Spreading the word

Hope and excitement have eluded Portland State athletics in recent memory. Rookie athletic director Torre Chisholm is laying the groundwork to ensure that Viking athletics is viewed in a fresh, new light with a host of new faces, including former NFL head coach Jerry Glanville as the football team’s leader.

Chisholm, who began his stint at Portland State on May 1, has feverishly worked with associates to makeover the athletic department since his arrival. Chisholm has made selling the Viking name a top priority, and has already more than doubled the department’s marketing budget from $24,500 to $50,000.

In addition to longtime sponsors like Joe’s (formerly GI Joe’s), Pepsi, The Cheerful Tortoise and Chevron, associate athletic director of marketing and sales Scott Herrin has added a throng of companies to promote Viking athletics.

Among the new sponsors are Plaid Pantry, The Oregonian, Les Schwab and RE/MAX Realty. In total, 18 new corporate sponsors have been added–a 35 percent increase–which has opened the door for many more marketing opportunities, according to Herrin.

“If a company is doing advertising in town, we are co-branding, so it’s an advertisement they are already paying for but now they’re promoting Portland State football.” Chisholm said. “The other part is getting companies to sponsor game-time activities, which adds to the overall experience.”

Cricket Wireless is expected to sponsor a firework show during the home opener versus the University of California, Davis on Saturday, Sept. 8. Mt. Hood Beverage will support The Ultimate Tailgate Experience, which includes music, food and entertainment on the corner of 20th and Morrison, for mingling fans and families before each home kickoff.

The corporate partnerships will also pave the way for fans to watch the Vikings on the road. Portland State aficionados will have an opportunity to win tickets to witness the Vikings play away games against San Diego State, Montana and Northern Colorado, which includes a private tour of the Coors brewing factory.

“We’ve really gone after ways to get more Portland State images out there as well as keeping some more money in our pockets to increase the overall funding,” Herrin said.

Expect to encounter more Viking logos around Portland. In an attempt to saturate the city with the Viking name, Chisholm and Herrin have already secured deals to promote on The Oregonian’s newspaper racks, displays in Portland stores and TriMet bus-side advertisements, and to wrap announcements around local newspapers and billboards.

“In terms of our marketing exposure, it will be really heavy during August and September,” Chisholm said. “We want people to know we are here.”

Raising awareness through marketing and promotion is an attempt to increase attendance at PSU athletic events. With football right around the corner–the first home game is Sept. 8, mere weeks away–Chisholm has prepared to capitalize on the buzz surrounding Glanville’s hire.

Last season, Viking football games attracted an average of 7,070 fans to PGE Park. Chisholm’s goal is for the Vikings to average closer to 12,000 fans, placing Portland State in the top 25 in Division I-AA for attendance. With Glanville now at the helm, ticket sales have already skyrocketed. Athletics has sold 2,250 season ticket packages before the summer has even ended. Last season, 944 packages were sold.

Chisholm will strive to create an event atmosphere at all football games. This entails an exciting product on the field in the newly installed run-and-shoot offense and hard-hitting 3-4 defensive alignment, musical representation and halftime shows for entertainment, fan giveaways and implementing a theme for each game.

Fan noise is an essential aspect Chisholm cannot completely control. In football stadiums and basketball arenas across the country, scenes of rowdy college students boisterously cheering are common. Portland State games have been unable to achieve this level in recent years.

In hopes of creating an energized environment, The Horde–an erstwhile student group of rapid fans–will be reinstated. The group will act as the Vikings’ chief following, attending all home sporting events and giving teams a boost of energy.

“Once we have the students at the games, we want them to be coordinated and definitely have some fun,” Chisholm said. “I think we probably need to break out a PA system for football just for the student section, so when we have our student leaders they can use the PA system to get the rest of the students going.”

Chisholm said that The Horde will sport matching t-shirts, most likely colored black- or green-white tye-dye, and appointed leaders will direct synchronized cheers. Benefiting from an incentive-based program, members will also collect prizes like food vouchers and Viking memorabilia when they attend sporting events.

“We have spoken with the Student Alumni Relations Group, and they will co-partner with the V-Team as the leaders of the core effort to reenergize The Horde. Part of that effort is going to entail, the standard stuff, getting the shirts sponsored and creating the memberships,” said Chisholm.

A student tailgate party in the South Park Blocks for football games is also in the works. Chisholm and Herrin say the first tailgate is expected to be Saturday, Sept. 15, when the Vikings match up against Sacramento State and students are returning for fall quarter. The event will begin approximately two and a half hours before kickoff and will include barbecuing and refreshments. Pending permit approval, they may be able to serve alcohol.

“We really want to have the student tailgate on campus, so students can be a part of it,” Chisholm said. “And we want to make it a student event to go over to the game together, whether by walking or taking the street car, because that really adds to the camaraderie.”