NEW YORK (December 19, 2024) – Approaching the holiday season, the BIG EAST Conference, in collaboration with Playfly Sports, is proud to announce the return of its 13-stop mobile tour, designed to enhance gameday celebrations for fans of its member schools. The “BIG EAST Road Trip” is set to deliver another round of interactive experiences, traveling to each city for men’s and women’s basketball matchups and concluding at the men’s and women’s conference tournaments in March.
“We are very excited to kick off the second year of the BIG EAST Road Trip and build on last year’s very well-received mobile tour launch,” said Val Ackerman, BIG EAST Commissioner. “Our 11 member schools deserve immense credit for bringing this tour to life on each of their campuses, and we commend Playfly Sports for creating an innovative initiative that fosters meaningful connections with our sponsors and passionate fans. We look forward to using the tour to celebrate our history, rivalries and ties to major media markets and to remind our supporters that there’s nothing like the BIG EAST.”
BIG EAST ROAD TRIP SCHEDULE
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- January 11: Xavier at DePaul (MBB)
- January 14: Villanova at Xavier (MBB)
- January 18: Xavier at Marquette (MBB)
- January 22: Creighton at Butler (WBB)
- January 25: UConn at Creighton (WBB)
- January 25: Seton Hall at Creighton (MBB)
- February 1: Creighton at Villanova (MBB)
- February 2: Marquette at Villanova (WBB)
- February 4: Marquette at St. John’s (MBB)
- February 8: Xavier at Seton Hall (WBB)
- February 9: UConn at Providence (WBB)
- February 18: Villanova at UConn (MBB)
- March 1: Providence at Georgetown (WBB)
- March 1: Marquette at Georgetown (MBB)
- March 8: BIG EAST WBB Tournament (Mohegan Sun)
- March 13: BIG EAST MBB Tournament (Madison Square Garden)
“Following the success of the inaugural BIG EAST Road Trip, this mobile tour continues to demonstrate our dedication to enhancing fan engagement and providing innovative experiences for the BIG EAST and its member schools,” said Christy Hedgpeth, President of Playfly Sports Properties. “Building on the momentum from last year, this initiative leverages the full breadth of our expertise across Sports Properties and Global Partnerships. Our close collaboration with the BIG EAST ensures this platform remains a must-attend event for basketball enthusiasts.”
The tour will feature two hours of pre-game entertainment and activities at each stop, including free throw challenges, spirit squad and mascot appearances, photo opportunities with the BIG EAST championship trophy, and school-specific activations tailored to each campus. All activities will be open to students, alumni, and fans, providing an inclusive and exciting gameday atmosphere.
In addition, the BIG EAST Road Trip is excited to announce Visit Myrtle Beach as a sponsor. As part of its sponsorship with the BIG EAST this season, Visit Myrtle Beach is running a sweepstakes that includes a 5-day, 4-night trip for two with oceanfront accommodations. The trip will include two tickets to two Myrtle Beach area attractions or theaters and a $100 food credit. Full details and how to sign up for the sweepstakes are located HERE.
“It goes without saying that BIG EAST basketball fans bring significant energy to every arena across the conference, and the success of last year’s tour highlighted their enthusiasm for interactive experiences that celebrate the game and its community,” said Emily Behncke, Vice President of Experiential at Playfly Sports. “This year, we’ve worked closely with the BIG EAST to elevate that energy and excellence their basketball programs are known for, ensuring the tour builds on last year’s momentum and delivers an even more engaging experience for fans.”
The fan-fest-style road trip will open in Chicago on January 11 with DePaul men’s basketball hosting Xavier. More information about each stop along the mobile tour will be shared by home teams schools ahead of their respective games. For complete details and scheduling information, visit www.BIGEAST.com/RoadTrip and follow us on social media @BIGEAST.
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ABOUT THE BIG EAST:
The BIG EAST Conference is an association of 11 nationally prominent colleges and universities that foster healthy athletic competition, community service and the pursuit of excellence in academic environments. The BIG EAST-sponsored athletic programs of our institutions provide national-caliber participation opportunities for more than 3,800 student-athletes on over 200 men’s and women’s teams in 22 sports. Established in 1979 and headquartered in New York City, the BIG EAST’s members are located in eight of the country’s top 38 largest media markets and include Butler University, University of Connecticut, Creighton University, DePaul University, Georgetown University, Marquette University, Providence College, St. John’s University, Seton Hall University, Villanova University and Xavier University. For more information, visit www.bigeast.com.
ABOUT PLAYFLY SPORTS
Playfly Sports is a sports media, marketing and technology business centered around the team, league, brand, and network. Believing in ‘Fandom as a Service’ and focusing on a consultative, data driven approach to REACH, ENGAGE, MONETIZE AND MEASURE FANDOM gives the company’s partners and brands a competitive advantage. Playfly connects more than 2,000 brand partners with approximately 85% of all U.S. sports fans. Through the proprietary platform the business delivers scalable, data-oriented marketing, technology, and media solutions with capabilities including exclusive MMR management, sponsorship sales and activation, streaming, consulting, ticket/premium sales, all along with new revenue-driving platforms and technologies. Founded in September of 2020, Playfly Sports is home to approximately 1,000 team members located across 43 U.S. states and internationally dedicated to maximizing the impact of highly passionate local sports fans. Follow Playfly Sports on social media @PlayflySports or visit www.playfly.com.
