Videographers and reporters awaited the arrival of San Diego State men’s basketball team as they were the guests of honor at an exclusive, red carpet event hosted by the MESA Foundation on Thursday, Oct. 26.
“Top of the Key” — held at University Club atop Symphony Towers — was put together by the non-profit organization in celebration of the team’s successful 2022-2023 season.
Attendees included members of the Athletics department, donors and MESA’s sponsors.
Customized cocktails and hors d’oeuvres were served as guests mingled at the scenic rooftop, overlooking downtown San Diego.
In one room at the venue, attendees had the opportunity to take pictures with the Mountain West Championship banner and trophies. In another, they could get a picture with the NCAA (Finalist/Runner-Up) trophy and a private, sneak peak of the Final Four banner.
After cocktail hour, a four-course dinner was served as speeches were made and highlight videos of memorable moments of last season played.
A silent auction was held during dessert, and guests bid on items, including attending a Padres game with head coach Brian Dutcher.
$100,000 dollars was also raised from supporters in attendance in increments starting from $500 and going up to $10,000.
Senior players Lamont Butler and Darrion Trammell spoke at the event on the behalf of the team and thanked everyone for their continuous support.
“I want to let you guys know how directly you affect us,” Trammell said. “We have stability. We don’t have to stress about finances — if my uncle wants to come to a game, you guys give us a chance to do that. Lifting that stress from us is the biggest part. We get to go out there and do our jobs. I appreciate everyone who gives to us and supports us, it’s a big thing.”
The evening concluded with the players being presented their customized rings, commemorating last year’s historic season. This MESA-sponsored event also showcased the bridge between the players and the supporters who make a difference in the success of the NIL program.
On Oct. 23, San Diego State announced that their athletic department entered into a multi-year agreement with MESA for the foundation to become the first name, image and likeness (NIL) partner of the university.
According to GoAztecs.com, as an official partner for MESA, the foundation will gain access to multimedia assets that will foster awareness for the brand.
These resources — which enables MESA to leverage SDSU’s intellectual property — will garner marketing that will benefit the men’s and women’s basketball team for NIL purposes.
MESA’s success over the last 12 months is due to the 350 people who have given to the organization.
“It’s important for us that people understand that MESA is 100% sourced and funded by fans and supporters of San Diego State basketball,” Jeff Smith, president of MESA Foundation, said.
“The folks that are close to the basketball program, coaches, fans, supporters are all amazed by how far MESA has come in such a short period of time.”
With MESA continuously expanding with community support, the foundation has its eyes set on various goals, including extending engagement from fans.
“What we’re really focused on now is the opportunity that we have with this new partnership, to reach a bigger audience of Aztec fans, get the message out that we need to support our team, and to hopefully take it to where it needs to be to remain competitive and be a successful, complementary partner to our Aztecs Basketball program,” Smith said.
NIL exposure has been a frequent commodity in college athletics. According to Opendorse, it is projected that the NIL market will have produced $1.14 billion in NCAA athlete compensation within 12 months after its start up in July, 2021.
Colleges such as New Mexico, UNLV and Boise State have been contributing factors to the collective, with SDSU not too far behind.
In order to remain competitive in the market, the MESA Foundation needs more people to decide to join. Smith estimates that for the foundation to be sustainable, it will need 2,000-3000 contributors.
The “Top of the Key” event is an example of how the players, coaches and Aztec basketball fans can have exclusive access opportunities. Focusing on interactions between them brings forth more support for the program, as connections have shown great value through these types of events.
“I think San Diego State has so much success because ultimately the community is great,” Trammell said. “You guys give to us, and we give you something to be proud of.”