College football is back! And so are hotels?

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

No, it's not Christmas (yet). It's college football season!

College football is a favorite of mine because we witness the craziest narratives on a weekly basis.

David vs. Goliath? Check.

Impossible comeback? Check.

Heartbreaking upset? Check.

But this year is unique and one that we won't have again for a long time. We get to witness an expanded College Football Playoff and some of the strangest conference matchups due to the major conference realignments. For example, I'm incredibly excited to see the comedy that is UCLA travelling to New Jersey to play Rutgers on a cold October evening. Even more, I'm excited to see which UCLA fans are willing to brave the cold and travel to support their team.

This revamped look of conferences is exactly why I wanted to dig into the new partnership that sees Hilton become the Official Hotel Partner of the Big Ten Conference.

Partnership Overview

Not only will 希尔顿全球酒店集团 be the presenting sponsor of all Saturday primetime Big Ten football games on BTN ( Big Ten Network ), but the " Big Ten Conference will have access to discounted room rates throughout the year for employees, student-athletes, and team personnel for more than 4,000 Big Ten events," stated in Hilton's press release. The partnership will also offer premium tickets and on-field experiences exclusively to Hilton Honors members through the Hilton Honors Experiences platform. They casually mention that they will partner with the Big Ten Conference on an annual community and impact initiative as well.

Partnership Analysis

Right off the bat, it's clear that someone did their homework here because spokespersons from both sides referenced the need for coast-to-coast coverage with the expanded footprint of the Big Ten Conference. This partnership clearly didn't come out of the blue and legitimately points to a central message that makes sense for both organizations - providing signature hospitality to top athletes and fans alike.

It's also important to point out that this partnership is the first of its kind at the conference level. While Marriot Bonvoy is the official hotel partner of the NCAA, I actually think that it's hard to compare the two. Leveraging the NCAA brand is almost too broad and I think Hilton will see a lot more value in this approach with the Big Ten because of the loyalty that lies in fandom of college sports. I wouldn't be surprised if we see other hotel brands follow suit with the other major conferences...

Hilton is making the right bet to win in an industry based on loyalty.

I might be wrong to assume that this was Hilton's idea, but it doesn't change that this is a stellar move. The hotel market is steeped in loyalty among consumers. Similarly to airlines, most consumers tend to commit to a brand for the long-term perks and rewards. Hilton is making a move here to target two major demographics:

1. College alums who have likely committed to a hotel brand years ago
2. Students & student athletes who haven't picked a hotel brand

Those in bucket #1 will start to seriously question a switch. With hotel brands often matching status from their competitors (especially if you're willing to argue with a customer service representative for a bit), consumers are focused on where they get the best experience and value. If Hilton can live up to the experiences that they're currently offering through their Hilton Honors Experiences platform like VIP F1 experiences with McLaren, then I think they'll start to see a real shift in loyalty from this demographic.

Those in bucket #2 will get captured early as long as their first few experiences with Hilton meet their expectations. While the press release talks about offering discounted rates for employees, student-athletes, and team personnel, they have a bigger opportunity to target the significantly larger group that is student bodies. The frugality of students coupled with their desire for new experiences creates an opportunity that Hilton is uniquely positioned to meet through this partnership. Let's also not forget how painful Airbnb is becoming with fees, clean-before-you-leave, and the severe lack of flexibility that hosts allow.

If Hilton can create obtainable experiences that don't break the bank of college students, they will bring in a massive wave of new customers that will stay loyal until they're wronged (which is what we're seeing with Airbnb).

The Big Ten Conference is actually meeting the fans where they're at - on the road.

Again, I might be wrong to assume where this partnership concept originated but the Big Ten is the ideal conference for a true partnership with a hotel brand. With a deceiving name that implies that there are 10 schools in the Big Ten Conference (shocker), the Big Ten Conference most recently had 14 schools. The new additions of USC, UCLA, Washington, and Oregon add a significant west coast presence for a conference that had been primarily midwestern & northeastern.

What does this mean? People will travel more (and further) to see their favorite teams play. And the Big Ten is meeting them where they're at - on the road.

This is one of the few times where I see the brand organization (The Big Ten Conference) really put their customers first. Yes - there's the revenue component that's beneficial to the Big Ten since this is a newly created category. But, it's a category with a purpose. A purpose that meets a direct need of their customers (fans).

Fans will practically be wearing the Hilton brand by the end of this.

While the press release focuses on an end-customer that consists of student-athletes, employees, and team personnel, the broader fan bases within the Big Ten are who will really drive impact for Hilton and the Big Ten.

If executed well, I see an incredible cycle that would from this partnership...

1. Students & student-athletes will start with Hilton because of the discounted prices and will continue to stay with Hilton for the add-on experiences, carrying that over into where they stay for work & personal travel later in life.
2. They turn into college alums that will bring their families to more sporting events, creating memorable experiences for kids who will view Hilton as an integral part of their travel experiences moving forward.
3. Their kids become students & student-athletes who will then start their journey with Hilton because of their childhood experiences (and hopefully continued discounts for students).

The only question I have here that will be worth monitoring is how Hilton adjusts to the changing needs & requirements of fans. With the market & economy constantly shifting, financial constraints are inevitable and will impact where & how fans travel. If Hilton wants their consumers to stay loyal, they need to actively listen and adjust what experiences they offer & the obtainability of those experiences.

Today's grades:

• Value for Hilton: A+
• Value for the Big Ten Conference: A-
• Value for fans: B+