Denver is in the region close to where Gonzaga is located. That's not a stretch. That doesn't make them a national brand or brand name. I live in Indianapolis and I've never seen anyone wear Gonzaga gear. I see Alabama, the Yankees, North Carolina,, Dallas Cowboys, the Dodgers. They aren't on that level.
Gonzaga 2020 class ranked 6th in country per 247, had 3 top 100 recruits including the #11 recruit in the country (Jalen Suggs). Suggs was ranked higher than any recruit pulled in by Duke, Kansas, UNC or Arizona in 2020. In 2019 they pulled in 4 top 100 guys, 2 of them top 50, and had the #13 ranked recruiting class in the country.
Thing is, outside of actual alums or people within the region of the school, people aren't going to care that much about a particular school. Gonzaga doesn't have a huge alumni base and the Spokane region isn't all that populated. I will say I've been to Spokane many times and you see the gear all over there. They even have a big basketball tourney every June called "Hoopfest" that's been going for 30 years or so where they shut down the downtown streets and have 3 on 3 tourneys in courts set up downtown and along with riverfront. It's pretty cool and a big event in town with some 24,000 participants from around the country and over a quarter million spectators. Anyway, given it's size and mid-major status, I'd say the Zags are a pretty big brand name and certainly get plenty of national recognition and respect.
All of this says to me that they aren't a brand name and they have good following in that area.
OK they were ranked #6 last year, so what? Those schools I mentioned have been consistent in being at the top of recruiting rankings for decades and they get players from out of state.
Keep on moving those goalposts.
One year of recruiting in the top 10 rankings doesn't make you a brand name or on par with the big schools. You are the one moving the goalposts by mentioning they had the number 6 recruiting. Whoop de doo. Let's anoint Gonzaga a big time national brand because they finishing 6th in recruiting, congratulations.
Gonzaga has quality players, 1-5. I'm not clear on their depth, but they have as good a starting 5 as any out there.
So, because you have not personally seen it? Small sample size. Very small.
Championships does not equal brand. Chris Paul has zero Championships, NBA or NCAA, yet I keep seeing him in State Farm commercials. Harden and Dame have zero Championships, but they have shoe lines. Ken Griffey Jr never won a ring, but he was everywhere, between his sponsorships, tv and movie appearances and video game. Brand and on-court success are two entirely different concepts. I mean one of your earlier examples was the Yankees. They've haven't won a WS since 2009. In that same time the SF Giants have won 3. Yankees still have the bigger brand.One year of recruiting in the top 10 rankings doesn't make you a brand name or on par with the big schools. You are the one moving the goalposts by mentioning they had the number 6 recruiting. Whoop de doo. Let's anoint Gonzaga a big time national brand because they finishing 6th in recruiting, congratulations.
You keep making this excuse that they are this little small private school. Duke is a private school too and they made themselves into a brand name by winning big. Gonzaga hasn't done that. When they start doing that then maybe they will be in that category. You have to have a national following to be a brand name, Gonzaga doesn't have that. They've built themselves into a school that gets mentioned during March Madness if they play well. We can keep going back and forth but you aren't going to change my mind.
Little difficult to determine depth for them because they blow out so many teams. Only played 7 last night in a close game. Watson seems to be their main sub with Cook getting minutes too. I’m a big fan of Suggs, and think he is a difficult matchup for Illini. Think he might be too big and strong for Frazier, so Ayo might need to take him. But then again Trent has surprised all year. Regardless, I think Kofi will be the secret weapon in this matchup and like the Illini’s chances should they meet.
Denver is being a barometer of Gonzaga's fanbase. Yeah that's definitely a large sample size.
Championships definitely equal brand. You need to have a championship to be a brand. One Final Four since 1999 is not a brand. Duke is not even going to make the tournament this year barring a run in their conference championship and they are still being discussed on a daily basis because they built that brand based off of the championship success they've had. I've made my point on this several times and not going to make it anymore. Gonzaga needs to win championships to possibly be on that level and a brand name. Until then, they are not and just a nice story every time the tournament comes around. We are just going to have to agree to disagree on this one.
I think you might have mixed the differences between a blue-blood and a brand name program my friend..
Cubs lost for 100 years. Championships are not the only parameter of branding.
I did not say anything about Denver.Denver is being a barometer of Gonzaga's fanbase. Yeah that's definitely a large sample size.
