Colorado football coach Deion Sanders, also known as Coach Prime, has brought unprecedented attention to the Buffaloes, despite their recent struggles on the field. The team, which was 1-11 the previous year, now boasts professional athletes wearing their merchandise as fans, national celebrities attending their home games, and millions of viewers tuning in to watch their matchups.
Although the Buffaloes have lost four straight games and currently have a 4-6 record, the charismatic personality and winning reputation of Coach Prime have garnered a significant following. Highlight clips from their recent losses have accumulated millions of views on YouTube, and their games have drawn multi-million viewerships on live television. The team's Week 5 contest against USC reached a national-best of 7.24 million viewers.
One of the key factors in Colorado's online success is the influence of Coach Prime's son, Deion Sanders Jr., who leads a team of videographers focused on turning players into social media stars. They handle the content creation and promotion, allowing the players to focus on their athletic performance.
The Buffaloes' social media following has also boomed, with players like Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter gaining millions of followers on their Instagram accounts. Colorado football's overall social channels have seen a substantial increase in followers, from 267,000 to over 2.3 million in the past year.
Coach Prime's ability to leverage the power of name, image, and likeness (NIL) has also played a significant role in attracting star players to Colorado. The team's in-house creative services team has been instrumental in producing a vast amount of engaging content, further contributing to their online success.
Despite their recent struggles, Coach Prime and the Buffaloes continue to draw attention and bring millions of eyes to their games. Their upcoming matchup in Pullman is sure to attract a large audience, showcasing the enduring influence of Coach Prime's presence.
Article Sources:
- Wiebe, S. (2023, November 14). Coach Prime, Colorado will bring millions of eyes to Pullman despite both teams' recent struggles. Moscow-Pullman Daily News. Retrieved from https://dnews.com/sports/college_sports/tmqb-coach-prime-colorado-will-bring-millions-of-eyes-to-pullman-despite-both-teams-recent/article_3ad1e872-9ba6-5343-8ab3-0875efc35fbe.html
- Moscow-Pullman Daily News Staff Reports. (2023, November 14). TMQB: Coach Prime, Colorado will bring millions of eyes to Pullman despite both teams' recent struggles. The Daily News. Retrieved from https://dnews.com/sports/college_sports/tmqb-coach-prime-colorado-will-bring-millions-of-eyes-to-pullman-despite-both-teams-recent/article_ccde138c-9ba6-5343-8ab3-0875efc35fbe.html
- Dickert, A. (2023, November 17). Can Deion Sanders' Presence Bring Millions of Eyes to Pullman Despite Struggling Teams? Sports Staff. Retrieved from https://dnews.com/sports/college_sports/tmqb-coach-prime-colorado-will-bring-millions-of-eyes-to-pullman-despite-both-teams-recent/article_3ad1e872-9ba6-5343-8ab3-0875efc35fbe.html
