Renaissance men
\nFootball coach Mike London's emphasis on fostering players' academic and personal development fits neatly with the University's core valuesIt has been a month and a half since Mike London took over as Virginia's head football coach, and the process of building his first staff is nearly complete. The assistants brought aboard thus far seem to reflect one of London's core beliefs about collegiate coaching, namely that a player's character and off-the-field success are every bit as important as his football performance.
Of course, most coaches give lip service to such ideals, but oftentimes their actions do little to mirror the rhetoric. Although former coach Al Groh seemed genuinely concerned about all aspects of his players' lives, off-the-field issues plagued Virginia's program repeatedly during his tenure. Some also thought Groh was too reluctant to accept responsibility for his team's conduct.
It goes without saying that fans are anxious for a winning football program. London's national title at the University of Richmond demonstrates his ability to win - even if in a lower division. That said, it certainly reflects positively on the University when coaches also take an active interest in their players' conduct, academic performance and personal development. At a school with more stringent academic requirements for its athletes than most, it makes perfect sense to attract players and coaches who truly embrace the "student" half of the student-athlete label. To do otherwise is not simply in bad taste, but it can also lead to off-the-field distractions that detract from the program's long-term success.
With a new president taking over in August and a new men's basketball coach currently in his first season, now is a compelling time to focus on building revenue sports programs that are more in line with the University's overall mission. Although it is true that doing so may jeopardize the ability to land certain recruits whose values and personal ambitions do not align with the University's, it seems unlikely that these players would thrive in this environment regardless. Moreover, if Virginia coaches can demonstrate that the athletes here benefit from their holistic college experiences, more recruits should find the University to be an appealing option.\n
Sixth man
\nLowering basketball ticket prices for upper-level seats is a prudent move, but must be promoted ardently to bring in more fansAfter a thoroughly lackluster couple of years in the revenue sports, it is highly encouraging to see the men's basketball team once again compete successfully in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Though plenty of basketball has yet to be played this season, Virginia is 3-0 in the conference for the first time in 15 years, and at 12-4 overall, the team has already surpassed last year's total victory count. In a year marked by parity, the Cavaliers quickly became the ACC's sole undefeated team.
Fans' energy and excitement accompanying the strong start is palpable. Accompanying this positive news came word last week that the athletic department decided to lower ticket prices for the uppermost seats at John Paul Jones Arena from $30 to $10 for each of the remaining home games, excluding the Duke contest next month.
Just two years ago, the department alienated some longtime fans when it changed its football season ticket policy to prioritize seating based on donation levels to the Virginia Athletics Foundation. Offering reduced price basketball tickets sends a signal that the department is committed to increasing the turnout at JPJ. "We believe it's important for this program to experience a loud and supportive home court advantage," said Jon Oliver, executive associate athletics director.
Still, the reduced price tickets will only accomplish that goal if they are properly marketed to alumni and members of the local community. Word-of-mouth travels fast, but the University must advertise this promotion energetically through its established channels of communication, such as alumni newsletters.
All in all, the policy makes good business sense. After fans become accustomed to attending games and becoming part of the excitement, they will likely be more willing to shell out a few extra bucks when ticket demand rises again in the future. Given basketball coach Tony Bennett's emphatic start to his ACC career, that time may be upon us sooner rather than later.
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