"B" Association Enjoys New Home Under University Umbrella

While Baylor’s athletic teams have a history that dates back to the early 1900s, the organization that services and is served by former student-athletes was not an official part of the University for more than 70 years. That changed June 7, 2013, when the Baylor “B” Association officially became an entity of the University.

One year after the transition, “B” Association Director and Associate Director of Athletics Walter Abercrombie could not be happier.

“The working relationship is just as everyone expected it to be,” Abercrombie said. “The University has been a great partner, and it’s really made the transition fairly seamless. We’re continuing to do things as we’ve always done, but now we’re under one umbrella.”

Loosely started in the late 1930s, the “B” Association is composed of former Baylor letter-earning student-athletes who have continued their devotion to Baylor’s athletic programs. While all letterwinners are members, only those who pay current dues as set by the association’s board of directors are active members.

For years, the “B” Association acted as a separate enterprise from the University in terms of resources, project management and constituent engagement. Now, those endeavors are joint efforts between the association and the University.

“It allows us to reach even more members,” Abercrombie said. “Having access to University resources has been a real plus for us. I’ve always believed that we’re here to support Baylor, and that has been the driving mission of this organization and its leadership from the beginning. All this has done is enhance our ability to do so.”

Abercrombie, who played football under Grant Teaff from 1978 to 1981 before an eight-year NFL career, has served as the athletic department’s “B” Association liaison since 2004. He has seen vast improvements in terms of marketing and communication with “B” Association members under the new partnership with the University.

“Rather than having a separate database (of members) that was maintained by the “B” Association for many years, we’re now able to work through one database that contains profile information for each of our members,” he said. “And that information is accessible by the University; it helps them identify lettermen for whatever purpose they need.”

Abercrombie said when the decision to bring the “B” Association under the University’s umbrella was put to a vote it passed unanimously.

“Our members have embraced the change,” he said. “Most members probably don’t even know how things have changed. But in terms of operations and how we function as an organization, it makes it so much easier being a part of the University. Our membership expected a seamless transition, and that’s exactly what they’ve had.”