Toadvine Blog

They are the center of school spirit and pride. They give definition to who your school is and add personality and distinction to your program. The mascot is one of the most crucial decisions any school has to make. Here is our top list of the most uniques mascots in our region.

Kentucky: The Western Kentucky Hilltopper is always a great conversation starter. How can you make a mascot out of the top of a hill? You make a rounded pyramid and give it eyes and a mouth. Big Red, as he is affectionately referred, is always ranking high on the national scene as a favorite, and although he doesn't strike fear in his opponents, he holds a special place in our hearts.

Ohio: The Dayton Flyers is a very unique mascot. He has a moon boots, a flight suit, and flying goggles and leather helmet—but there is no plane. He ranks high for originality and his full teeth grimace can help the crowd get behind their team with intensity. Akron has Zippy the Kangaroo, and just like Big Red, he does not strike fear into his opponents... but he is unique and fun. Having a mascot that people enjoy can be a real advantage.

Tennessee: Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders gets honorable mention. With a lightning bolt for a tail and bright white wings, their mascot certainly stands out in a crowd. "Lightening" as he is referred to, eludes to the schools aerospace programs and also points to the region's history of breeding walking horses. East Tennessee State has a Buccaneer as their mascot. Buccaneers are not all that uncommon as mascots. We found it interesting that most schools that have a buccaneer as a mascot are usually located on the water. "Bucky the Pirate" is his name and he has a parrot named Pepper. Say that 10 times fast. 

Indiana: Purdue has the Boilermakers as "Purdue Pete." What is a Boilermaker you ask? A Boilermaker is someone who makes boilers or a metalworker in heavy industry. And according to Wikipedia, (LINK) The nickname Boilermakers goes back to 1891 when the Purdue football team defeated nearby rival Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana 44–0. 

Mascots have become even more popular than some teams. They can have big impacts on a schools' tradition and branding. Many schools revamp their mascot's look every 10-15 years to keep them looking modern. Although some mascots need no improvements because they are simply timeless. Let us know what your favorite mascot is.

In the a new era where college programs are shuffling from conference to conference, why is the SEC conference so strong and stable? Money isn’t the only factor, but in a recent article from OTB, they shared that SEC dominance in football began in 2005-2006 when two schools ranked in the top 10 of revenue generating programs; Florida and Georgia. By 2010 that number grew to five out of the top 10; Florida, LSU, Auburn, Tennessee, and Alabama. OTB reported, “Nine SEC schools generated more money in ’10-11 than the ACC’s No. 1 revenue-producer, Florida State.” That is an impressive stat, however, it doesn’t all come down to revenue.

What about the wins? The Business Insider wrote a few days ago, “The SEC has won six BCS championships in a row. And a look at the USA Today preseason top 25 poll shows us that the coaches don’t think that is going to change anytime soon.”

Football is clearly a strong suit for the SEC conference, but what about the other sports that can fly under the radar? Rant Sports reported, “In the six years since the SEC captured its first BCS National Title, the conference has won 33 national titles. As a matter of fact, the SEC has won titles in every sport offered by the NCAA – except volleyball.” Thirty-three is an awfully large number of national championships.

Why are they so dominant? They have recruited some amazing talent in every sport and have some tremendous coaches. That is certainly a huge factor. How do they do they acquire such tremendous coaches? That is where the conversation comes full circle and we talk about money again. A key to the SEC’s success is their ability to leverage TV and viewership. The SEC was able to generate $1,066,935,731 in a annual revenue. That is number one in college sports conferences. We know championships are won and not bought, but we know Calipari didn’t go to Kentucky because he liked the food better than Memphis. The key to any program, at any level, is to develop new ways to generate more revenue to hire the best coaches who can recruit the best talent and retain them.

Your facilities need to be improving, your programs need to be improving, and you can not stay where you are or you will be left with more of the same.

Iroquois Amphitheater is a beautiful venue for wide variety of events. Some of their upcoming events speak to the diversity of the talent and entertainment they offer our city. They have U of L dance theater coming up for multiple performances followed by rock and roll bands like Umphrey’s Magee and Edward Sharp and The Magnetic Zeros. They have events for the whole family like movie nights. The price is right for the upcoming movie night on September 8 featuring The Zookeeper starring Kevin James. The cost is free, and what a great way to spend the evening with the whole family.

