Jan 29, 2014; Blacksburg, VA, USA; Whit Babcock speaks during a press conference to introduce new Virginia Tech athletic director Whit Babcock at Lane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Virginia Tech AD sounds alarm on program’s financial future

Originally posted on NIL on SI | By Patrick Previty | Last updated Aug 22, 2025 11:26 AM ET

Virginia Tech athletic director Whit Babcock says the price of keeping up has climbed well past what the Hokies currently spend. In a presentation to the school’s Board of Visitors on Aug. 18, Babcock said Virginia Tech needs an athletics budget of "around $200 million" to compete in the ACC.

That number is roughly $56 million more than the department projects to spend in 2025–26. The Hokies operated at about $122 million last year and expect to be near $144 million this year.

Babcock’s message landed as the economics of college sports continue to shift. Starting this year, programs can share revenue directly with athletes under the House v. NCAA settlement.

AD Whit Babcock in front of the Virginia Tech board requesting funding help from the university - a trend across the country as schools face mounting financial stresses of millions in committed coach/staff salaries + facilities debt + $20M in annual compensation for athletes. https://t.co/J4sPdnYuZr
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) August 18, 2025

The ACC has moved to an incentive-heavy model that splits only 40% of media-rights revenue evenly and sends the remaining 60% to schools based on a rolling measure of TV viewership and on-field success. Projections suggest annual distributions could swing widely.

Babcock also noted that student fees earmarked for athletics are roughly 40% lower at Tech than at the University of Virginia, estimating that a UVA-level fee would be worth nearly $35 million more to the Hokies each year.

He cited smaller operational fixes, too, such as the cutting of the internal parking charge for football from $9 to $3 per space, a change that saves about $180,000. The broader picture, he argued, is that Virginia Tech’s resources don’t match its expectations, especially after ranking 14th in the ACC in athletics spending last year.

The urgency comes as the football program tries to build on back-to-back bowl seasons under fourth-year coach Brent Pry and a high-exposure opener. Virginia Tech faces No. 13 South Carolina in their opener on Sunday, Aug. 31.

This article first appeared on NIL on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: