March 28, 2013
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The commitment that has been made to improve Vanderbilt’s athletic facilities is obvious all around campus, from the new turf adorning Dudley Field and Hawkins Field to the Multipurpose Facility and Student Recreation Center Enhancement that already stands high above the Soccer and Lacrosse Complex. And while many of the facility improvements will directly benefit our teams’ abilities to field successful teams, athletic officials consistently have stated that enhancing the fan experience is a key facet of their plan for the future.
One such fan-related improvement recently was completed inside Memorial Gymnasium. The National Commodore Club Hospitality Room, located in the southeast connector of Memorial Gym’s concourse adjacent to Section E, received a face-lift courtesy of a local partnership with Gary Force Acura.
The former dance studio received an entire paint job in black and gold, while the east wall features murals of Vanderbilt men’s and women’s basketball legends. The space now includes flat screen TVs and plenty of room for VU fans to relax and enjoy refreshments during halftime.
The revamped hospitality room is the dealership’s first large sign of support for the Commodore athletics, but Middle Tennessee’s only Acura dealer has plans to broaden the relationship. General manager Keb Barrett sees it as a perfect fit for his brand.
“It’s a perfect marriage,” Barrett said. “There’s a lot of loyalty with Vanderbilt fans, and we’re trying to create the same kind of loyalty with our brand. We want to be loyal to Vanderbilt, and we hope they become loyal to Acura.”
When Barrett approached IMG College, the exclusive multimedia rights holder for Vanderbilt athletics, about expanding Gary Force Acura’s presence at Commodore events, general manager Jeff Miller suggested a co-branding effort with the NCC. Barrett jumped at the idea of having his company’s support directly benefit Commodore boosters.
“NCC members are a big deal to the university and they support athletics strongly,” Barrett said. “So to have this room for them, and have them be excited about it, it feels really good. And it seems to be driving more people there at halftime.”
While Gary Force has entered Memorial Gym, Barrett also is making a push to benefit Vanderbilt fans on his own home court: the sales floor of the Brentwood dealership.
“We put a Vandy plan together, which will give anybody who is an employee, a student, a parent of a student or a National Commodore Club member a controlled price,” Barrett said. “I want to make sure that people know about that plan, and that there is a dealership that wants to take special care of those customers.”
Gary Force Acura will have greater visibility at baseball games this spring and at Vanderbilt Stadium this fall. If the upgraded hospitality room is any indication, the improvements will be a boon to Commodore supporters.
At a recent basketball game, VU fans were singing the praises of the renovation effort.
“It’s a huge improvement,” according to Carol Crossland, an NCC member and season ticket holder for many years. “It’s great to have the pictures and all the nostalgia on the walls. It all looks wonderful.”
Access to the Gary Force Acura NCC Hospitality Room is a benefit for NCC members who give annually at the Vice Admiral level ($6,000) and above that have men’s basketball season tickets (one pass per season ticket). Membership at this level also entitles basketball season ticket holders to a season parking pass in the Kensington Garage, located next to Memorial Gym on 25th Avenue. Interested in seeing the updated room? Contact the National Commodore Club at 615/322-4114 or visit NationalCommodoreClub.com.
