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The Cinderella Strategy: The Game Plan Behind Butler University’s Rise to Prominence
In 2010, Butler University’s men’s basketball team made a stunning run to the national championship game, becoming the smallest school to make the final in the modern history of the NCAA tournament. In 2011, they did it again. With back-to-back turns as America’s favorite underdog, Butler basketball provided its university back home in Indianapolis with an unprecedented opportunity.
The Cinderella Strategy details how Butler started its move toward the Final Fours as far back in 1989, forged a synergy between a big-time athletic program and a serious academic institution in the process, and then leveraged the Cinderella story for all it was worth. The authors analyze how the university’s decision-makers took full advantage of this opportunity, delving into the brilliant marketing of Butler’s live mascot program, the authentic branding of “The Butler Way,” and the critical move into the Big East. Through these and other tactics, Butler transformed its academic reputation, enrollment, fundraising, and campus infrastructure, all in an era when many other small, private universities have struggled to survive. The resulting story interweaves basketball luminaries like Boston Celtics Coach Brad Stevens, Villanova Coach Jay Wright, and San Antonio Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich with the tireless efforts of so many lesser known but equally talented individuals within the Butler community.
The Cinderella Strategy reveals how Butler has shattered the odds time and time again, both on and off the court. In the process, it offers a heartening case study of how a complex organization can find, manage, and multiply success, without having to trade its soul in the process.
The Cinderella Strategy details how Butler started its move toward the Final Fours as far back in 1989, forged a synergy between a big-time athletic program and a serious academic institution in the process, and then leveraged the Cinderella story for all it was worth. The authors analyze how the university’s decision-makers took full advantage of this opportunity, delving into the brilliant marketing of Butler’s live mascot program, the authentic branding of “The Butler Way,” and the critical move into the Big East. Through these and other tactics, Butler transformed its academic reputation, enrollment, fundraising, and campus infrastructure, all in an era when many other small, private universities have struggled to survive. The resulting story interweaves basketball luminaries like Boston Celtics Coach Brad Stevens, Villanova Coach Jay Wright, and San Antonio Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich with the tireless efforts of so many lesser known but equally talented individuals within the Butler community.
The Cinderella Strategy reveals how Butler has shattered the odds time and time again, both on and off the court. In the process, it offers a heartening case study of how a complex organization can find, manage, and multiply success, without having to trade its soul in the process.
- GenresSports
176 pages, Hardcover
Published March 19, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 15, 2020
As a Butler alum, I thought I'd heard all the stories - Blue barfing on the floor of Madison Square Garden, the student-athletes in class before the championship game, the skyrocketing successes celebrated by Admissions, Advancement and Athletics in the years since the back-to-back tournament runs. But there were so many more that put Butler's wins in a new light.
The research and storytelling, fast-paced and detail-oriented, had me on my feet cheering for the underdawgs, and not just on the hardwoods. The Cinderella Strategy shares struggles, successes and stumbles, and strategies that helped them excel when other universities faced - and continue to face - uncertainty. Many of the lessons in the book can be applied outside academia and athletics, into businesses and communities.
It's a must-read for anyone who needs to be reminded that dreams really do come true.
I'm grateful for the chance to read the final draft before it went to press.
The research and storytelling, fast-paced and detail-oriented, had me on my feet cheering for the underdawgs, and not just on the hardwoods. The Cinderella Strategy shares struggles, successes and stumbles, and strategies that helped them excel when other universities faced - and continue to face - uncertainty. Many of the lessons in the book can be applied outside academia and athletics, into businesses and communities.
It's a must-read for anyone who needs to be reminded that dreams really do come true.
I'm grateful for the chance to read the final draft before it went to press.
April 8, 2026
Went in reverse order, but this is the second book I have read by Honaker and Logan, after completing Unbracketed: Big-Time College Basketball Done The Right Way last June and this was fabulous. Rather fittingly, I was enthralled to the tune of 129 pages I read on the day of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball National Championship, and though this year's tournament didn't feature a prominent Cinderella, this book gave me an excellent foundation for what Cinderella runs in the tournament do for ascending institutions.
As a young professional and aspiring athletics administrator, this book placed a few keys that are little talked about amongst the buzz of the almost yearly Cinderella story. The first was that the ascent of a school in capitalizing on the publicity and notoriety doesn't come after a team has made its run, it is started well in advance. With the time, effort and planning it takes, having key pieces in place that are nimble and have the autonomy to act in the University's best interest is critical. Over-reaching in trying to control a narrative takes away your ability to reach people with a real story that speaks to them. That was the second, and may be most important, thing: authenticity. If you are creating a story to sell your University and get students, the community and alumni engaged, you have already missed the point. The publicity exists to shine a light on what makes your school unique and that uniqueness should be what is engaging. If there are no differentiators and you have to make something up, you have lost because you are going back to the first point where you are not ready to make a leap as a school.
This book provided a lot of insight on Butler University's climb and its history. I think a few things that stand out specific to Butler are its commitment to its culture, and how that culture was built, I'll say it again, authentically. Butler had the right leaders at the right time to make the right decisions. When something was needed that Butler didn't have, they went out and got it. There was no fear of capitalizing opportunity, and there was a certain level of calculated risk required to get that opportunity. One thing about Butler I admire is that they did a full situational analysis in making basketball their flagship program. They looked at their stature, they looked at their location and they looked at their assets and decided that was the best move for them to have this opportunity. That takes a lot of self-reflection and self-awareness to realize what you are and what you have, then putting yourself in the best position from that. Forcing something that is not well-aligned would have just led to headaches and frustrations down the road.
One thing I found interesting was how Honaker and Logan argue that for Cinderella stories, the greatest benefit isn't truly realized in the fallout from the success, it is in how that success is translated into propelling the University's standing forward. The time-horizon given for the 'halo effect' is one to four years, yet in interviews with the faculty and enrollment numbers, Butler's jump wasn't right after back-to-back Final Fours in 2010 and 2011, it was in going to the Big East Conference. That jump doesn't happen without the success, but the new conference gives you more name recognition, academic peers that elicit prestige, and an expanded geographic footprint that knows your name better because of basketball. This was fascinating as most academic discussion of athletics increasing the University's standing is centered on the Flutie Effect and the increase in applications, Honaker and Logan point out it is actually something else altogether.
I thought this was a tremendous read, I am so glad I was recommended this book by my athletic director at the institution I work at. I would certainly read future works from Honaker and Logan.
Important quotes:
"We wrote down missions, we wrote visions, we wrote the creed-everything imaginable we just put down. We wanted a program. We didn't want to just have a team. We wanted this to be something that would be passed on and would allow sustainability." (pg. 83) - Former Butler coach Todd Lickliter on how building a program requires creating something that will last, not just something that will burn quick and die out. Sustainability is the way to make an impact on a greater group.
"Innovation is a way to move beyond the complacency inherent in many organizations. In higher education-where tradition is so highly valued and respected-there's an inclination to depend upon the way things have always been done. Innovation allows people to consider possibilities, beyond past and current practices, and adapt to a shifting landscape while positioning their school for future success. Transformation is the outcome of innovation." (pg. 194) - Butler president Jim Danko on the importance for growth and innovation at institutions of higher education to make sure they remain relevant and viable in our current society.
"If you really believe in your core that these values that you have are why you exist, then it's easier to speak to them. It's easier to hold to them. We reward accordingly, whether that be with an approval or patience or whatever the case might be. It's much more than just letting you win or lose." (pg. 205) - Former Butler AD Barry Collier on the importance of sticking to your core values and beliefs and letting those be your guiding light in athletics, not just chasing wins.
As a young professional and aspiring athletics administrator, this book placed a few keys that are little talked about amongst the buzz of the almost yearly Cinderella story. The first was that the ascent of a school in capitalizing on the publicity and notoriety doesn't come after a team has made its run, it is started well in advance. With the time, effort and planning it takes, having key pieces in place that are nimble and have the autonomy to act in the University's best interest is critical. Over-reaching in trying to control a narrative takes away your ability to reach people with a real story that speaks to them. That was the second, and may be most important, thing: authenticity. If you are creating a story to sell your University and get students, the community and alumni engaged, you have already missed the point. The publicity exists to shine a light on what makes your school unique and that uniqueness should be what is engaging. If there are no differentiators and you have to make something up, you have lost because you are going back to the first point where you are not ready to make a leap as a school.
This book provided a lot of insight on Butler University's climb and its history. I think a few things that stand out specific to Butler are its commitment to its culture, and how that culture was built, I'll say it again, authentically. Butler had the right leaders at the right time to make the right decisions. When something was needed that Butler didn't have, they went out and got it. There was no fear of capitalizing opportunity, and there was a certain level of calculated risk required to get that opportunity. One thing about Butler I admire is that they did a full situational analysis in making basketball their flagship program. They looked at their stature, they looked at their location and they looked at their assets and decided that was the best move for them to have this opportunity. That takes a lot of self-reflection and self-awareness to realize what you are and what you have, then putting yourself in the best position from that. Forcing something that is not well-aligned would have just led to headaches and frustrations down the road.
One thing I found interesting was how Honaker and Logan argue that for Cinderella stories, the greatest benefit isn't truly realized in the fallout from the success, it is in how that success is translated into propelling the University's standing forward. The time-horizon given for the 'halo effect' is one to four years, yet in interviews with the faculty and enrollment numbers, Butler's jump wasn't right after back-to-back Final Fours in 2010 and 2011, it was in going to the Big East Conference. That jump doesn't happen without the success, but the new conference gives you more name recognition, academic peers that elicit prestige, and an expanded geographic footprint that knows your name better because of basketball. This was fascinating as most academic discussion of athletics increasing the University's standing is centered on the Flutie Effect and the increase in applications, Honaker and Logan point out it is actually something else altogether.
I thought this was a tremendous read, I am so glad I was recommended this book by my athletic director at the institution I work at. I would certainly read future works from Honaker and Logan.
Important quotes:
"We wrote down missions, we wrote visions, we wrote the creed-everything imaginable we just put down. We wanted a program. We didn't want to just have a team. We wanted this to be something that would be passed on and would allow sustainability." (pg. 83) - Former Butler coach Todd Lickliter on how building a program requires creating something that will last, not just something that will burn quick and die out. Sustainability is the way to make an impact on a greater group.
"Innovation is a way to move beyond the complacency inherent in many organizations. In higher education-where tradition is so highly valued and respected-there's an inclination to depend upon the way things have always been done. Innovation allows people to consider possibilities, beyond past and current practices, and adapt to a shifting landscape while positioning their school for future success. Transformation is the outcome of innovation." (pg. 194) - Butler president Jim Danko on the importance for growth and innovation at institutions of higher education to make sure they remain relevant and viable in our current society.
"If you really believe in your core that these values that you have are why you exist, then it's easier to speak to them. It's easier to hold to them. We reward accordingly, whether that be with an approval or patience or whatever the case might be. It's much more than just letting you win or lose." (pg. 205) - Former Butler AD Barry Collier on the importance of sticking to your core values and beliefs and letting those be your guiding light in athletics, not just chasing wins.
May 7, 2021
Chance Favors the Prepared Mind—Or University
“The Cinderella Strategy” examines how Butler University parlayed the “halo effect” of consecutive NCAA men’s basketball Final Four appearances in 2010 & 2011 to bolster every facet of the school.
Graham Honaker and Jerry Logan rigorously explore the interplay between Butler’s flagship athletic program and its academics, endowment, enrollment, campus expansion, and other athletics programs.
The authors’ well-documented thesis is that the patina of the national spotlight fades quickly. Powerful though it may be, the Cinderella story only works as a catalyst for a college to effect enduring success. The culture and strategic direction must already be in place.
In Butler’s case, the ability to bottle the lightning via a “cycle of prestige and resource generation” is attributable to 1) a fortuitous succession of university presidents, athletic directors, and coaches, 2) the wholesale buy-in of professors, alumni, and students alike, and 3) a campus culture decades in the making.
The last component—aka “The Butler Way”—is arguably the most salient. As a precise definition is hard to pin down, it’s perhaps best understood by way of illustration:
- Butler athletics focuses on building programs, not teams. The athletic department has a penchant for hiring alumni, often despite mediocre track records at other programs. Fans and athletic directors alike maintain loyalty to coaches, even if win-loss records are rather anemic for several years.
