Washington State University’s new athletic director, Anne McCoy, is taking charge at a moment of major transition for Cougar athletics-and at the center of that moment sits one of the region’s most recognizable storylines: the hardwood battles with Gonzaga. With conference realignment reshaping alliances, TV deals driving tipoff times, and nonconference schedules under constant negotiation, McCoy’s early remarks about the WSU-Gonzaga basketball rivalry reveal how she intends to blend tradition, regional pride, and long-term competitiveness.
In a conversation with Sports Illustrated, she touched on both the emotional weight of the series for fans across the state and the logistical challenges of preserving one of the Pacific Northwest’s marquee nonconference clashes.
Reimagining the Washington State-Gonzaga Basketball Rivalry as a Signature Event
Speaking from Washington State’s updated administrative hub in Pullman, McCoy outlined a vision that treats the matchup less as a routine nonconference game and more as a national-caliber event. Instead of simply penciling in Gonzaga on the schedule, she wants the WSU-Gonzaga basketball rivalry to anchor the Cougars’ brand each season.
Her approach centers on transforming the game into a headline attraction:
- Event-style presentation: Collaborations with television partners and both universities’ marketing teams are being explored to enhance broadcast quality, storytelling, and in-arena experiences.
- Themed environments: WSU is considering special game themes, rivalry branding, and creative presentations that turn the contest into a must-attend night.
- Rotating venues: Along with Pullman and Gonzaga’s home floor, Spokane’s downtown arena is under consideration as a rotating host site, taking advantage of its size and neutral feel.
- Student-focused initiatives: Expect renewed efforts to fill student sections through coordinated promotions, giveaways, and digital campaigns aimed directly at campus communities.
- Strategic scheduling: McCoy has stressed that tip times and dates must suit TV audiences while still limiting travel strain and avoiding conflict with conference play.
The underlying objective is clear: the rivalry should feature high-intensity basketball, but it must also be built on a sustainable model that works for both athletic departments.
Building a Shared Blueprint: Collaboration, Storytelling, and Community Ties
Behind closed doors, McCoy has started assembling a broader coalition-coaches, administrators, donors, and community leaders-to ensure the WSU-Gonzaga matchup becomes a yearly checkpoint for both programs. The idea is to treat game week as a multi-layered platform, not just a scoreboard contest.
Key conceptual pillars being discussed include:
- Shared community initiatives
Joint charitable drives or service projects anchored to rivalry week, tying game-day energy to local impact.
- Joint media exposure
Combined press conferences, media days, and feature interviews that include both head coaches and select players, generating shared storylines and national interest.
- Data-driven ticketing strategies
Analytics-based pricing and seating approaches that chase sellouts and strong revenue while preserving robust access for students and local fans.
- Elevated digital storytelling
Feature pieces, documentary-style content, and social series that highlight the history, personalities, and turning points that define the WSU-Gonzaga basketball rivalry.
To keep planning organized, WSU has targeted specific short-term benchmarks:
| Focus Area | WSU Target | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Attendance | Sellout home dates | Next 2 seasons |
| Media Profile | National TV slot | Negotiations underway |
| Community Impact | Annual joint fundraiser | Launch by next meeting |
The Scheduling Puzzle: Contracts, TV Windows, and Realistic Timelines
McCoy has been candid: reviving a consistent series with Gonzaga isn’t as simple as circling a date and issuing a press release. Both schools operate in a crowded ecosystem where:
- Long-term nonconference contracts are often set years in advance.
- Exempt tournaments and holiday events consume prime December and November dates.
- Television partners push for specific windows and matchups.
- Programs must protect their NCAA Tournament metrics, including NET rankings and strength of schedule.
Gonzaga’s nonconference slate is usually packed early with national heavyweights, while Washington State is adjusting to a new conference configuration and wants to retain enough flexibility for neutral-site showcases and other high-profile games. Add in travel budgets, academic calendar considerations, and league obligations, and the “obvious” regional rivalry becomes a complex scheduling chess match.
Within that reality, industry norms suggest that a stable series typically needs to be locked in one to three seasons ahead. McCoy has emphasized patience and structure over rushed deal-making, with an eye toward:
- Ensuring competitive balance and fairness in home-and-home arrangements.
- Integrating neutral-site installments (Spokane, Seattle, or other regional hubs).
- Prioritizing dates that don’t compromise conference play or player welfare.
Current concepts on the table include:
- Multi-year contracts that provide continuity, create marketing runway, and allow both fan bases to plan ahead.
- Rotating locations between Pullman and Spokane to share economic benefits and diversify fan access.
- Neutral-site dates in larger West Coast arenas to tap into broader regional interest.
- Television-friendly windows that align with network needs and maximize exposure for both programs.
Projected timelines reflect these realities:
| Season | Likely Status | Key Factor |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | Spot talks | Existing contracts limit dates |
| 2025-26 | Target window | Schedule gaps begin to open |
| 2026-27 | Stabilization | Potential start of regular series |
From Local Derby to National Showcase: Fan Engagement and Regional Branding
For both schools, the WSU-Gonzaga basketball rivalry represents more than 40 minutes of basketball. McCoy and Gonzaga’s leadership see it as a shared Pacific Northwest showcase-an opportunity to highlight Cougars, Bulldogs, and Inland Northwest hoops on a much larger stage.
