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Going once, going twice . . .
BU's first real-time online auction to raise national awareness about BUAA

By Amy E. Dean

The Boston University Athletic Association's (BUAA) first online sports auction is generating a lot of excitement -- and disagreement. Is the most valuable item the signed Mario Lemieux jersey, now that Lemieux has eschewed retirement and laced up his skates again? Is it the football signed by Dan Marino, or the jersey signed by John Elway? Maybe it's the baseball with the tight scrawl of Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez.

Or maybe the most valuable item up for bid is the VIP box for eight at a BU hockey game during the 2001-02 season.

To those who have teamed up to put together the online auction, value doesn't matter as much as the national exposure it will bring to the University, the BUAA, and the Student Village initiative, which includes the new projected sports complex. Proceeds from the auction, which runs from February 26 to March 2, will go to the University's athletic and recreation programs as well as the Student Village project, which is featured on the auction's Web site.

	Members of BU's online auction dream team, from the Office of Development and Alumni Relations, are (left to right) Chris Mailloux, senior program coordinator, Michael Lynch, assistant vice president of development for athletics and student life, and Joel Seligman, director of strategic communications. Not shown is Mike Eruzione, director of athletic development. Photo by Albert L'Etoile

"Basically what we're trying to do is create a high-end type of auction that will pique the interest of people not only in the BU community but also across the country -- even the world," says Michael Lynch, assistant vice president of development for athletics and student life, in the Office of Development and Alumni Relations. Lynch was hired less than a year ago from the University of Miami to power-up interest in the Student Village project and get more people enthused about the future of BU's athletic program.

"We need to show that we're different from other colleges and universities in the area, and one of the ways I felt we could do this is through an Internet auction," says Lynch. "In Miami we were one of two or three major universities, and we had to compete with the Dolphins, the Heat, and the Panthers to catch people's attention. So I got the feel for what it's like to be involved in a campaign where you're trying to grab the public's attention."

Joel Seligman, director of strategic communications in the Office of Development and Alumni Relations, worked with the Office of Networked Information Services to review available software for an auction and to implement the Web site. "This is the first time something like this has been done at BU," he says. "We've been developing Web content, but this is the first real-time auction that we've had."

At the same time, Mike Eruzione, director of athletic development in the Office of Development and Alumni Relations, started making phone calls, seeking to get items donated to the auction. Eruzione (SED'77), whose circle of friends includes former BU hockey players who have turned pro as well as professional athletes with the names Mike (Jordan), Mario (Lemieux), Danny (Marino), and John (Elway), says he "got pretty much everything I wanted for the auction. I thought about a baseball signed by Carlton Fisk, but decided to contact him later about another event. And I wanted to call Michael Jordan, but I know he's busy right now with his basketball team."

Chris Mailloux (CAS'00), senior program coordinator at Development and Alumni Relations, works with Lynch and helped round out the merchandise for auction with athletic-related outings. Included are an afternoon sail from Gloucester with Head Hockey Coach Jack Parker, a round of golf with some NHL players who are former Terriers, and being an honorary coach for a night at a BU hockey game. For those bidders who'd rather talk sports, there's also a dinner for two with gold medal winning 1980 Olympic USA hockey team members Eruzione, David Silk (CAS'80, GSM'93), and Jim Craig (SED'79).

Items for bid also include a week of summer basketball camp for kids ages 10 to 17, run by Dennis Wolff, head men's basketball coach, and a hockey camp for kids 8 to 12 run by Brian Durocher, assistant hockey coach.

Because the auction is real-time, says Seligman, "you'll be able to see each item's bid history, and the system will notify you by e-mail if someone has outbid you. So bid early, and bid often."

Lynch anticipates raising about $10,000 from the auction. "But that's not the entire focus," he says. "Our real motive is driving traffic to the Web site. That's one of the reasons why I've linked the Student Village project with the auction. We're trying to grab the public's attention so more people can take a look at what we're doing here."

Bidding in BUAA's online auction begins on February 26 at 9 a.m. EST and ends on March 2 at 5 p.m. EST. To participate, log on at www.bu.edu/alumni/buaa. The auction is open to all members of the BU community and the public.

23 February 2001
Boston University
Office of University Relations