This autograph appearance was designed to create a premium fan engagement opportunity surrounding Virginia Tech Women's Basketball prior to the 2026 ACC Tournament and NCAA Tournament. Sponsored by Follett and powered by Triumph, the activation connected fans directly with four participating student-athletes through autograph sessions, fan interaction, and promotional content.
OBJECTIVES
The event was designed to increase excitement and visibility around the women’s basketball program while creating NIL opportunities for participating athletes through compensated appearances and promotional responsibilities.
Increase excitement & visibility around WBB
Provide additional exposure & brand visibility for Follett
Opportunity for Fan Engagement before ACC Tournament
Increase foot traffic in Follett Shop.
STRATEGY
The strategy behind the autograph appearance was to leverage the momentum surrounding Virginia Tech Women's Basketball heading into postseason play by creating a fan-focused NIL activation that blended in-person engagement with social media promotion.
The activation centered around an in person appearance at the Follett book store prior to the ACC Tournament
Opportunity to provide compensation to student-athletes for appearing at and promoting the event
Capitalize on WBB popularity leading into ACC Tournament
Deliver additional value for the sponsoring partner.
EXECUTION
Execution of the women’s basketball autograph appearance consisted of a coordinated effort from the Triumph Team. The event featured four participating Virginia Tech Women's Basketball student-athletes who engaged with fans through an autograph session & photo opportunity. Participating athletes were compensated for both appearing at the event and promoting the activation across their personal social media platforms leading up to the ACC Tournament and NCAA Tournament. We Coordinated promotional efforts, branded event integration, and digital content distribution to help extend the reach of the activation while increasing visibility for the athletes, the women’s basketball program, and Follett.
We:
Coordinated appearance of all athletes
Created Promotional materials for event
Captured photographs and videos from signing
Coordinated social media promotions from athletes.
