From the Quad
10/2/2019 8:30:00 AM | General
October 2, 2019
Welcome to October Demon Deacon Fans!
This new month has a lot to live up to as it was definitely a September to remember for the Demon Deacons! Field hockey closed the month with three straight wins, three teams—men's and women's golf and mens' soccer were ranked No. 1 in the country, football is 5-0 and has stormed into the Amway Coaches Poll and the AP top 25 poll for the first time since 2008. As our football team plane touched down in Greensboro late Saturday night and I turned on my phone, I was fired up to see that No. 7 men's soccer had come from behind to beat No. 4 Clemson in OT in front of a sold-out Spry Stadium!
We have some big news to share today right off the top, so let's get to the updates.
Check Out Our Updated Look!
As some close observers of Wake Forest Athletics have noticed, we have been gradually introducing new Wake Forest uniform and branding features this year. Shortly after I was introduced as your new athletics director last spring, I learned that the athletics department was almost done with a lengthy study of our marks and branding in collaboration with our longtime partner Nike's Global Identity Group (GIG). The GIG process, which Nike offers to a handful of its partner schools each year, includes a comprehensive brand audit, design assessments, and recommendations based on the findings of that audit. The GIG exercise is intended to create consistency and unity across all of our teams, merchandise, and collateral, help Wake Forest capture new audiences in an authentic and meaningful way, and explore ways to enhance the Demon Deacon brand on a national level.
The culmination of the two-year GIG process resulted in some relatively subtle enhancements to our primary WF mark, an updated color palette, a new custom font, and the introduction of two new complementary official marks including a top hat and a walking Deacon modeled after the Deacon statue. The enhancements will provide a more consistent, unified, updated look for our student-athletes and teams while also helping our retail and branding partners better serve our fans with the official Wake Forest Athletics brand across a wide range of apparel, applications and media.
We've already been phasing in the updates, so you may recognize the new font, colors and marks on some of this year's uniforms, signage, marketing materials, and licensed merchandise. I encourage you to read more about the branding enhancements here and be on the lookout for more updated items as the rollout continues throughout the coming months. To see more examples of the new look, click here to see some of the highlights of our new football uniforms.
2019-20 ACC Women's Basketball Schedule Announced
The ACC recently announced the women's basketball schedules for the 2019-20 season. Our team will open the season on Tuesday, Nov. 5 against UNC Wilmington. The Deacs open ACC play at Miami on Sunday, Dec. 29. Senior Alex Sharp is our top returning scorer at nearly 13 points per game and will join last year's starters Gina Conti, Ona Udoh and Ivana Raca to form the nucleus of this year's squad.
Primetime! Deacs vs. Cards to Kick at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 12
After toughing out a physical win at BC the Deacs have this week off before hosting Louisville at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 12 on the ACC Network. The Louisville game is the first of a three game home stand at BB&T Field against ACC opponents. The Deacons host Florida State on Oct. 19 and NC State on Nov. 2. Tickets for each of Wake Forest's next three home games are available by clicking HERE.
NBA Basketball Comes to the Coliseum Oct 11
The Charlotte Hornets will host the Philadelphia 76ers in a preseason home game at the Coliseum on Friday, October 11, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale and can be purchased online at hornets.com or ticketmaster.com, at the LJVM Coliseum box office, or on the Hornets App. Regular prices start at $12.50 plus applicable fees. Additionally, tickets for all college students start at just $10!
More Big News for ACC Network
Last week ESPN recently reached a long-term deal with AT&T, and ACCN is now available on U-verse and AT&T TV (formerly known as DIRECTV Now) providing national distribution for the network. ACC Network had been available on DIRECTV since August 22, but was previously not available to stream. AT&T is a great partner for ACCN – as the largest TV distributor in the country, this deal ensures that ACC fans in markets nationwide will have access to the ACCN!
California Bill Escalates Rhetoric
On Monday, California's governor signed into state law a bill that would make it illegal for NCAA student-athletes to be ruled ineligible for competition if they have used their athletics notoriety to profit off their own name, image and likeness (N-I-L). Although this bill doesn't take effect until 2023, and only affects California's 58 NCAA Division I, II and III universities, it has created a predictable Twitter and media frenzy about pay-for-play, the future of the NCAA, etc. California's bill has spawned a number of copy-cat proposals in state houses around the country, some with wildly conflicting provisions. None of the details or unintended consequences fit into 280 character tweets, or begin to recognize how opportunities for the nearly 400,000 NCAA student-athletes across the country are funded.
At our LEAD1 conference of FBS AD's in Washington, DC last week, we had an excellent discussion about these issues including hearing from Ohio State AD Gene Smith who, along with highly respected Big East commissioner Val Ackerman, is chairing an NCAA committee developing a potential framework for student-athletes to expand their N-I-L opportunities.
As for my personal view, I am proud of how the real value of a college athletics scholarship has continued to increase. From recent enhancements in medical care, nutritional support, and mental health resources — as well as the cost-of-attendance stipend that can add up to as much as $8,000 per year — tremendous value has been added to an already good deal. At Wake Forest, a full scholarship carries a base value in excess of $300,000 over four years, tax free.
I am in favor of continuing to strengthen the value of the collegiate model and real benefits for student-athletes and look forward to continuing to work with President Hatch and our colleagues in this effort.
Thanks for all you do for Demon Deacon student-athletes! Please continue to share any feedback you may have by emailing wfuad@wfu.edu. I look forward to seeing you at a Wake Forest ball game soon!
Go Deacs!
John Currie
Director of Athletics
Welcome to October Demon Deacon Fans!
This new month has a lot to live up to as it was definitely a September to remember for the Demon Deacons! Field hockey closed the month with three straight wins, three teams—men's and women's golf and mens' soccer were ranked No. 1 in the country, football is 5-0 and has stormed into the Amway Coaches Poll and the AP top 25 poll for the first time since 2008. As our football team plane touched down in Greensboro late Saturday night and I turned on my phone, I was fired up to see that No. 7 men's soccer had come from behind to beat No. 4 Clemson in OT in front of a sold-out Spry Stadium!
We have some big news to share today right off the top, so let's get to the updates.
Check Out Our Updated Look!
As some close observers of Wake Forest Athletics have noticed, we have been gradually introducing new Wake Forest uniform and branding features this year. Shortly after I was introduced as your new athletics director last spring, I learned that the athletics department was almost done with a lengthy study of our marks and branding in collaboration with our longtime partner Nike's Global Identity Group (GIG). The GIG process, which Nike offers to a handful of its partner schools each year, includes a comprehensive brand audit, design assessments, and recommendations based on the findings of that audit. The GIG exercise is intended to create consistency and unity across all of our teams, merchandise, and collateral, help Wake Forest capture new audiences in an authentic and meaningful way, and explore ways to enhance the Demon Deacon brand on a national level.
The culmination of the two-year GIG process resulted in some relatively subtle enhancements to our primary WF mark, an updated color palette, a new custom font, and the introduction of two new complementary official marks including a top hat and a walking Deacon modeled after the Deacon statue. The enhancements will provide a more consistent, unified, updated look for our student-athletes and teams while also helping our retail and branding partners better serve our fans with the official Wake Forest Athletics brand across a wide range of apparel, applications and media.
We've already been phasing in the updates, so you may recognize the new font, colors and marks on some of this year's uniforms, signage, marketing materials, and licensed merchandise. I encourage you to read more about the branding enhancements here and be on the lookout for more updated items as the rollout continues throughout the coming months. To see more examples of the new look, click here to see some of the highlights of our new football uniforms.
2019-20 ACC Women's Basketball Schedule Announced
The ACC recently announced the women's basketball schedules for the 2019-20 season. Our team will open the season on Tuesday, Nov. 5 against UNC Wilmington. The Deacs open ACC play at Miami on Sunday, Dec. 29. Senior Alex Sharp is our top returning scorer at nearly 13 points per game and will join last year's starters Gina Conti, Ona Udoh and Ivana Raca to form the nucleus of this year's squad.
Primetime! Deacs vs. Cards to Kick at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 12
After toughing out a physical win at BC the Deacs have this week off before hosting Louisville at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 12 on the ACC Network. The Louisville game is the first of a three game home stand at BB&T Field against ACC opponents. The Deacons host Florida State on Oct. 19 and NC State on Nov. 2. Tickets for each of Wake Forest's next three home games are available by clicking HERE.
NBA Basketball Comes to the Coliseum Oct 11
The Charlotte Hornets will host the Philadelphia 76ers in a preseason home game at the Coliseum on Friday, October 11, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale and can be purchased online at hornets.com or ticketmaster.com, at the LJVM Coliseum box office, or on the Hornets App. Regular prices start at $12.50 plus applicable fees. Additionally, tickets for all college students start at just $10!
More Big News for ACC Network
Last week ESPN recently reached a long-term deal with AT&T, and ACCN is now available on U-verse and AT&T TV (formerly known as DIRECTV Now) providing national distribution for the network. ACC Network had been available on DIRECTV since August 22, but was previously not available to stream. AT&T is a great partner for ACCN – as the largest TV distributor in the country, this deal ensures that ACC fans in markets nationwide will have access to the ACCN!
California Bill Escalates Rhetoric
On Monday, California's governor signed into state law a bill that would make it illegal for NCAA student-athletes to be ruled ineligible for competition if they have used their athletics notoriety to profit off their own name, image and likeness (N-I-L). Although this bill doesn't take effect until 2023, and only affects California's 58 NCAA Division I, II and III universities, it has created a predictable Twitter and media frenzy about pay-for-play, the future of the NCAA, etc. California's bill has spawned a number of copy-cat proposals in state houses around the country, some with wildly conflicting provisions. None of the details or unintended consequences fit into 280 character tweets, or begin to recognize how opportunities for the nearly 400,000 NCAA student-athletes across the country are funded.
At our LEAD1 conference of FBS AD's in Washington, DC last week, we had an excellent discussion about these issues including hearing from Ohio State AD Gene Smith who, along with highly respected Big East commissioner Val Ackerman, is chairing an NCAA committee developing a potential framework for student-athletes to expand their N-I-L opportunities.
As for my personal view, I am proud of how the real value of a college athletics scholarship has continued to increase. From recent enhancements in medical care, nutritional support, and mental health resources — as well as the cost-of-attendance stipend that can add up to as much as $8,000 per year — tremendous value has been added to an already good deal. At Wake Forest, a full scholarship carries a base value in excess of $300,000 over four years, tax free.
I am in favor of continuing to strengthen the value of the collegiate model and real benefits for student-athletes and look forward to continuing to work with President Hatch and our colleagues in this effort.
Thanks for all you do for Demon Deacon student-athletes! Please continue to share any feedback you may have by emailing wfuad@wfu.edu. I look forward to seeing you at a Wake Forest ball game soon!
Go Deacs!
John Currie
Director of Athletics
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