UVA Athletics announced on Monday the details of an ambitious plan to extract $75 million for UVA Basketball seat licenses over the next five years from the sliver of the 1 percent who have $150,000 for courtside seats.
The news release announcing the news on Monday included the line, in bold print, “This is not a reseating initiative,” a reference to the disastrous 2008 reseating with the UVA Football program that coincided with a run of losing seasons at the tail end of the Al Groh era and into the Mike London era, the impact of that being, the loss, forever, of thousands of fans who had been long-term season-ticket holders.
So, “(t)his is not a reseating initiative.” It’s just UVA Athletics asking for double the money for seat licenses from current season-ticket holders in the good seats – the floor, the sidelines and the first four rows of the upper deck.
The timing of this plan, which is set to go into effect for the 2027-2028 season, so, two basketball seasons away, feels like where we were with the football reseating back in 2008.
UVA Basketball is coming off its first losing season since 2010-2011, resulting in a change at the top.
Tony Bennett stepped down before the season, leaving his right-hand man, Ron Sanchez, as the interim coach for the 2024-2025 season, which saw the ‘Hoos limp to a 15-17 finish.
The new head coach, Ryan Odom, has come under fire from some in the fan base, for appearing to want to make a clean break from the successful Bennett era, which saw Virginia win six ACC regular-season titles, two ACC Tournament championships and the 2019 national championship, the only national title in UVA Basketball program history.
Eight of the nine rotation players with eligibility for the 2025-2026 season have transferred out, and the other, freshman guard Ishan Sharma, is in the transfer portal, ostensibly just still looking for his next landing spot.
Odom also decided against retaining either of two young assistants from Bennett’s staff, both key contributors in the Bennett era, Isaiah Wilkins and Kyle Guy.
Odom is walking a fine line between needing to start from scratch to build the program in his image and showing the appropriate respect to the recent past, not just Bennett and his players and staff, but the fans, alums and donors who were along for the ride, and enjoyed what they were able to be a part of.
It’s against that backdrop that Kevin Miller, the executive director of the Virginia Athletics Foundation, will be reaching out to long-time season-ticket holders to get them not only to re-up, but double their giving.
“College athletics is at an inflection point, and we have a unique opportunity to position Virginia for both short-term and long-term success through this new seating plan,” Miller said, in a quote provided by UVA Athletics in the press announcement.
I’m almost embarrassed to share the second half of his canned quote, but here it is:
“The VAF team is excited to connect with both existing and prospective season-ticket members who want to be part of the incredible momentum fueled by our generous donors, whose commitment ensures that Virginia remains amongst the nation’s elite for years to come,” Miller said.
Left unsaid there: Ryan Odom still hasn’t finished out his coaching staff or his roster for next year, and already, the guy is under the gun.
Anything less than a hot start to his first season at the helm could have a negative impact on the bottom line.
Why I say that: current season-ticket holders have until Dec. 31 to signal their intent regarding the renewal of their licenses.
Miller might assume that there’s a long line of folks with big bank accounts willing to step in if the current folks don’t hang around, but at these prices?
Share
Chris Graham