By doubling down on the unique identities of Cougar Country and Zag Nation, the programs can create a rivalry experience that stretches well beyond the arena:
- Joint digital campaigns: Coordinated countdowns, behind-the-scenes features, and cross-platform content that bring fans into practice, locker rooms, and film rooms.
- Alternating fan festivals: Game-week events in Pullman and Spokane featuring live music, local food, interactive games, and appearances from players and alumni.
- Regional alumni engagement: Watch parties and alumni events in key markets like Seattle, Portland, Boise, and beyond to expand the footprint of the rivalry.
- Social media competition: Hashtag battles, fan-generated content contests, and school-color takeovers that pit crimson and gray against navy and white in creative ways.
National broadcasters increasingly look for exactly this kind of layered storytelling when selecting nonconference spotlights. In recent seasons, networks have prioritized rivalry games with strong regional narratives; for example, ESPN’s ratings for high-profile college basketball rivalries have climbed when matchups are packaged with deep feature content and community angles. The WSU-Gonzaga basketball rivalry is well-positioned to follow that model.
Administrators also understand that regional storytelling sells-to sponsors, networks, and recruits alike. By presenting the series as an annual Inland Northwest basketball festival, they can:
- Promote local businesses through co-branded activations.
- Host youth clinics backed by both programs, building the next generation of fans.
- Rotate neutral-site games into larger West Coast markets to grow visibility.
Some of the concepts already circulating behind the scenes include:
- Joint marketing assets that use both mascots and shared taglines across print, digital, and in-arena environments.
- Co-branded community events held in Pullman, Spokane, and neighboring cities to involve fans who might not attend the game itself.
- Enhanced in-arena production-LED features, intro videos, and on-court presentations-crafted with national TV audiences in mind.
- Collaborative NIL opportunities for players through regional sponsors who see value in tapping both fan bases at once.
The strategic impact of these efforts can be mapped at both the local and national levels:
| Strategy | Local Impact | National Appeal |
|---|---|---|
| Regional Fan Festivals | Packs venues, boosts tourism | Creates made-for-TV scenes |
| Co-Branded Merchandise | Strengthens shared identity | Generates coast-to-coast sales |
| Neutral-Site Showcases | Reaches new West Coast markets | Positions matchup as marquee event |
Raising Washington State’s Profile: What the Cougars Must Do to Sustain a Long-Term Showcase
For Washington State, turning the WSU-Gonzaga basketball rivalry into a fixture on the national calendar requires more than marketing-it demands on-court credibility and organizational stability. Gonzaga has long operated as a top-25 mainstay; for the rivalry to resonate nationally, the Cougars need to project similar ambition and consistency.
McCoy’s broader strategy emphasizes:
- Coaching stability
Long-term security and alignment in the coaching staff to build a recognizable system and culture.
- Analytics-driven recruiting
Leveraging data to identify undervalued prospects, fit-based targets, and athletes who can thrive against elite competition.
- Modern player development
Investment in strength and conditioning, sports science, skill-specific training, and mental performance programs to keep WSU competitive with power programs.
From a game-operations standpoint, WSU intends to treat each meeting with Gonzaga as a tentpole moment on the schedule. That means aligning every internal unit-marketing, operations, communications, ticketing, development-around delivering an atmosphere that feels like a national event, not just a standard nonconference date.
Core priorities under this umbrella include:
- Securing home-and-home scheduling guarantees to keep the series equitable and predictable for fans and recruits.
- Enhancing Beasley Coliseum’s game-day production with upgraded lighting, sound systems, video boards, and interactive fan elements.
- Coordinated NIL strategies that help WSU athletes benefit from the heightened attention these games bring.
- Aligning TV partners and tip times to place the matchup in national windows that reach audiences beyond the Northwest.
WSU’s roadmap can be split into on-court and off-court priorities:
| On-Court Priorities | Off-Court Priorities |
|---|---|
| Top-100 recruiting wins | Joint WSU-GU media initiatives |
| Consistent defensive identity | Regional sponsor partnerships |
| Regular postseason bids | Fan travel and ticket packages |
Beyond the basketball itself, the athletic department can amplify the rivalry’s profile with thoughtfully designed campaigns. That includes:
- Seasonal content drops themed around the WSU-Gonzaga basketball rivalry.
- Preseason joint media appearances featuring both staffs to frame the matchup months in advance.
- Charitable collaborations that attach the rivalry to causes important in the region.
- Alumni- and student-focused experiences such as exclusive pre-game events, rivalry-branded merchandise, and curated fan zones.
By weaving the game into a multi-platform presence-linear TV, streaming, social media, and live events-Washington State can ensure each edition of the rivalry feels like a centerpiece of the college basketball season, not just another nonconference line item.
Final Takeaways: A Rivalry as a Measuring Stick for a New Era
As Washington State steps into a new chapter under Anne McCoy, the WSU-Gonzaga basketball rivalry carries renewed significance. Her early messaging makes clear that, even in an era defined by realignment and evolving tournament criteria, this regional showdown remains integral to the Cougars’ identity and aspirations.
What happens next-how WSU and Gonzaga negotiate schedules, build a shared brand, and manage competing priorities-will determine whether the rivalry grows into a regular national showcase or evolves into a different form. What is not in doubt is its importance: every meeting between Washington State and Gonzaga serves as a barometer for both programs and a focal point in the continuing story of college basketball in the Pacific Northwest.
