The Southeastern Conference (SEC) hosts two annual media days for basketball and football. At each event, 14 SEC schools, 28 head coaches, and 56 NCAA athletes participate in an all-day experience where they run the media gauntlet and hype up rabid SEC fans.
The SEC knew they wanted to give the student-athletes an incredible experience during these challenging days. Knight Eady partnered with the SEC to provide a creative solution that would enhance the student-athlete experience and capture high-quality, unique content.
The SEC holds its student-athletes in the highest regard. One of their top goals is to support their student-athletes well during their years in college. As such, the need for quality creative for their social channels, broadcasts, and in-venue experiences during events is a high priority. Media days are the primary opportunity for the SEC to interact with student-athletes and capture the media they need for the year.
Time is scarce at media days. Broadcasters and other organizations split the limited time available with each student-athlete and coach, leaving little time for the SEC themselves. Student-athletes are stretched thin during these days, moving quickly from room to room and interview to interview, and leave hardly remembering a thing.
Knight Eady worked with the SEC to develop these stations to actively engage the student-athletes. No boring photoshoots or long-winded interviews here. We built out sets and utilized innovative technology to make the SEC room the most memorable of the day.
SEC Director of Video and Creative Services BC Romano said, “One of our primary goals was to create life-long memories for the student-athletes. SEC Basketball Media Days is one avenue in which we can provide a memorable experience, and with the collaboration with Knight Eady, we were able to make that happen. You could tell when the student-athletes and coaches interacted in our room, we left a lasting impression. In other words, ‘We were the fun room.’”
To us at Knight Eady, that was the most satisfying result possible. What mattered the most was the student-athletes feeling like VIPs, getting a breath of fresh air from the SEC room, and being a positive part of their experience as an NCAA athlete. Mission accomplished.
