In the current era of collegiate athletics, it’s easy to overlook fans, donors, and community members. The focus is often elsewhere, but at UTEP Athletics, there is a deliberate effort to engage and steward their constituents differently as the Miners prepare for entry into the Mountain West Conference.
Some of those initiatives happen behind the scenes through organizational restructuring and shifting responsibilities, while others are more visible, such as UTEP’s recent season ticket renewal campaign.
Either way, the Miners are thinking differently.
Rather than relying solely on price points or traditional perks, UTEP has built a six-week renewal initiative centered on experiences like sideline access, trips with the team, time in the athletic director’s suite, replica jerseys, and locker room moments. The earlier fans renew, the more opportunities they have to win.
For Michael Levy, UTEP’s Deputy Athletic Director for Revenue Generation, the idea emerged from a simple realization about modern college sports fans.
“People are craving experiences,” Levy said. “We’ve been intentional about listening to our supporters and asking, what do we already have that’s valuable, and how can we share it with more people — not just our top donors?”
From Perks To Participation
UTEP’s approach reflects a broader shift in college athletics. As on-field results fluctuate and competition for attention intensifies, programs are increasingly competing on connection, not just wins and losses.
Levy was candid about the challenge.
“We’ve had some success, but overall results on the field haven’t been where we want them to be,” he said. “But we have a loyal season ticket base. We felt like we needed to reward and thank them in creative ways.”
The timing of the renewal launch was strategic. UTEP opened renewals earlier than usual to give fans more flexible payment options and to build momentum heading into its first season in the Mountain West.
The incentives themselves read less like traditional giveaways and more like insider access:
- Travel with the team to an away game
- Premium seat upgrades
- UTEP gear and replica jerseys
- Sideline access
- A game in the athletic director’s suite
- A locker room experience
In many departments, those assets are reserved exclusively for major donors. At UTEP, they’re being democratized.
“We asked ourselves, why are some of these experiences limited to a small group?” Levy said. “How can we apply them to all season ticket holders?”
That mindset, Levy explained, is being encouraged from the top.
“Our athletic director, Jim (Senter), has really challenged us to think differently and try new initiatives,” Levy said. “He understands how critical of a time it is for UTEP Football.”
Winning Over The Skeptics
The response has been telling, not just from supporters, but from critics.
“One of the biggest wins was when some of our biggest naysayers gave us credit,” Levy said with a laugh. “They said, ‘Marketing is actually being creative for once.’ It was a subtle jab, but we’ll take it.”
Beyond social media chatter, early indicators suggest real traction. While final renewal numbers are still being compiled, Levy said UTEP is outpacing last year’s week-one renewals. Website traffic is up significantly, licensing numbers are at an all-time high, and overall interest in the program is trending upward.
A Mountain West Catalyst
UTEP’s innovation and outside-the-box thinking are not happening in isolation. The move to the Mountain West has acted as a premium catalyst across the department.
“It’s been a direct shot in the arm,” Levy said.
Donors have responded through a major gifts campaign dubbed “Climb Higher,” which has already raised nearly $8 million toward a $10 million goal. The funds are helping offset transition costs, accelerate facility upgrades, and enhance fan and student-athlete experiences.
“We have some costs up front we need to take care of,” Levy said. “There are real costs to moving into a bigger and nicer neighborhood. Our donors stepped up, so we didn’t have to slow down from a growth standpoint.”
The impact extends beyond fundraising. UTEP is investing in facilities, amenities, and infrastructure as it prepares to reintroduce itself to a new conference landscape.
By the time the Miners officially enter the Mountain West, Levy expects momentum to be building not just on the balance sheet, but across the city of El Paso and campus.
A Market Most Programs Envy
UTEP’s high potential is rooted in geography as much as strategy.
“Most Group of Six programs would love what we have,” Levy said. “We have a complete stranglehold on a major city.”
UTEP sits at the center of a market that includes El Paso, Ciudad Juárez, and parts of New Mexico, serving well over a million people with no major college football or basketball programs competing.
When the Miners give the city something to rally around, the response can be dramatic. Levy pointed to recent milestones: a sold-out Don Haskins Center for the first time in nine years and more than 44,000 fans at Coach Scotty Walden’s first football game last year.
“El Paso is very hungry for a winner,” he said. “We’re making the investments now because we believe and expect the results to follow.”
Innovation As Identity
In many ways, UTEP’s renewal campaign is less about giveaways and more about brand identity.
It signals an athletic department willing to experiment and to rethink how value is delivered to fans. It reflects an understanding that in modern college athletics, loyalty is earned not only through victories but through belonging and remembering the foundation of fans.
As UTEP prepares to take its place in the Mountain West, the Miners are doing more than changing conferences; they are challenging the status quo on how they operate.
And if Levy is right, UTEP may arrive in its new league not just as a new member, but as a program and department that wants to make noise on day one.
“To some, we are going to fly under the radar,” he said. “But I’m confident we’re going to come in and make a name for ourselves.”
