Marketing Tools

Built to Rise — An ICAA Campaign

Built to Rise — An ICAA Campaign

Small-college athletics are built on grit, purpose, and community. The Independent Collegiate Athletic Association (ICAA) is launching Built to Rise to harness that spirit, elevating our student-athletes, strengthening our member institutions, and expanding the national stage on which we compete. This is a coordinated push to modernize competition, sharpen compliance, unlock NIL and career pathways, and deliver a best-in-class game-day and media experience across the ICAA.

Why now? Because access, visibility, and outcomes shouldn’t be limited by campus size. Built to Rise aligns members behind a clear playbook and shared standards—so every athlete, coach, and college can rise together.

Campaign Pillars

  • Access & Equity: Level schedules, fair pathways, and national championships sized for small-college excellence.

  • Competitive Standards: ICAA-certified officials, data-driven scheduling, and transparent rankings to ensure integrity on the field.

  • Academic First: Eligibility, progress-to-degree, and scholar-athlete recognition that keep education at the center.

  • NIL & Career Readiness: Practical education, compliant reporting, and employer partnerships that turn opportunity into outcomes.

  • Media & Fan Experience: Centralized streaming, real-time stats, and modern storytelling that amplify every program’s brand.

  • Community & Sponsorships: Regional showcases and mission-aligned partners to fuel growth without compromising values.

What Members Gain

  • A unified competitive framework and postseason pathway

  • Shared tools for compliance, eligibility, and NIL reporting

  • Conference-ready media kits, streaming standards, and promo assets

  • National recognition programs (All-Americans, Scholar-Athletes)

  • Sponsor and community engagement opportunities

Call to Action

ICAA Members: Opt in to Built to Rise this season. Confirm your participation, designate a campus lead, and align to the campaign standards.
Partners & Sponsors: Join us in expanding opportunity for small-college student-athletes—on the field, in the classroom, and beyond.

Built to Rise isn’t just a campaign. It’s a commitment: to compete with integrity, to develop whole athletes, and to showcase the power of small-college sports on a national stage. Let’s rise—together.

Member Program Graphics - Downloadable

#PlayICAA — The Official Hashtag of the Independent Collegiate Athletic Association

#PlayICAA — The Official Hashtag of the Independent Collegiate Athletic Association

Purpose (executive summary)

#PlayICAA is the unifying signal for ICAA competition, culture, and community. It centralizes highlights, scores, scholar-athlete stories, and partner activations across platforms—amplifying visibility for small-college programs while keeping academics and integrity front and center.

What it unlocks

  • Discovery & Reach: One searchable stream for fans, media, and recruits.

  • Brand Consistency: A clear, ownable tag across all sports and seasons.

  • Sponsorship Value: Aggregated impressions for partners and broadcast mentions.

  • Data & Insights: Trackable performance by team, sport, region, and event.

How to use it (standards)

  • Always include #PlayICAA on game-day posts, final scores, highlight clips, award announcements, and academic spotlights.

  • Pair with sport tags: #ICAAFootball, #ICAAMBB, #ICAAWBB, #ICAASoccer, #ICAAVolleyball, #ICAABaseball, #ICAASoftball, #ICAAXC, #ICAATF.

  • Add context tags when relevant: #ScholarAthlete, #NIL, #BuiltToRise, #GameDay, #Final.

  • Accessibility: add alt text; include captions/subtitles on video.

  • Compliance: if a post relates to NIL, follow institutional/NIL disclosures.

Launch copy (pick one)

  1. It’s bigger than a game. It’s a pathway. Follow the plays, the scholars, and the stories that define small-college excellence. #PlayICAA
  2. Same energy. New standards. National stage. #PlayICAA
  3. From classroom to crunch time—rise with us this season. #PlayICAA #BuiltToRise
  4. The official home of ICAA highlights, scores, and scholar-athletes → #PlayICAA

Templates by audience

Athletes:

  • “Locked in. Books then ball.. #PlayICAA #ScholarAthlete”

  • “Week 1 in the books—film, lift, repeat. #ICAAFootball #PlayICAA”

Coaches/Programs:

  • “Final:  ↓ #PlayICAA #ICAAMBB”

  • “Proud of our 3.3 team GPA. Standards on and off the field. #PlayICAA #ScholarAthlete”

Conference/ICAA HQ:

  • “Players of the Week (East/West): [names]. Full metrics + clips. #PlayICAA”

  • “Championship brackets are set. Seeds, times, streaming links. #PlayICAA”

Fans/Alumni:

  • “Back in the stands where we belong. #PlayICAA #GameDay”

Partners/Sponsors:

  • “Powered by [Partner]: elevating the ICAA student-athlete experience. #PlayICAA”