The University of Virginia and Virginia Tech have decided against plans for merchandising attire and souvenirs that promote rivalry between the two institutions, according to Virginia Tech spokesperson Larry Hincker.
"We have never allowed the licensing of a product that would poke fun or possibly demean another university," Hincker said. "We want to ensure we have absolutely first class fan behavior and some of these rivalry products can go beyond the grounds of good taste."
Hincker said there were no concrete plans to establish a joint merchandising venture between Virginia Tech and the University. The tentative plans consisted of discussions between the licensing directors of the two institutions.
"There was never a program or an agreement," Hincker said. "This is just a slippery slope and it is a whole lot easier not to allow any of these products."
University spokesperson Carol Wood said the University does not support the marketing of products that suggest extreme rivalry between the University and Virginia Tech.
"It was probably an ill-advised idea," Wood said. "It takes a good healthy rivalry and turns it into a marketing campaign."
According to University Athletic Director Craig Littlepage, there was concern that the products could contribute to inappropriate fan behavior at sporting events.
"The core of what we in intercollegiate athletics stand for should be sportsmanship, respect, fair play," Littlepage said. "It is not a stretch to see where permitting this potential bashing of our opposition leads to obscene language on merchandise, obscene language used in the stands, obscene language directed at student athletes, coaches and officials."
David Chambers, senior associate athletics director at Virginia Tech, acknowledged that there is a heightened rivalry between the University and Virginia Tech.
"In general, any time you have two schools from the same state, there is more of a rivalry than you have otherwise," Chambers said.
According to Littlepage, the products could contribute to the rivalry between the two universities.
"There is enough competition between the two schools as it is -- the rivalry in athletics doesn't need to be hyped anymore than it already is," Littlepage said. "I think with Virginia Tech in the ACC it increases the stakes because it is no longer just for bragging rights. That alone means that the rivalry takes on a new dimension."
According to Tom Newman, the merchandising manager for the Student Book Store, products that suggest an intense rivalry between the University and Virginia Tech are not often stocked nor sold at the Student Book Store.
"There is nothing wrong with poking fun but some of these things just get too graphic and unpleasant and we don't want that," Newman said. "We haven't found that we need to go that way -- we haven't done it in years."
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