Toadvine Enterprises was contracted for the seating project for the Iroquois Amphitheater and there are 2,366 seats in all. The exterior seats are a comfortable way to enjoy this beautiful outdoor venue and all the variety of entertainment they offer.

The Iroquois Amphitheater origins were a result of the Works Progress Administration and was originally built in the spring of 1938. Their website recalls, “After the 2000 performance season, Metro Parks began an ambitious project to modernize the facility while preserving the Amphitheater’s historic features and unique character.” Toadvine Enterprises was proud to participate in the renovation process of this wonderful facility. Since the renovation, they have grown in the scope of their entertainment offerings and have reestablished themselves as one of the favorite local entertainment venues in Louisville.

If you have not visited Iroquois Amphitheater, it should be added to your short list of places to visit in Louisville. You will not be disappointed. Here are a few things they have coming up through September. Check their website for dates and times.

• Gilbert & Sullivan’s “HMS Pinafore”
• U of L Dance Theater
• Movie Night: “The Zookeeper”
• Umphrey’s McGee
• Derby City Brass Band
• Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros
• The Dark Side of the Wall

image courtesty of Iroquois Amphitheater 

Look at the high school sports programs that attract the best talent around the country. What do 99% of them have in common? Answer: a great sports facility. There is much more to a great sports facility than just attracting great talent. An overlooked benefit is your program’s ability to keep the most talented athletes in your community. Parents of the most talented middle school athletes often move to districts where their children have the best opportunities for coaching, development, and potentially college recruiting.

When the “top ten” lists come out every preseason for your state, you can guarantee that the programs on those lists have premium facilities. The other factor that may pull some of the top athletes away is not another school, but a “club league” that draws more exposure than even the top-performing high schools. An article from AthleticBusiness.com says, “Popular club sports such as basketball, swimming, volleyball, hockey, and soccer that target players of slightly above-average ability all the way up to elite status may provide stronger competition.” If the competition is higher than that of the state's high schools, that tells you where the college recruiters will look first.

Beyond just adding to your facility with the latest and best products, what can be done to help retain talent? Dialoguing with your community well, and often, about where your program is headed and what the plans are for the near future is a great way of keeping the parents of the younger and older athletes engaged in the programs of their local high school. When the athletic director is a natural leader, and knows how to network, a newsletter is a great way to get people to buy into the dream and the vision. Once you have a base of followers, turn those followers into marketers. Have contests to see who can generate the most Facebook likes for your high school’s sport social page or who can sign up the most subscribers for the newsletter. This does not have to be an overwhelming “to-do” where you send out vision statements every month. Make it simple, and tell people where you are and where you are headed. You may be surprised how far this will get you.

MaxPreps just came out with Kentucky’s top 10 most consistent high school football programs. There are no surprises of who made the list, but who has the programs that will shine in 2012? Impressively, Trinity is ranked #12 preseason for the country. Congratulations to them on that accomplishment.

The top 10 according to MaxPreps.com:

(not all the same divisions)

1. Trinity (Louisville)
2. St. Xavier (Louisville)
3. Highlands (Fort Thomas)
4. Male (Louisville)
5. Bowling Green
6. DuPont Manual (Louisville)
7. Lexington Catholic
8. Covington Catholic (Park Hills)
9. Scott County (Georgetown)
10. Bell County (Pineville)

Our congratulations to these awesome high school athletic programs on making MaxPrep’s top 10 list of most consistent high school football programs in the state. Coming into the 2012 fall season we are excited to see what teams will rise to the top and if there will be any Cinderellas in the mix. What is consistent, across the board, for these top-performing programs is great facilities and equipment. Terrence Mann of Field of Dreams said it best, “If you build they will come.” People will come, and so will the players. The best facilities are strong selling points for attracting the best talent.

As we are entering August, start dreaming about your program and how you can eventually find your name among those on the top 10 lists MaxPrep is putting out. Call us and schedule a time we can show you all the new and exciting products we are carrying.

