[ccd494]

Kids who would possibly play at Maine aren't on any social media network Maine athletics would be on. They have a "formal" recruiting social media that says like "JOE SMITH ORONO HS '26 6'4" 220LBS MAINE UNITED AAU 100% UNCOMMITTED" and only posts when they get offers. And is likely run by someone else.

Then they are just on snapchat or whatever with their friends. Teenagers aren't on instagram, X, facebook, bluesky, whatever. And those places aren't driving engagement to anything but themselves anymore to get fans in the seats.

Maine didn't rebuild a hockey season ticket waitlist because Ben Barr was on TikTok. Maine has a hockey season ticket waitlist because Maine is winning at hockey again. These kids from the QMJHL aren't signing with Maine because Ben Barr is on X/Twitter. They are signing with Maine because (a) Maine is winning, (b) he's developed relationships with coaches/advisors that are helping steer the kids and (c) the facilities are coming together.

Neither Barr nor Markwood has posted anything on their personal X/Twitter accounts in over two years other than re-tweeting athletic department stuff. Is the "Maine Ice Hockey" social media account more active than the "Maine Men's Basketball" social media account? Sure! That's not Ben Barr sitting at his desk finding stuff to quote tweet from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins mentioning a former Black Bear. That's someone in the athletic communications office.

 

[mainejeff]

Kids who would possibly play at Maine aren't on any social media network Maine athletics would be on. They have a "formal" recruiting social media that says like "JOE SMITH ORONO HS '26 6'4" 220LBS MAINE UNITED AAU 100% UNCOMMITTED" and only posts when they get offers. And is likely run by someone else.

Then they are just on snapchat or whatever with their friends. Teenagers aren't on instagram, X, facebook, bluesky, whatever. And those places aren't driving engagement to anything but themselves anymore to get fans in the seats.

Maine didn't rebuild a hockey season ticket waitlist because Ben Barr was on TikTok. Maine has a hockey season ticket waitlist because Maine is winning at hockey again. These kids from the QMJHL aren't signing with Maine because Ben Barr is on X/Twitter. They are signing with Maine because (a) Maine is winning, (b) he's developed relationships with coaches/advisors that are helping steer the kids and (c) the facilities are coming together.

Neither Barr nor Markwood has posted anything on their personal X/Twitter accounts in over two years other than re-tweeting athletic department stuff. Is the "Maine Ice Hockey" social media account more active than the "Maine Men's Basketball" social media account? Sure! That's not Ben Barr sitting at his desk finding stuff to quote tweet from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins mentioning a former Black Bear. That's someone in the athletic communications office.

Teens/recruits aren't on Instagram? Huh.

The men's basketball program is not up to snuff on social media compared to their other UMaine peers. We will just have to agree to disagree.

 

[mainejeff]

Aren't you the same person who just said that ticket scalpers would have a field day if Maine played Duke? . I mean, I get that it would be a game with fun storylines, but I doubt scalpers care much about a matchup of any ACC team and an AE team. Your own personal hype machine is definitely on though.

Also, if I'm Markwood, I'm putting 100% of my staff's effort and time into putting the best product on the floor and not "talking" about it on the interwebs...

What does a Maine vs. Duke game and ticket scarcity have to do with my commentary about men's basketball social media presence?

Coaches are not the only ones that post on social media for these programs.....and no I don't expect them to be posting 24/7 in lieu of their important duties and functions as coaches.....some people can talk and chew gum at the same time though.

 

[VT Cats Fan]

Aren't you the same person who just said that ticket scalpers would have a field day if Maine played Duke? . I mean, I get that it would be a game with fun storylines, but I doubt scalpers care much about a matchup of any ACC team and an AE team. Your own personal hype machine is definitely on though.

Also, if I'm Markwood, I'm putting 100% of my staff's effort and time into putting the best product on the floor and not "talking" about it on the interwebs...

What does a Maine vs. Duke game and ticket scarcity have to do with my commentary about men's basketball social media presence?

Coaches are not the only ones that post on social media for these programs.....and no I don't expect them to be posting 24/7 in lieu of their important duties and functions as coaches.....some people can talk and chew gum at the same time though.

You made a comment about there being little to no hype from or about the Maine BBall team. I questioned that when you in fact were hyping the team by saying that tickets would be scarce for a fictional matchup between Maine and Duke. It's all good though, you have a lot to be excited about with your program, you should gas it up. I was just busting chops.