- “Butler Blue,” the school’s adorable canine mascot, spends as much time on campus as any student and often delivers acceptance letters to prospective undergraduates. (It turns out that incorporating a live bulldog markedly increases commitment-to-acceptance ratios.)
- Throughout the recruiting process, coaches make academic expectations of their students perfectly clear. At how many other Division I schools do student-athletes still attend class on the day of their national championship game?
There is no finish line per se to prove that Butler has “made it” in an era of increasing economic pressures on smaller colleges. However, Honaker and Logan make a compelling empirical case that Big East conference membership more or less cemented Butler’s athletic, academic, and fiscal viability. Though some professors may be averse to admitting it, a highly visible athletic program is the key to many schools’ ability to concurrently grow endowments, admissions, and even attract high-tier faculty candidates.
Certain aspects of the Cinderella strategy could be implemented fairly readily by other colleges—e.g., revamped ticketing systems to best reward fan loyalty. But by the authors’ own admission, Butler’s success will be difficult for many of its comparably-sized peers to replicate. Besides the decades required to build a tenable culture of humility and diligence, there are invaluable idiosyncratic elements that no one could replicate.
Butler’s Hinkle Fieldhouse was the site where tiny Milan High School won the Indiana state championship in 1954, and where the film “Hoosiers” reenacted the drama decades later. The real-life Jimmy Chitwood, Bobby Plump, actually went on to play for Butler after hitting his iconic game-winning shot. How many basketball stadiums can you name with a remotely comparable mystique?
“The Cinderella Strategy” is required reading for collegiate coaches, administrators, and development officers, who should implement as many of Butler’s ingredients for success as they can. Anyone who loves college basketball or just a good “underdawg” story will likewise appreciate the read.
“The Cinderella Strategy” examines how Butler University parlayed the “halo effect” of consecutive NCAA men’s basketball Final Four appearances in 2010 & 2011 to bolster every facet of the school.
Graham Honaker and Jerry Logan rigorously explore the interplay between Butler’s flagship athletic program and its academics, endowment, enrollment, campus expansion, and other athletics programs.
The authors’ well-documented thesis is that the patina of the national spotlight fades quickly. Powerful though it may be, the Cinderella story only works as a catalyst for a college to effect enduring success. The culture and strategic direction must already be in place.
In Butler’s case, the ability to bottle the lightning via a “cycle of prestige and resource generation” is attributable to 1) a fortuitous succession of university presidents, athletic directors, and coaches, 2) the wholesale buy-in of professors, alumni, and students alike, and 3) a campus culture decades in the making.
The last component—aka “The Butler Way”—is arguably the most salient. As a precise definition is hard to pin down, it’s perhaps best understood by way of illustration:
- Butler athletics focuses on building programs, not teams. The athletic department has a penchant for hiring alumni, often despite mediocre track records at other programs. Fans and athletic directors alike maintain loyalty to coaches, even if win-loss records are rather anemic for several years.
- “Butler Blue,” the school’s adorable canine mascot, spends as much time on campus as any student and often delivers acceptance letters to prospective undergraduates. (It turns out that incorporating a live bulldog markedly increases commitment-to-acceptance ratios.)
- Throughout the recruiting process, coaches make academic expectations of their students perfectly clear. At how many other Division I schools do student-athletes still attend class on the day of their national championship game?
There is no finish line per se to prove that Butler has “made it” in an era of increasing economic pressures on smaller colleges. However, Honaker and Logan make a compelling empirical case that Big East conference membership more or less cemented Butler’s athletic, academic, and fiscal viability. Though some professors may be averse to admitting it, a highly visible athletic program is the key to many schools’ ability to concurrently grow endowments, admissions, and even attract high-tier faculty candidates.
Certain aspects of the Cinderella strategy could be implemented fairly readily by other colleges—e.g., revamped ticketing systems to best reward fan loyalty. But by the authors’ own admission, Butler’s success will be difficult for many of its comparably-sized peers to replicate. Besides the decades required to build a tenable culture of humility and diligence, there are invaluable idiosyncratic elements that no one could replicate.
