Defense doesn't win championships. Defense wins games. Brands win championships. In ten years, the most consistently successful college athletic programs will be those with the strongest brands, not simply the strongest defense or most explosive offense from year to year. It's not just about x's and o's anymore. It about polarizing uniforms on the field and massive billboards in Times Square. It's about making your brand sexy to seventeen- and eighteen-year-old blue-chip athletes. And this is your guidebook on how to reach them. Inside, you'll find three simple brand-building steps that can take your program from bad to good or from good to great.

Jeremy Darlow is a brand marketing professional who, during his time at adidas, has worked with schools like Notre Dame, Michigan, and UCLA, and athletes like Robert Griffin III, Dwight Howard, and Lionel Messi. He works to help NCAA athletic programs and athletes build and elevate their brands to elite levels.

"A must-read for anyone in sports marketing. This book sees the future and shows you how to get there." - Nate Scott, USA TODAY Sports, For the Win

"Win or lose, here's how to build a national reputation for your college sports brand" - Al Ries, Author, Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind

"Brands Win Championships offers a practical primer on how to build your brand with story and perception" - Tim Newcomb, Sports Illustrated

"Die hard fans-that one concept, that one overlooked idea-is just one of the big ideas you'll find inside this book that's not actually about sports " - Seth Godin, Author, Linchpin