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Forty Under 40

Forty Under 40: Danny White

University of Central Florida

UCF’s undefeated football season culminated with an impressive win over Auburn in the Peach Bowl. But for Danny White, the Knights’ athletic director, the end of the season was just the beginning of what he hopes will be a golden era for UCF athletics.

 

Now it’s time to capitalize on that 14-0 run.

 

“We’ve really been selling since we won the conference championship,” White said of the early December win over Memphis to claim the American Athletic title.

 

White, in his third year at the Orlando school, believes he has put a structure in place to capture this revenue-generating opportunity. It started in 2016 when UCF took its marketing rights in-house. Soon after, White created an in-house sales staff for season tickets and premium seating, making the Knights one of the few major college programs to eschew the outsource model.

 

It had already begun paying off last season when UCF set a school record for most new season tickets sold. The sales staff, with momentum from the undefeated season, already has surpassed that with more than 5,000 new season tickets sold for 2018.

 

“We’re the largest market in the nation without an NFL team and we’re trying to fill that void,” White said. “The football season we just had has become a marketing engine for the university.”

 

White also led the charge for UCF to be recognized as national champs since it was the only team to go unbeaten. That prompted downtown celebrations, a parade at Disney and special UCF license plates. Not only did the campaign to be national champs elevate community pride, it enhanced the American Athletic Conference.

 

“Most people would have been compelled to do the same thing,” White said. “It irked some people, but we wanted to talk about our kids and their accomplishments and also talk about the inequity of college football where you can go undefeated but you can’t compete for the national championship.”

 

— Michael Smith

Danny White

Vice President and Athletic Director | University of Central Florida

Age: 38: 

 

Where born: Morehead, Ky.

 

Education: University of Notre Dame, Bachelor of Business Administration; Ohio University, MBA and Master of Sports Administration; University of Mississippi, Ph.D. in higher education.

 

Family: Wife, Shawn; children, Aidan (13), Molly (10), Caitlin (8), James (5)

 

What gets you fired up? Competition.

 

What do you wish you could tell yourself 10 years ago: Nothing is THAT big of a deal, better to take things in stride.

 

Profession other than your own you’d most like to attempt: High school basketball coach.

 

Guilty pleasure: Pizza.

 

Causes supported: UCF Athletics, Catholic Church.

 

Something your friends would consider “so you”: Irish music.

 

I am one of the best I know at … : Getting overextended.

 

Ideal day off: On a Florida beach, when the waves are good.

 

Forty Under 40 class members would be surprised to know that I … : Play guitar.

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