Penn State's Football Brand to Recover from Paterno's Ouster

Strategic Insights -

As the shock of the firing of legendary coach Joe Paterno by Penn State's board of trustees fades, a professor at the school suggests that the university's football brand may recover more quickly than anticipated. Mike Poorman, a senior lecturer and director of alumni relations in the College of Communications, points out that the Nittany Lions faithful have a strong sense of identity and loyalty, which will help the university weather this difficult time. Poorman's students in his class on "Joe Paterno, Communications and the Media" are beginning to understand the full implications of the scandal and are synthesizing information better now, but still have questions about the events leading up to Paterno's firing.

Key Takeaways:

  • The combination of factors, including Paterno's age and diminishing role in the university's marketing efforts, had begun to shift the focus away from him as the primary brand ambassador for Penn State football.
  • The time Paterno spent on his weekly television and radio shows had steadily diminished, and he had spent less and less time on the sideline during games, contributing to a decrease in his iconic image.
  • The Penn State football brand, which encompasses 570,000 alumni and 12,000 employees, is robust and resilient, and the university's loyal fan base is likely to recover quickly from Paterno's ouster.
  • The university's administration had begun to transform the football brand, moving away from Paterno as the central figure, even before the scandal surrounding Jerry Sandusky came to light.
  • The professor's students are understanding the full implications of the scandal and are synthesizing information better now, but still have questions about the events leading up to Paterno's firing.

Statistics:

  • 570,000: The number of Penn State alumni
  • 12,000: The number of Penn State employees
  • 60: The estimated number of students in Poorman's class on "Joe Paterno, Communications and the Media"
  • 5-6 years: The timeframe over which Penn State had begun to transform the football brand, moving away from Paterno as the central figure
  • 1: The semester-long duration of Poorman's class
  • 55: The number of students Daniel Hagen talked to about the scandal on a casual basis

Sources:

  • Andy Gardiner, USA TODAY: No date mentioned
  • [2] Mike Poorman, senior lecturer and director of alumni relations in the College of Communications at Penn State University
  • [3] Daniel Hagen, professor of dairy and animal sciences and faculty senate chairman at Penn State University