Univ. of Virginia AD Craig Littlepage said the football program "may not be operating at an optimal level in terms of attendance and driving revenue, but it is the primary driver" of revenue for the school's athletics department, according to David Teel of the Hampton Roads DAILY PRESS. Littlepage said, "It certainly gives us pause for a lot of different conversations in terms of how do we continue to provide department-wide? A lot of hard work goes into trying to come up with different ideas about how we do things, whether it’s creative ticketing opportunities." He added, "Certainly as the on-field product improves in terms of wins and losses we would anticipate that attendance figures would improve as well" (Hampton Roads DAILY PRESS, 7/1). Littlepage, on if he is concerned by what some foresee as the bubble bursting on media rights and how that may affect the ACC Network, said, "Everybody in the industry looks at that. All the conversations about cord-cutting and the financial implications of that. The offloading of personnel (by ESPN) in great numbers. Is that an indication that things are not only plateauing but could be a precursor to further issues down the road? But we are very confident that the deal we have with ESPN is a very good (one)." He added, "Here’s the thing that does concern me: The more television you have, the more broadcasting of your events, what does that do to attendance? I’ve made this point to our coaches for a number of years as we saw more and more of an appetite and ability to put Olympic sports on. The good news is we’re going to get a little more coverage, but let’s be cautious because it might (diminish) the number of people coming to see the events" (Hampton Roads DAILY PRESS, 7/2).
LOOKING AHEAD: Teel noted Littlepage has served as UVA AD since '01, the "longest tenure in the position’s history" at the school. He turns 66 in August, and UVA President Teresa Sullivan "revealed in January her intention to retire next summer." Combine his age "with the leadership transition above him, and it’s natural to wonder about Littlepage’s future." But he said, "We haven’t made any decisions." While Littlepage’s retirement date is "uncertain, this is not: Whenever he exits, the position will rank among the most coveted in college athletics, a credit to him, his co-workers and the university" (Hampton Roads DAILY PRESS, 7/2).