I think that Markwood is a great coach and am really happy for him that he got a decent job in his home town. I want Maine to succeed (just not too much )

Perhaps CM will have one of his assistants or someone in Athletic Communications fire up the social media machine. I believe that's what UVM does, to a limited extent, but if he doesn't use it much personally, that would lead me to believe that he doesn't think much of it's value.

 

[ccd494]

Teens/recruits aren't on Instagram? Huh.

The men's basketball program is not up to snuff on social media compared to their other UMaine peers. We will just have to agree to disagree.

Correct. "Insta is for old people" per my teenage nieces. If we have heard of it, it's out of date and the kids aren't really on it.

This is a generation that things emails are overly stuffy and formal.

 

[mainejeff]

Correct. "Insta is for old people" per my teenage nieces. If we have heard of it, it's out of date and the kids aren't really on it.

This is a generation that things emails are overly stuffy and formal.

Recruits are all over Instagram hyping themselves and their friends.

 

[GoCatsGo]

 

[ccd494]

God I somehow forgot that Jamion Christian is now coaching Bryant

 

[Dane96]

Albany playing Yale, UMASS, URI, Marquette, Florida Atlantic, and Siena as known games. More "difficult" games to be announced. Absolute bonkery.

 

[BingGrad]

Albany playing Yale, UMASS, URI, Marquette, Florida Atlantic, and Siena as known games. More "difficult" games to be announced. Absolute bonkery.

The SWAC model?

 

[ccd494]

Albany playing Yale, UMASS, URI, Marquette, Florida Atlantic, and Siena as known games. More "difficult" games to be announced. Absolute bonkery.

Do we need to pass the hat at UA games like it's little league and you're trying to pay the umpires?

 

[Dane96]

I don't think it is is money thing-- we are talking about maybe 200k when it is all said and done. They have their big donors for hoops. I think it is to attract recruits as frankly, the OOC matters so much less than even before now. In truth, the ability to "merge" a team nowadays won't happen until conference time...so if you can attract some solid players with a schedule (and those players are looking to "show up") that seems to be a rational ideology of why you schedule these games. Get the best recruits you can...lure them with OOC games to "show themselves", and by conference time hope that they mesh and you have an athletic, long team. Right now, with the games I have listed...it's maybe 100k or so in guarantees so not about the $$. I also think he's advertising himself....

 

[mainejeff]

 

[Aceinthehole]

I don't think it is is money thing-- we are talking about maybe 200k when it is all said and done. They have their big donors for hoops. I think it is to attract recruits as frankly, the OOC matters so much less than even before now. In truth, the ability to "merge" a team nowadays won't happen until conference time...so if you can attract some solid players with a schedule (and those players are looking to "show up") that seems to be a rational ideology of why you schedule these games. Get the best recruits you can...lure them with OOC games to "show themselves", and by conference time hope that they mesh and you have an athletic, long team. Right now, with the games I have listed...it's maybe 100k or so in guarantees so not about the $$. I also think he's advertising himself....

100!

 

[ball_of_rubber]

America East & MAAC Announce Men’s and Women’s Basketball Challenge

BOSTON/EDISON, N.J. - The America East Conference and Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) announced today the creation of the America East-MAAC Basketball Challenge, a new early season showcase that will debut at the start of the 2026-27 college basketball season and continue through the...

americaeast.com

Which one of you now works in the front office?

 

[UNHFan]

America East & MAAC Announce Men’s and Women’s Basketball Challenge

BOSTON/EDISON, N.J. - The America East Conference and Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) announced today the creation of the America East-MAAC Basketball Challenge, a new early season showcase that will debut at the start of the 2026-27 college basketball season and continue through the...

americaeast.com

Which one of you now works in the front office?

I'm happy that is now public knowledge.

 

[Aceinthehole]

Johnson & Wales (Providence) has added games at Bryant (Nov. 26) and Brown (Dec. 31) to its 2025-26 men's basketball schedule.

The D-III school had previously announced a game at Central Connecticut (Nov. 30).

 

[UVM Hoop Cat]

America East & MAAC Announce Men’s and Women’s Basketball Challenge

BOSTON/EDISON, N.J. - The America East Conference and Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) announced today the creation of the America East-MAAC Basketball Challenge, a new early season showcase that will debut at the start of the 2026-27 college basketball season and continue through the...

americaeast.com

Which one of you now works in the front office?

Cool that something like this is finally happening after years of proposals on this site. Make scheduling D1 opponents easier again.

Going to be exciting if for no other reason then reading the apocalyptic chaos that will occur on the Siena board when the Saints lose to (insert AE opponent).

 

[mainejeff]

 

[VT Cats Fan]

Wow! Dartmouth broke up with us for Bryant...cringey...

Pretty good schedule otherwise.