UVA Athletics announced Friday that it has received another multimillion-dollar commitment earmarked toward Virginia Football from a “friend of the program.”
That term, friend of the program – feels like the old days of the SWC, doesn’t it?
A press release told us that the gift – amount undisclosed, as was the case when the money had to be under the table – is the fourth “transformational” gift UVA Football has received in the past 10 months.
Also revealed in the PR: “philanthropic investment directed for competitive operational support of the program has more than doubled what had been secured across the previous eight seasons combined.”
That’s the first three years of the Tony Elliott era, and the last five of the six years of Bronco Mendenhall.
“What we’re building is an infrastructure that can sustain success. Not just one roster or one season, but several seasons, several rosters. That’s how you create a foundation that lasts,” said Tyler Jones, who was formally named the general manager for the football program back in the summer, but had been acting in that capacity dating back to last fall.
For context here: we were told last weekend that the football program, which had a $35 million budget for the 2025 roster, will have a $40 million budget for 2026.
The message being sent: it takes money to win, and money is not a problem.
“If you have a university that is aligned top to bottom that wants to play championship football, you can have a championship program anywhere. This gift shows that belief in action,” Elliott said, per the release. “It’s a commitment to our players, to our staff and to what we’re building together here in Charlottesville. As a program, we’re humbled by the support we have received and are proud to represent this great university.”
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Chris Graham
