I feel like Hokies ourselves don’t give us enough credit in these very important categories. Comparing VT’s brand to B1G programs like Indiana, Purdue, Minnesota, Maryland, Rutgers, Northwestern, etc is funny to me. The overall B1G brand is very BORING and has been forever. Everyone knows and sees this. Any casual fan in the North, South, East, West, or anywhere in-between is going to know where Michael Vick, Tyrod Taylor, Frank Beamer, Bruce Smith, Bud Foster, Cam Chancellor, and Deangelo Hall came from. And likely the Edmunds and Fuller brothers, Khalil Herbert, Joey Slye, Logan Thomas, and many others (Fantasy Football if for nothing else). Dell Curry’s on TV all the time and is the famous father of a superstar NBA player. Seth Greenberg is also on ESPN all the time, along with Dell, Vick, and D-Lo. Quick, name a famous U Minnesota player. I’ll save you the search: Bronco Nagurski (1930’s) and that’s about it. Marion Barber and Eric Decker, fine. And PJ Fleck (as the current head coach) and Tony Dungy if you Google search it (I didn’t know he went there and I’m not a casual fan). VT’s got a MUCH better media/marketing presence than our own fans give us credit for. Better than most of the B1G and B12. Now do that same exercise with Northwestern (ouch!), Indiana, Purdue, Iowa, Maryland, Rutgers, Iowa State, Cincinnati, Kansas State, Texas Tech, TCU, UCF, etc. They all have had some stars but are not close to VT in terms of nation-wide marketing and presence over the past 20+ years. With all due respect. Plus, everyone everywhere has seen and gotten *goosebumps* from the Enter Sandman entrance. EVERYONE. Don’t forget the lunchpail defense, Hokie Bird (National mascot of the year many times), turkey legs at Lane Stadium, many Gameday appearances, ESPN’s Thursday night sweethearts for decades, Herbstreit talking Blacksburg and VT up when justified, and even basketball’s environment and the bacon giveaways that made USA Today and CNN and every other outlet. VT is highly marketable. Fans from other conferences will tune in to a Thursday night game of VT vs anyone because we are highly entertaining as a program even when we are mediocre on the field. (But let’s fix that part too of course). VT BABY!!! ** Edited by Hardcore_Hokie at 8/5/2023, 1:08:31 AM