The Top 10 according to Dant Clayton:

1. Colosseum Chairs
2. VIP Seating Section
3. Bannerrail™
4. Admesh™ Banners
5. Concourse Banners
6. Banners at Top of Grandstands
7. Vertical Banners
8. Field Level Advertising
9. Loge Boxes
10. Aisle and Stair Riser Advertising

Did you notice the theme? Seven out of 10 of these categories are specifically titles with “banner” or “advertising.” With Dant’s slick new designs and advertising products, they are not only light weight and user friendly, they are nearly 60% less cost compared to traditional aluminum signage. You can put those savings right back into new equipment and facility improvements.

It’s a win win; you get more exposure and impressive, modernized ad pieces that draw the attention of your fans and followers, and you get the opportunity to engage new business ad support for your organization. Call and schedule a time for us to show you this product line from Dant Clayton.

The VIP section may sound showy but many of the elite national high school and collegiate sports programs are embracing this idea and it is paying off. You might be surprised to find out how many of your fans would also embrace this idea and jump at the opportunity to participate in a VIP section. Let us walk you through some of the unique products Dant Clayton offers in this category and how this enhancement can elevate your program.

How are you recognizing the fans and supporters of your program and making them feel special and important?

It’s no secret about the history of the rivalry between Louisville Male High School and DuPont Manual High School. Even if you didn’t attend either of these schools you probably have heard the stories that they had a single game decide which school would get the coveted “M” as their own to mark their jerseys and brand themselves for eternity.

If you are one of the few who do not know about their rivalry you can find plenty of stories and opinions online to fill volumes. The rivalry between these two schools is the oldest in Kentucky’s history and as early as 1909 they had attendances topping 10,000 at the annual Thanksgiving Day football match-up. If you didn’t know, DuPont Manuel ended up with the “M.” This rivalry is still strong today and even has it’s own Facebook page to fuel it.

Rivalries can be a great thing! If ticket sales weren’t reason enough to build the momentum of your rivalries there are several other positive take-aways. There is no dollar amount that can be placed on your fans growing in their support of your organization. When you can get them energized and vocalizing that support, well, it doesn’t get any better than that. You are building loyalty and your reach in your community by capitalizing on your rivalries, which is something whole communities can get behind and want to support. This can be a great way to boost volunteer support and local businesses to advertise.

Rivalries are great motivators for the athletes themselves. Athletes will give more, play harder, and perform better when school pride is on the line. You should be asking yourself, “what am I doing to enhance a current rivalry or develop a new one?” If you are building the rivalry you are building your program. Be thinking creatively how you can involve everyone—the students, parents, faculty, local businesses, and the whole community. Take advantage of every angle to promote your program and your school or organization.

Rivalries Can Boost:

• Ticket Sales
• Advertising Tools
• Building Fan Support
• Athlete Performance
• Community Involvement
• School Spirit

In 1937, the Cubs had a scoreboard designed out of sheet metal. Originally it was painted in orange and red which was suppose to emulate a sunset at sea. Well, with the Cubs playing so many day games, they eventually painted the scoreboard green in 1944. Why? To decrease the amount of sunlight reflected off of it because the glare would hit home plate and make it difficult for batters to track pitches.

Of course they have come a long way from the manual scoreboard of the 1930s and now have made further improvements with a 70-foot digital scoreboard in right field. Above the scoreboard is what they call the “Budweiser Patio,” a 150 seat (not bleachers), all-inclusive baseball experience. They did this to increase their chances of landing all-star games and increase revenue for the field itself.

We know the improvements that you make to your facility, no matter how small, always draw attention and add to the fan support for your school or organization. We all want to grow in professionalism and find ways to improve our programs, retain talent, and recruit high level athletes.

A scoreboard is a great place to start. Nevco has a huge product line of traditional digital scoreboards and more elaborate designs that will meet any budget. With advertising placement on many designs, there are creative solutions to lowering costs of much-needed sports and facility equipment. We would be glad to talk to you about your facility needs and how we can exceed your expectations.