Purpose

· The trophy will be created to build the rivalry between UC Irvine and Long Beach State in all sports
· To bring attention to college sports in the Southern California, specifically in Orange County and Long Beach
· To provide a sense of pride between alumni in these areas
· To increase attendance at sporting events between the two schools
· To build school spirit among each institution's student body

Point System
· The winner of any head-to-head match-ups during Big West play will receive two points.
· For sports that do not play a round-robin regular season, a higher finish at the Big West Championships will determine two points. (M&W Cross Country, M&W Golf, M&W Track & Field). Indoor Track & Field will not count in point totals.
· If round robin teams should meet in conference tournaments, an extra two points will be awarded to the winner. (Women's Soccer, Women's Volleyball, Men's Volleyball, M&W Basketball, M&W Water Polo, Women's Tennis)
· Regular season tournament/non-conference match-ups do not count toward point total.
· An extra point will be given for any road win.
· If the contest is played at a neutral site, only two points will be awarded.
· All Big West Championship meetings will be considered a neutral site.
· In the sport of baseball, the series will be valued at four points with an additional point awarded for a road series win.
· Should the two schools meet in postseason play, i.e. NCAA Tournament (exclusive of baseball), the winner shall receive two (2) additional points for that sport.

Award
Each year at the conclusion of the final scheduled athletic event between the two institutions, the winner of that year's "Black & Blue Series" will receive a surf board trophy bearing the inscription of the annual winners, provided by Duke's of Huntington Beach. The winning institution will retain possession of the trophy for a period of one (1) year, until the award presentation of the following year. The two institutions will work together to obtain funding for the trophy and mutually agree upon its appearance.

Promotion
Up-to-date point totals and news related to the "Black & Blue Series" will be maintained on both schools' official athletic websites: www.athletics.uci.edu. and www.longbeachstate.com. In addition, the standings will be announced during each school's game broadcasts during UCI vs. LBSU competition as well as on coaches' shows, regular press releases and through promotional partners. All pre-event promotional efforts will be coordinated through each school's director of marketing. Both schools would create a banner with the current point totals of the rivalry series.

Promotional Partners
The institutions' athletic marketing offices will coordinate the solicitation of promotional partners, focusing primarily on media outlets such as radio and television partners. In addition to advance promotion, promotional partners will have the ability to establish a presence at competitions between the two institutions. Promotional presence shall include tabling, giveaways, mailings and other events as agreed upon and allowed by both institutions. All partnerships related to the rivalry series should remain separate and distinct from any and all programs conducted by each institution.

Student Involvement
Promotional ideas include specific rivalry series t-shirts and other student-oriented giveaways, halftime scrimmages between intramural teams from the two institutions, club sport contests, cheerleader involvement and others as determined by the marketing departments at each institution. Each institution will be responsible for generating student interest. In addition, each school's student-athlete leadership council will endorse the rivalry series as a spirit project.

Community Involvement
The rivalry series will provide the opportunity for extensive community involvement by such groups as each city's convention & visitor's bureau, each city's government officials, each institution's president and university administration. There will also be opportunity to tie community service into the rivalry, such as teams from each institution working together to improve the community. Service organizations such as the Rotary, Lions Club, Kiwanis, etc. would also be contacted.

Sportsmanship
Each school and its Student Athletes will conduct themselves in a way demonstrating good sportsmanship throughout all competition. Any forms of bad sportsmanship will not be tolerated and could be deemed a loss of points toward the rivalry series. In perception and practice, sportsmanship is defined as those qualities which are characterized by generosity and genuine concern for others:

· Play fair, take loss or defeat without complaint, or victory without gloating· Treat others as you wish to be treated
· Respect others and one's self
· Impose self-control, be courteous, and gracefully accept results of one's actions
· Display ethical behavior by being good (character) and doing right (action)
· Be a good citizen.

Duke's Restaurant Managing Partner Brett Barnes discusses the Black and Blue Rivalry: