Today’s episode is a little different than usual. This episode is the edited audio from one of our Fireside Chats, something that our invite-only community has access too.

Our subject matter experts for the chat were Brad Wurthman, Senior Associate Athletics Director for External Operations at Virginia Tech and Chris Grosse, Assistant Athletics Director for Marketing at Penn State University.

Brad and Chris both lead teams responsible for the fan experiences at their famous sporting venues. On a normal football Saturday, their 65k+ stadiums literally shake the ground from screaming fans. But this year, neither stadium will host fans due to the pandemic. So we brought them in to discuss their plans for engaging fans virtually. 

In these Fireside Chats, it’s not just me and the guests. There are tons of other leaders on the platform, where they can chime in, ask questions or add their two cents. So when you hear other voices on this episode, don’t be surprised. If you’d like to join the waitlist to attend future chats and ask your own questions, feel free to sign-up here.

Time Stamps:

6:00 – Replacing stadium experiences for fans at home

15:00 – Creating alternate revenue sources 

20:00 – Changes in key metrics during COVID

22:00 – Penn State’s content strategy for virtual fans

24:50 – Keeping fans engaged with sponsors at home

32:00 – Implementing fan cardboard cutouts 

39:28 – Activating user-generated content

45:25 – Turning tailgating to “homegating”

48:10 – Sports subscription boxes 

53:10 – Biggest skill sets needed on a team for the future 

VT & PSU Virtual Fan Engagement Plans:
Virginia Tech’s Plan
Penn State’s Plan

Where to Reach the Guests:

Brad Wurthman
Connect on Twitter:@wurthman

Connect on LinkedIn

Chris Grosse:
Connect on Twitter: @Chris_Grosse

Connect on LinkedIn

Rachel Mydosh
Connect on Twitter:@rachel_mydosh

Connect on LinkedIn

Stephen Buetel:
Connect on Twitter:@stephenbeutel

Connect on LinkedIn

Pim Koondel:
Connect on LinkedIn