First it was Midnight Madness. I get that; it was unprecedented and that alone earned the organization a lot of attention. It was kind of weird to see a professional team doing something I'm used to seeing from a college squad, but I was willing to look past that.
I expected that the organization borrowing a University tradition was just going to be a singular event. But it seems the team wants to keep reaching into that cookie jar, and that speaks to how the new ownership is marketing the team.
The team has launched a new Alumni Association that aims to bring more former Bullets and Wizards players back into the fold, according to a press release. Executive Vice President Greg Bibb called it,
a vital step in our on-going efforts to re-connect with the proud history of our organization while making sure to take the time to honor the men who helped forge our past
This is a very good idea, and it shows the Wizards have a plan to bring fans back to the Wizards after a tough season. They really want the team to feel like a college team that represents the whole DMV. College fans are considered to be the more faithful followers, so trying to instill that type of passion into your fan base is a smart idea if it is in fact what they are trying to do.
Bringing out players that may remind people of a time they when they rooted for a Washington team, whether it was the Bullets or the Wizards, is a great way to do that. They want all the new fans that will hop on the bandwagon with John Wall, but they also want to make sure that those who have been there all along continue to identify with them.
An announcement with details about the upcoming pep band auditions is expected some time before the end of the week. Introducing: YOUR. Washington University Wizards.