-= NMSU PANORAMA - Winter 2006 =- Aggie Sports: Aggie Athletics Evolving

Aggie Sports

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Aggie Athletics Evolving

By Rachel Gallagher

Now a year into his post as athletic director, McKinley Boston says New Mexico State University athletics continues to evolve.

"We're making incremental steps toward getting better every day," Boston says.

One of the biggest changes for NMSU athletics was the move to the Western Athletic Conference, and with that opportunity came more national broadcasting opportunities. NMSU's association with the WAC led to four nationally televised football games this season - far more than any other season.

"This is unprecedented," Boston says. "One of the important tools to assist in marketing and promoting the program, especially in Division I-A, is television relationships. To have a national television audience focused on our program - our game - was really special and provided for a wonderful opportunity to promote our football program and our university."

NMSU athletics is also reaching out to Navajo communities throughout New Mexico and making history in the process. NMSU students Cuyler Frank of Black House Valley, N.M., Darryl Multine of Newcomb, N.M., and Jamie Joe of Farmington, N.M., helped broadcast home football games play by play in the Navajo language via the radio and Web. These games represented the first ever college football broadcasts in the Navajo language.

"We're committed to outreach and committed to our program being a part of the entire state of New Mexico and not just southern New Mexico," Boston says.

NMSU's unveiling of the revised Pete mascot and logo, also has impacted athletics. Boston says the need for NMSU to stand out from other universities guided Pete's revision.

"It wasn't about political correctness. It was about a national branding change that was part of the overall university strategy," Boston says. "Over the long term, we think it will serve us well and hopefully our fans will embrace Pete the way they did Pistol Pete."

Boston says NMSU will receive at least 7 percent of the profits generated from the licensing of the Pete mascot and logo used on various products.

Aggie athletics also is returning more to its roots. Boston says all athletic teams will transition to using only the university's official colors, crimson and white, on uniforms in the next two years. Uniforms using all other colors will gradually be phased out during that time.

The football team donned their new crimson and white uniforms along with new helmets displaying "Aggies."

"One of the things that coach (Hal) Mumme and I both heard last year was that our school colors are crimson and white - not black and crimson - and our nickname is the Aggies," Boston says. "It would be nice to put that out front and let people know that we do have a sense of pride in that."

Also new to the NMSU athletic scene is a five-year contract with Adidas to supply sportswear for all teams.

"It gives us a wonderful opportunity to be associated with a national brand," Boston says. "It provides us with an opportunity to save money as well as make money."

The contract allows alums and university corporate partners to purchase Adidas items with a 60 percent discount off retail price.

Boston says Adidas has presented NMSU's unique contract at its national headquarters in Germany. Adidas hopes to use the NMSU model as part of their sales template for other clients.

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