First Ever College Sports Anime Collaboration Brings Halftime Performance, Digital Integration to Jersey Mike’s Arena
PISCATAWAY, NJ – Rutgers Basketball has long been known for creating one of the most intense and passionate environments in college basketball. When One Piece arrived at Jersey Mike’s Arena, that energy was amplified to another level. Through a record-breaking activation involving Bandai Namco, Netflix, and Learfield, Rutgers became the site of the first ever college sports anime collaboration, introducing a new model for how entertainment brands can integrate into college athletics while keeping the fan experience at the center.
The One Piece collaboration was built around multiple touch points that reached fans throughout the entire game night. From doors opening through the final buzzer, the activation was visible, consistent, and intentionally woven into the flow of the event. LED Boards and videoboards across the arena featured custom One Piece animations, while the official One Piece trailer was integrated into the pregame presentation. Iconic intro music from the series was played in game, helping set the tone early and reinforcing the theme throughout the night. These digital elements worked together to create an atmosphere that felt immersive rather than promotional.
Rutgers was a natural fit for this collaboration. The university is home to a large Asian student population and a nationally recognized Animation Club, creating a built-in audience that understands and appreciates anime culture. Jersey Mike’s Arena thrives on crowd engagement, and the fan base consistently embraces moments that make home games feel distinct. The One Piece presence leaned into that culture. Fans did not experience the brand passively but lived it in real time. That connection was evident in student turnout, with students lining up more than six hours before gates opened across all three games to ensure they received the One Piece giveaways.
A defining moment of the first game activation was the One Piece halftime performance paired with the student t-shirt giveaway. Rather than serving as background entertainment, halftime became a focal point of the night. A choreographed band performance with accompanying video from the show, kept fans fully engaged, creating a shared experience that resonated with both longtime anime fans and first-time viewers. It reinforced that this collaboration was not surface level, but a fully realized part of the game presentation.
Beyond the arena, social media amplified the activation and revealed just how far the impact traveled. The response was not limited to the local market, with ticket buyers coming from 40 states from Hawaii to Washington, D.C., along with 13 international countries spanning Kazakhstan to the United Kingdom, demonstrating both national and global reach. In total, the three game series generated more than 10,000 accounts, over 27,000 tickets distributed, and over $730,000 in total ticket revenue. Demand was strong enough that pricing increased multiple times internally throughout the series. Indiana pricing rose approximately 191%, Nebraska increased roughly 167%, and Michigan State climbed nearly 95% from their original online price points. The online engagement mirrored the in-arena energy and confirmed that collaboration resonated far beyond a single moment. The collaboration respected the traditions of college basketball while introducing something new and unexpected.
The partnership between One Piece and Rutgers demonstrated how college sports can serve as a platform for global entertainment. Fans did not just attend basketball games. They experienced a one-of-a-kind event. Traditional basketball fans were introduced to One Piece in an authentic setting, while anime fans were welcomed into the Rutgers basketball environment. The result was a unique and powerful demographic mix that showed the potential of cross-cultural collaboration in college sports. The One Piece Activation at Rutgers set a new standard for branded experiences and positioned the program at the forefront of that evolution.