Badgers Fans Arrive in LA
Thousands of Wisconsin fans have arrived in the Los Angeles area ahead of the Rose Bowl, transforming the streets into a sea of red.
Hello, Rose Bowl: Some 800 Badger fans on the Wisconsin Alumni Association (WAA) official Rose Bowl tour arrived in Los Angeles on Sunday. The fans are staying at four area hotels, including the JW Marriott (pictured above) in downtown Los Angeles. The Marriott is also hosting the UW football team during its stay.
Gear up: Fans staying at the JW Marriott were greeted by a pop-up Wisconsin Rose Bowl apparel store in the main lobby. Part of the revenue that the UW generates from licensed apparel helps to fund “Bucky grants” – need-based financial aid for undergraduate students.
Pins aplenty: Badger fans checking into area hotels received Rose Bowl pins with the phrase “Beat Oregon” – a blunt but apt rallying cry for Wednesday’s game. There are 1,300 fans on the official Rose Bowl tour, and they’ll be joined by many more Badgers in the days to come. More than 20,000 Rose Bowl tickets were allocated to UW–Madison for public sale.
Look up: How big is the UW–Madison brand? For passersby of the L.A. Live entertainment district this week, it’s as big as it gets. Digital advertisements featuring the university are rotating with some pretty good company: Nike, Netflix, LeBron James and the new Star Wars movie.
Subtle brag: The Rose Bowl provides a national stage for competing schools to increase public awareness and enhance recruitment. WAA and University Marketing are employing environmental branding to spread word of the university’s achievements – including its top standing in producing Peace Corps volunteers and awarding PhDs.