Butler’s Hinkle Fieldhouse was the site where tiny Milan High School won the Indiana state championship in 1954, and where the film “Hoosiers” reenacted the drama decades later. The real-life Jimmy Chitwood, Bobby Plump, actually went on to play for Butler after hitting his iconic game-winning shot. How many basketball stadiums can you name with a remotely comparable mystique?
“The Cinderella Strategy” is required reading for collegiate coaches, administrators, and development officers, who should implement as many of Butler’s ingredients for success as they can. Anyone who loves college basketball or just a good “underdawg” story will likewise appreciate the read.
March 26, 2021
March Madness is my favorite time of year. And this year has been doubly great since the entire Men's Tournament has been played in Indiana. This unique opportunity has presented the opportunity for my favorite place on earth to be center stage, Hinkle Fieldhouse at Butler University.
I just finished reading Graham Honaker and Jerry Logan's new book The Cinderella Strategy: The game plan behind Butler University's rise to prominence.
Many of you may have first become aware of the Bulldogs during their back-to-back NCAA finals. But when did this "overnight" sensation start? 1927. This is the year it was decided to build the historic Hinkle Fieldhouse. At the time, Butler had 1300 students but they built a 13,000 seat basketball cathedral.
This book not only highlights the history but shows you the real "Hinkle Magic" behind building a great university, basketball team, business, or sales team. CULTURE.
Culture at Butler is defined by "The Butler Way". And this culture permeates not only the athletic department but the entire university and extended community.
So if you are looking for that "Magic" that you can apply to your organization to create an "overnight" success this is your book.
I just finished reading Graham Honaker and Jerry Logan's new book The Cinderella Strategy: The game plan behind Butler University's rise to prominence.
Many of you may have first become aware of the Bulldogs during their back-to-back NCAA finals. But when did this "overnight" sensation start? 1927. This is the year it was decided to build the historic Hinkle Fieldhouse. At the time, Butler had 1300 students but they built a 13,000 seat basketball cathedral.
This book not only highlights the history but shows you the real "Hinkle Magic" behind building a great university, basketball team, business, or sales team. CULTURE.
Culture at Butler is defined by "The Butler Way". And this culture permeates not only the athletic department but the entire university and extended community.
So if you are looking for that "Magic" that you can apply to your organization to create an "overnight" success this is your book.
May 6, 2023
The Cinderella Strategy consolidates all the marketing brilliance and cultural anecdotes surrounding Butler University's history. The synergy between academics and athletics at Butler has developed gradually over time and accelerated after consecutive Final Four runs. Several leaders at the university made brilliant decisions to capitalize on the basketball program's success to simultaneously market the university and to foster a values-based culture in both athletics and academics. It is a great model for business leaders and education leaders to learn about, and it also makes for a great Cinderella story. I am grateful to have a copy of that story signed by author Graham Honaker, and I enjoyed reading it and reliving the wonderful memories from my alma mater.
August 12, 2024
Little critiques first, I’ve never been the biggest fan of skipping back and forth in time. Especially with nonfiction, but narratively I get it’s needed at times. But here it felt too jumpy. And at times I felt information was retreaded and repeated too much and it slowed my reading down as a result.
But with all of that said…. Honestly, it was really cool to read about my school as a parallel to my life over the coinciding years. From our families first year of season tickets leading up to the infamous 2010 Final Four, to our growing love for the school, and to my two degrees from the University. It felt very personal and allowed me to reflect on so much I love about Butler and my time spent there
But with all of that said…. Honestly, it was really cool to read about my school as a parallel to my life over the coinciding years. From our families first year of season tickets leading up to the infamous 2010 Final Four, to our growing love for the school, and to my two degrees from the University. It felt very personal and allowed me to reflect on so much I love about Butler and my time spent there
March 1, 2023
THE CINDERELLA STRATEGY, published in 2021 is a unique, interesting look at Butler University's rise to prominence on the national level. Authors, Graham Honaker and Jerry Logan combine school history, athletic success, and marketing in telling the school's Cinderella story. The book could be used as business management supplementary text or a guide for small colleges and universities seeking renovation. Bottom line, it is a story dear to my heart as a proud Butler alumnus. GO DAWGS
June 7, 2021
I'm a Butler alum, so of course I loved it.
July 6, 2021
Fantastic book. Anyone from a small school or business should read this. Filled with great ideas!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews