"Ideas that Work" is a periodic feature developed for The NCAA News by the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators. Individuals interested in contributing information may telephone Trip Durham of Elon University at 336/278-6708.

Between-inning promotions
Georgia Institute of Technology
Chris Cowan, marketing and operations manager
Costco Roll for Rubber

Who: Students and adults.

Needs: One contestant, one car tire, long measuring tape.

How: The contestant gets one chance to see how far he or she can roll a tire. The promotion is done at every game, and at the end of the season, the longest roll wins a new set of tires from Costco.

Results: The promotion has gained a good following. The crowd becomes excited on long rolls and boos the short ones. Players shout "rolling suggestions" from the dugout.

The Delta Derby

Who: Any fans.

Needs: Four contestants, four corrugated "horses" on wooden poles, four runners.

How: Four contestants are seated on the field in front of the dugout, and each is assigned a horse. Four volunteers race the horses around the outfield wall. The contestant with the winning horse receives two round-trip tickets on Delta Airlines.

Results: The event is a longtime fan favorite. The horses always "jockey" for position up to the end of the race, which keeps the crowd involved. One or two horses always hit a light pole or start running backward to make it interesting.

Friday Night '80s

Who: Any fans.

Needs: Entry sheets, 1980s music.

How: Fans are given Friday Night '80s entry sheets upon entering the park. After the bottom of the seventh inning, an '80s song is played. Fans fill out the song title and artist on their sheets and turn them in after seven songs are played. A winner is drawn from the correct entries. With the addition of a video board this year, promoters also added clips from '80s movies.

Big Hawk/Little Hawk
Quincy University

The Quincy Big Hawk/Little Hawk program pairs football players with youngsters in Quincy-area schools. The program involves football players in the community as they help in elementary schools. "There's always something for them to do," said Kelle Bunch, principal of St. Boniface Elementary School. "Even the custodians take advantage of their visits, asking the young men to set up tables for bingo or move heavy equipment. They spend time with the teachers in the classroom to help with whatever they need."

Offensive lineman Ivan Taylor said he talks with the pupils about staying in school and reaching their dreams. "I have a little brother at home in the sixth grade," he said. "I happen to be with the sixth-grade class this year, so it is kind of touching for me. It reminds me of home."

The children are enthusiastic about the extra attention. "I like them," said fifth-grader Scott Sass. "They are really cool and they hang out with us. I love it when these guys come."

Crunch Time
Western Carolina University
Megan Coughlin, marketing assistant

When: Timeouts.

Events: Football, men's and women's basketball games.

How: At a timeout in the second half of the game, cheerleaders run around the stands with a 10-pound Nestle Crunch Bar, trying to get the fans to stand up and make noise. The loudest and rowdiest fan wins the 10 pounds of chocolate. Mini Nestle Crunch Bars and T-shirts also are thrown into the crowd during Crunch Time.

Results: This promotion has been one of the most popular at Western Carolina football and basketball games. The fans even know when Crunch Time is coming and have made signs to attract the cheerleaders attention. The promotion also gets fans up and making noise, which pumps the team up.

Beaver Fun Run
Oregon State University
Joe Klegseth, assistant marketing director

Race information: The spring football game starts with a "Countdown to Kickoff" 10K and 5K race/walk. As participants near the finish line into Reser Stadium, cheerleaders root them on as they finish down the players' ramp, through the inflatable football helmet and are pictured on the stadium Jumbotron. They cross the finish line while the band plays the school fight song and are pictured with the Oregon State mascot, Benny the Beaver. Fans then take part of a day full of festivities, culminating with the spring game.

Location/course: The race/walk is conducted on a flat loop course around the campus. A 1,000-meter race is conducted inside Reser Stadium for kids 12 and under.

Results: The Beaver Fun Run was conducted for the third time in 2002 and has grown from 150 runners to 500 runners.