Marketing Tools

Stronger Together — An ICAA Campaign

Stronger Together — The ICAA 2026 Campaign

Small-college athletics thrive on resilience, relationships, and shared purpose. In 2026, the Independent Collegiate Athletic Association (ICAA) is launching Stronger Together—a unifying, association-wide campaign designed to fortify our institutions, elevate our student-athletes, and present a cohesive national standard for independent collegiate sports.

Stronger Together is about alignment, credibility, and momentum. It brings ICAA programs under one coordinated framework—strengthening competition, academic accountability, media presence, and long-term opportunity—without erasing the unique identity of each institution.

This is how independent programs stop operating in isolation and start competing with collective strength.

Why Now

Independent and emerging colleges are growing—but growth without structure creates risk. In 2026, access to competition, visibility, NIL opportunity, and academic legitimacy must be intentional, defensible, and shared.

Stronger Together establishes common standards, shared infrastructure, and a national voice—so every ICAA member benefits from the strength of the whole.

Campaign Pillars

Unified Competition
  • Aligned scheduling principles, ICAA-sanctioned postseason pathways, and championships built specifically for independent and small-college programs—fair, credible, and earned.
Integrity & Governance
  • ICAA-certified officials, eligibility oversight, transparent standings, and enforceable bylaws that protect institutions, athletes, and the association’s long-term credibility.
Academic Accountability
  • Clear eligibility standards, progress-to-degree tracking, and scholar-athlete recognition that reinforce education as the foundation of competition.
NIL & Life Preparedness
  • Association-led NIL education, compliant reporting tools, and employer partnerships that connect athletics to real-world outcomes beyond the field.
Media, Branding & Exposure
  • Standardized broadcast expectations, centralized streaming, real-time stats, and storytelling that elevates every program—regardless of market size.
Community & Partnerships
  • Regional showcases, mission-aligned sponsors, and community engagement initiatives that strengthen programs financially without compromising values.

What ICAA Programs Gain

  • A cohesive national identity for independent collegiate athletics

  • Structured postseason and recognition pathways

  • Shared compliance, eligibility, and NIL support systems

  • Conference-ready media standards and promotional assets

  • National awards and honors (All-Americans, Scholar-Athletes)

  • Access to sponsorships and regional partnerships driven by the association

Call to Action

ICAA Member Institutions
Commit to Stronger Together for the 2026 season. Designate a campus lead, align with association standards, and participate in shared competition, media, and governance initiatives.

Partners & Sponsors
Stand with the ICAA in building sustainable, values-driven collegiate athletics—where opportunity is expanded, not restricted by size or legacy.

The Commitment

Stronger Together is not a slogan.
It is a governing philosophy.

It means:

  • Competing with integrity

  • Educating first

  • Protecting athletes

  • Strengthening institutions

  • And presenting a united national front for independent collegiate sports

In 2026, the ICAA doesn’t grow by standing alone.

We compete. We govern. We win—together.


#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, #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
  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”