the entire football universe forget about the little guys from Las Cruces. Recruits will start to take notice of our program and give it a look in recruiting and new, upcoming coaches might view NMSU as a great place to start their coaching careers as assistants.
- Conference “Tryouts”
Heading to a bowl, winning that bowl, while bringing along about 30,000 people should get you noticed by a conference (The NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl had one of the biggest crowds in the entire FBS bowl landscape. UCF was the only other G5 team that sold out their tickets this year). Especially when the team you beat is from a conference you’re trying to get into! Come on Mountain West! Why not have a football monopoly in New Mexico?
- Renewed Vigor in the Fan Base
A successful season can get anyone excited about football, but for a fan base that is so passionate and loyal, a successful season is much more than that. It helps us all justify why we spend time and money following this program and putting so much energy into it. It also makes us excited to do it again! We need to continue to support athletics and make sure younger generations can have wonderful seasons cheering for the Aggies like we had this year!
P.S. Disney, NMSU football has just wrote your next great inspirational sports movie! GET ON THAT!!