New Virginia Tech AD White hopes to 'grow resources'
BLACKSBURG — Virginia Tech's new athletic director is determined to boost his department's coffers.
Virginia Tech held an introductory press conference Wednesday for Brian White, who was hired as the school's athletic director on Monday.
New Virginia Tech athletic director Brian White answers questions at his introductory news conference at Lane Stadium on Wednesday. He had been the athletic director at Florida Atlantic since 2018.
"We need to grow our resources and that's my No. 1 goal," White said at the Lane Stadium news conference. "Resources are critical for success, so my goal is … (to) make our resources commensurate with expectations."
White, 42, had been the athletic director at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton since March 2018.
"I want to be at a place where my skill set can match what I think is needed," White said. "I've spent my whole career on the business and revenue generation side of college athletics, and that's what we need.Â
"Functioning like a business, I think, is important. … I know what it needs to look like. I've proven that over the years at different places in growing revenues. … We can grow the revenues here significantly from all sides. … There's a great, strong, passionate fan base in place. There's a great history here. We have all the tools necessary to grow our resources."
Football coach and search committee member James Franklin was one of a number of Tech coaches who attended the press conference, including baseball coach John Szefc and wrestling coach Tony Robie.Â
More revenue could enable Virginia Tech teams to enjoy greater success.
"We can win championships in every sport here," White said. "We've got world-class student-athletes and world-class coaches in place right here, and I want to help them win championships. The best way I could do that is help grow resources … and give our coaches and student-athletes the necessary investment in order to win championships."
What will the priorities be for any new revenue? Revenue sharing for athletes? Facilities? Or will White want donations to go towards NIL?
New Virginia Tech athletic director Brian White, second from left, is shown with search committee chairperson Lynne Doughtie, left, Virginia Tech President Tim Sands, second from right, and football coach James Franklin, right, during White's introductory news conference at Lane Stadium on Wednesday.
"All of the above," he said. "I want to meet with every head coach individually and figure out … what their needs are."
FAU experienced growth in fundraising, ticket sales and corporate partnerships under White's watch. He guided FAU athletics to record highs in fundraising and corporate sponsorships, including a school-record $26.4 million in donations in the 2024-25 school year (up 625% from 2021). White struck a $22.5-million agreement with Flagler Credit Union for a football stadium naming rights deal.
"He did a brilliant job at Florida Atlantic," said White's father, former Notre Dame and Duke athletic director Kevin White. "He moved the needle.
"He's a relationship machine."
Brian White said he wants to "look under the hood and figure out how we're going to continue to grow this place."
"(Revenue growth) starts with creating demand and then leveraging that demand," White said. "So what can we do to grow our fan base? … (Have) an aggressive … outreach team of not only ticket sales but also annual-fund fundraisers and major-gift … fundraisers.
"I absolutely have confidence that we can build the revenue machine that can take us where we need to go."
White's FAU reign included the addition of premium seats and cabanas to the football stadium, as well as the addition of courtside seats to the basketball arena.
"If you create the right premium (seating), it's worth whatever dollar you're going to charge," White said. "New premium … is definitely a focus in revenue generation."
White's duties will also include hiring head coaches.
White did a good job of that in 2018, when he hired Dusty May as FAU's men's basketball coach. May steered FAU to the Final Four in 2023.
New Virginia Tech athletic director Brian White, right, speaks during his introductory news conference at Lane Stadium on Wednesday. Virginia Tech President Tim Sands is at left.
FAU moved from Conference USA to the American Athletic Conference in the summer of 2023. Virginia Tech will be White's first stint as an AD in a Power Four conference.
"Having the experience I have, building a program at Florida Atlantic for as long as I did, I think has really prepared me for this opportunity," White said. "I won't be learning on the job. I'm prepared for the job from Day 1."
Tech search committee chairperson Lynne Doughtie said there were more than 30 candidates for the Tech vacancy.
"(White's) revenue generation experience is really huge," she said. "If you look at where he took the fundraising at FAU, he capitalized on that Final Four run in big ways. … We talked in the interview process about some really creative ways of creating some of those new revenue streams with corporate sponsorships and naming rights on the field and badges on jerseys."
White has agreed to a five-year contract with annual total pay of $1.6 million, including an annual base salary of $500,000 and $1.1 million in annual supplemental compensation.
Tech announced in April that Whit Babcock would be retiring as athletic director on June 30. The members of the search committee were announced in late May.
"When I was first contacted about the job, i was immediately interested," White said. "This is one of the more passionate, strong fan bases in the country. And that's something I want to be a part of. … The other thing that … is really, really exciting for me is the opportunity to work with Coach Franklin."
White's hiring is the latest effort in Tech's attempt to boost revenue.
The Board of Visitors approved last September the addition of $229.2 million in athletic funding over the next four fiscal years in an "Invest to Win" endeavor. Earlier this month, the board created Hokie Ventures, a company that will work to increase athletic revenue. Tech announced earlier this month that it received a $75 million donation; most of that money will go to athletics.
"From Hokie Ventures to Invest to Win to the recent donations to bringing in Coach Franklin, … that takes institutional alignment, and that to me is something that I need to have success," White said. "That is really exciting to me and a huge draw."
Family members of new Virginia Tech athletic director Brian White are seen watching his introductory press conference. His wife, Paige, is at front right, along with two of their three children. Behind them are Brian's mother-in-law and Brian's parents. His father, former Duke AD Kevin White, is at right.
White, who will be an ex officio board member of Hokie Ventures, said the new company "can be a huge asset to generate new resources, new revenue streams."
White's wife and their three children were on hand for the news conference, as were White's parents and mother-in-law. White's brother Danny, the athletic director at Tennessee, and Danny's wife also were on hand.
White's father was an athletic director at six colleges before retiring from Duke in 2021.
"Growing up around college athletics, it was a lifelong passion," Brian White said. "We always attended games and practices and we had coaches and student-athletes at our house."
Kevin White said Brian called him after Brian was contacted by Parker Executive Search, the firm Tech used to help with the AD search. Father and son discussed the Tech vacancy with each other.
"I've just always loved the people here. I thought this would be a perfect spot for him," said Kevin White, 75, who now lives in Florida and works for a higher-education consulting firm. "You've got a generational football coach hire. You've got a great fan base. … All the pieces were here.
"(With) how this thing is shaking and baking, … Virginia Tech needs to be a player. They can't be an observer. In this moment, I think institutions and/or conferences need to be players. … The game is on, and I think Brian's really prepared to roll his sleeves up and be a player."
Mark Berman (540) 981-3125
