Whit is obviously off to a seemingly good start taking VT athletics to the next level. As we know, big time athletics requires big time support including money. I wonder what the fans' reaction will be when the ticket price increases begin and the Hokie level requirements go up.
P.s. I'd like to take this opportunity 2 invite u all to join @hokieclub :) We need your help, all in it together! http://t.co/cH0qT1q0Dj— Whit Babcock (@WhitBabcock) March 22, 2014
In reading the background on Buzz, Marquette spent more per basketball player on their BB program than anyone else in the country except Duke ($270,000 / student) according to this article.
I am personally all for spending more to get VT to that elite level but I'm sure there is going to be some wailing and gnashing of teeth over the next few years as Whit figures out how to pay for everything.
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Retweeted and signing up now. So excited. The only thing that could have put the cherry on top of my basketball world yesterday would have been loluva becoming the first 1 to lose to a 16. A Hokie can dream.
That is part of the reason, he is already asking for the unbelievers to join the Hokie Club and donate. Now, if only I could get credit for getting you all to sign up...
There is apparently a referral program thing. Don't really know how good it is.
http://hokieclub.com/forms/HokieReferralsFlyer.pdf
No, the dog ate my homework, I can't get a job in my major field (soc & psych), I have to pay off student loans, I can't stay on my parent's healthcare after 26, they aren't giving students front row seating at Cassell and Lane, they won't play Na-Na-Na, can't yell stick it in, they keep ramming hokie respect down my throat, I have 2 young kids, I live in NOVA and it's too far to drive, we don't play 3 thursday nite games a year, I got busted for having a mini bottle in the stands, the rich alumni need to give more, ..zzzzzz. Would you like cheese with your whine?
Cheese with my Rail maybe....whine and Zima are for Wahoo's
Hm, so that's why that one Saturday night was so rough...
Rails will get after you fast. No question about it. I have made variations of it at almost every bar I ever tended because it brings in the tips.
Whit's background is in fundraising, which is essentially sales. He is currently painting a vision for our athletics and asking everyone to chip in. So far he's been nothing short of brilliant. I'd bet the presser on Monday will continur this trend and get more people to open their wallets. If there is enough support coming in then higher prices might not be necessary and if they are, people will pay more to see a winner. I've been beyond with Whit so far; I'm going to be tuning into the presser and I'm not a bball fan at all.
Folks Whit's heard our call for better basketball and raised us. It's time to ante up people
So you think Whit reads TKP too? How awesome would it be if we got a Whit Report to go along wigh the Bitter Blog and everything else?
He has at least acknowledged the one tweet I sent him regarding the discussion Brian started regarding improving the Basketball Environment, so I imagine from time to time he will spend a few minutes perusing different Hokie sites to see how he is doing or at least have someone do an azimuth check for him from the AD staff. Seems very in tune with the electronic media which is a good thing.
I made my first ever donation to Hokie Club last night. I'm encouraging my friends to do the same.
Yup, I wasn't originally planning on joining the Hokie Club after I graduate (moving far away so I won't be able to come back for every game) but now I'm gonna donate just because I'm excited. Way to go Whit!
I think the goal is to try and get at least $100/yr from most of the alumni.
I've signed up within the last month, and a huge part of it was Whit's energy and obvious commitment to building a winning and successful athletics department.
People will pay for a winner. We watch sports for a reason - the excitement. It's what you pay for combined with the pride intrinsic in seeing your alma mater generate that excitement.
So there's kind of a catch, you have to both win *and* win the exciting games people want to see. This is the perfect time to have this discussion. You know this gigantic, exciting tournament that everyone's all excited about? We need to start being in that more. It's literally the whole point of playing the game. That was ultimately SGs undoing, he couldn't make that thing. He could win his share of regular season games which was nice, but never could take that next step so the excitement dwindled. With it went attendance, money, wins, and SG himself.
Football is kind of seeing the same thing. Luckily football is so engrained here that the inability to win big/BCS games didn't/doesn't damage things too badly.
If you want people's money, you don't shame them into giving it to you lest they be a "Bad Hokie" or whatever. You need to give them a reason to do so and get them so exited that they can't even think of reasons (legitimate it otherwise) not too.
Whit is a fundraising guy, he knows how to make people say "Shut up and take my money!" He's demonstrating how right now.
I'm absolutely blown away right now.
He snagged me! I paid last night..and it didn't even bother me to do it :D
Disagree a bit. The steady givers who graduated in the 60's and 70's gave because they felt pride in VT family. These boomers were 1st gen college grads in their family and VT accepted them with fair grades and low tuition. VT was growing and needed to fill dorms. Thank god most of us are not trying to get in now because we couldn't. We are not the educationally elite that our children have turned out to be. We are the farmers that put bread on the table, the soldiers (who lost Vietnam) and the engineers who put a man on the moon. We give to VTAF and to the Alumni association because we can and feel honored to do it. Is a $100 a yr from every grad from 2000 too much to ask. Hell it's not even a Big Mac a week. The old guard has shown it will carry the water a few more years until you catch up. I don't need an AD to sell me anything. The hell with a winning season, its VT I am proud of.
Very good except, it wasn't the soldiers that lost Vietnam, it was the politicians and the chattering class.
Don't forget the french.
A fine attitude to have, but not realistic in 2014, sorry. This was Weavers attitude, and you saw the results. Shaming people into giving lest they be "bad Hokies" or whatever such nonsense is an ineffective way to raise money.
If I was going to give money to someone out of obligation, I would give it to the actual university that educated me, not the bloody sports teams.
It's so refreshing that Whit understands this and has demonstrated right out of the gate that he means business. The weaver model was fine for its time, but that time had past.
I agree with this. It was a good attitude to have (and to a certain degree still is). But, unfortunately duffman is correct. Just doesn't work. In fact, it hasn't for quite some time. There's an entire thread about this too.
They sent the email 45 minutes ago essentially asking for season ticket purchase with Buzz's photo on it, shouting and pointing forward.
Don't waste time, generate the excitement and tell people how to get on board.
This new AD, he doesn't seem to hesitate, generates the excitement and asks for the support while the "Buzz" is in full swing.
Go get'em, Whit.
Two things, 1 day - Now a twitter user and hokie club donor!
If he can do this for basketball.........we've got a lot of o-faces coming up in the future.
Huge college basketball fan here. I expect to join the Hokie Club here in a couple weeks for the first time. I will also be sending in some sort of thank you letter or email to the athletic director/department for showing that they finally mean business with college hoops.
I also plan on joining the hokie club for the first time at some point this year, it's always been something I've thought of, but seeing that we have an ad that isn't ok with being second tier and isn't afraid to spend money to win has pushed me over the edge. So hyped about the hire and the future of hokies athletics under whit. Gives me a lot of hope for when beams inevitably steps down
And the sleeping giant stretches out its arms and yawns as its eyes flicker open to view the new morning.......
^^^^^^ This, is very cool.
He said that right after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, a move he absolutely did not support as he wanted to dominate the rest of the region before going after Hawaii
I like this guy. I've heard more about the Hokie Club from him in the past couple weeks than I've heard about it since I've graduated and was in school.
I know my company matches charitable contributions to schools and some charities. I'll have to see how it works.
Just joined as an Orange & Maroon Hokie!
Just joined myself! Graduated 2 years ago but never felt compelled to join up until recently.
this sounds like a quote from a schizophrenic ...
but congrats on signing up!! have a leg :D