USU Athletics partners with Homecrowd app
With the coming transition into the Pac-12 Conference, Utah State University Athletics has incorporated a new fundraising strategy: partnering with an app called Homecrowd.
Homecrowd allows fans to link their debit or credit card to the app and pick which team they would like to support. As the user makes purchases with companies that have partnered with the app, a small percentage of the money spent will go to their team.
According to Eric Mika, one of the app’s founders, these partnerships include gas stations, grocery stores, online shopping and restaurants.
“The modern fan is feeling like they can’t be connected to their team unless they spend tons of money because nowadays, it feels like there is an immense pressure from schools to raise money,” Mika said.
Mika said this app can help bridge that gap.
“It doesn’t cost the consumer anything. It doesn’t cost the athletic department anything, but as long as you use that card to make purchases, an incremental revenue comes back to athletics,” said Carter Young, deputy athletics director and chief revenue officer for Utah State Athletics.
Young said the app is still in its early stages, but he is hopeful it will be fully launched in coming months.
“If the app works really well, we are hopeful it could generate $50,000 to $100,000 a year, but it could take us a few years to get to that point,” Young said.
During the initial soft-launch, Mika said one user spent about $70 at Old Navy and Gap.
“I’m sure they were buying clothes for their kids or something, but it made Utah State two bucks,” Mika said.
While $2 may not seem like a lot, Mika said it all adds up.
“You consider how many Utah State fans there are, and $2 from a couple transactions that happen all the time with a fan base where there’s hundreds of thousands of fans, community members and alumni, then $2 from something like that becomes really, really powerful,” Mika said.
Young said fans will also benefit from using the app.
“As you make purchases, you will receive points on the site,” Young said. “The more points you have, the more giveaway items you can win.”
On the app, the giveaway items listed include gameday apparel, sideline tickets and access to watch a practice.
For one giveaway, Mika said four people won front row tickets to a Utah Jazz game with the opportunity to meet Sam Merrill after the game.
The app was originally promoted on the jumbotron in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum during the USU Men’s Basketball game against the University of New Mexico.
“If you signed up, you had the chance to win a trip to the Mountain West tournament,” Young said.
According to Young, four people won tickets, airfare and hotel accommodations for the tournament.
During that initial pushout, Young said Utah State received 1,000 app sign-ups.
Utah State was the first university to partner with Homecrowd. However, Mika said other universities will soon be announced, including two Big 12, a Big East and a Mountain West school.
In addition to this partnership, Utah State Athletics is using other fundraising campaigns.
“The ‘Show Me’ initiative came out of a couple of months ago,” Young said. “It’s really an overall modernization of athletics in general, but there is a big fundraising component to it.”
The athletics department has also been focusing on increasing membership in the Big Blue Club, which requires a $50 donation a year. Young said this club has gained about 300 new members in the past two months.
According to Young, the Blue A Society has increased by nine members. The Blue A Society requires a donation of $25,000 or more.
Athletics also announced two $2.5 million donations in the past three weeks. Young said the department will announce even more donations soon.
As Utah State works to increase revenue streams, the goal is to translate those resources into competitive success.
“If somebody’s resourced at the top of their league and finishes eighth, that’s probably a disappointment. When you’re resourced eighth and you finish towards the top of your league, that’s success,” said Cameron Walker, USU vice president and director of athletics. “We know that we’ve got some ground to catch up and resources in the new Pac-12 and how we’ll compare. That’s me and my staff’s job to go chase that and close that gap.”