June 10, 2003
During athletic competitions, Lafayette and Lehigh are well-known for being fierce rivals.
The two Patriot League institutions have a football rivalry that exceeds any other, having met on the gridiron 138 times since 1884. When the schools square off in other contests, the crowds automatically grow in geometric proportions from those that witness events versus other opponents.
Outside the field of competition, the two schools located just 10 miles apart in the Lehigh Valley often work in unison. An excellent example, which started several years ago and has grown to include most of the other Patriot League member institutions, are alumni association-sponsored events at cities throughout the country.
This spring, "Patriot League Happy Hour" gatherings are being conducted in association with local alumni volunteer groups in major cities around the country. The first, held two weeks ago in Chicago, included alumni from Bucknell, Colgate, Holy Cross, Lafayette and Lehigh.
Thursday (June 12), the second of three get-togethers will be held at the Tin Roof Cantina on Piedmont Avenue in Atlanta, Ga. (7 p.m.). Representatives from Bucknell, Colgate, Holy Cross and Lafayette are combining to sponsor the gathering.
The final Patriot League Happy Hour of the summer is slated for Tuesday, June 24, when six PL member institutions, including Army and Navy, will gather at the LoDo's Bar & Grill, 1946 Market Street, Denver, Colo.
"These alumni events are an excellent opportunity to foster relationships and build rivalries among our member institutions," said Patriot League Executive Director Carolyn Schlie Femovich.
Attendance numbers from the Chicago event are not yet available, according to Lafayette Associate Director of Alumni Affairs Fred Brown. However, he noted that several dozen alumni from each school generally attend these events.
"We've always worked with Lehigh and Bucknell on certain things," Brown said. "Recently, we've done more joint events with other Patriot League members. Colgate contacted us last year to do a telecast party (around the teams' nationally-televised Friday night men's basketball game)."
One of the first major events that the schools combined for was held several years ago in Camp Hill, Pa., featuring noted author John Feinstein and his book The Last Amateurs, which followed the 2000 Patriot League men's basketball season. Seven member institutions participated in that event, which drew more than 100 fans for dinner and to meet one of the foremost experts on college basketball.
More recently, Lafayette and Lehigh combined for an event in Philadelphia associated with the national telecast of the annual gridiron showdown. Brown noted the schools combined to draw more than 150 attendees to the event.
Brown, who noted the membership and League office combined for introductory events when the Patriot League formed more than a decade ago, said schools will likely do more combined events in the future in conjunction with the League's national television package.
The PL and DIRECTV combine for a Friday night "Game of the Week" six times during the basketball season, this year beginning at 8 p.m. He predicted schools that have football telecasts on DIRECTV will also see an increase in alumni events.
The League is also hoping alumni attendance continues to grow at the Patriot League Basketball Tournament, which will be held for the third-straight year at The Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, Md. General attendance for the Tournament increased 12 percent in 2003, and another increase is the goal for this year's event, which will be held March 5-7, 2004.
More information on upcoming Patriot League Happy Hour events may be obtained by contacting the Alumni Office at most PL member institutions.