Marty Gordon
The music group, Metallica, and Virginia Tech are taking their relationship to the next level with the announcement of a major merchandise agreement that will push out t-shirts promoting both the band and the Hokie football program.
“This co-branding makes a dream of nearly 24 years come true,” said Heather Ducote, senior director of marketing and brand management. “We’re excited to formalize our collaboration with Metallica, since one of their most popular hits is already embraced at Virginia Tech athletics events as a beloved Hokie tradition. And it’s a collaboration that mobilized many university departments; the Virginia Tech Athletics Department, the marketing team, the Office of Licensing and Trademarks, and artist and doodle expert Steven White are all involved in formalizing the co-branding and creating the merchandise. I can’t wait to see what else this collaboration can achieve.”
Metallica first introduced “Enter Sandman” in 1991 as the lead single from their self-titled album. It hit No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 that same year and later earned platinum status. The “Enter Sandman” music video was only the second music video from Metallica and premiered on July 30, 1991.
The rhythmic jumping to “Enter Sandman” started a few years after its debut as the football team’s walkout song, when a Marching Virginian began to hop around to warm up during a cold snap. That spontaneous act evolved into the legendary electrifying entrance that now invigorates home games. Accompanied by fireworks and pyrotechnics, “Enter Sandman’s” noise and fanfare even cause the stadium to shake – occasionally setting off seismographs.
“Enter Sandman” carried over to both the men’s and women’s Virginia Tech basketball teams, and even some graduations feature the iconic production.
Regarded by many as college football’s most powerful entrance, “Enter Sandman” is a beloved tradition for Hokies.
According to a release, the initial lineup of merchandise co-branded with Metallica features designs inspired by the band’s logo and original sketches by Virginia Tech doodle artist Steven White.
“Enter Sandman” is a tradition that dates to Aug. 27, 2000, when Virginia Tech installed its first video scoreboard in Lane Stadium and needed a new walkout song.
Merchandise is on sale now at merchants that include the Hokie Shop and the Hokie Sports Shop.
Managers at both retail locations say the items are flying off the shelves.
The T-shirts made an appearance on Aug. 12 during the “Today” show’s birthday celebration for co-anchor Hoda Kotb ’86, when the HokieBird and other Hokies visited the set and presented Kotb with the co-branded T-shirts and other Virginia Tech goodies.
Renee Alarid, director of the Office of Licensing and Trademarks, said collaboration with partner and brand management organization College Licensing Company (CLC), Virginia Tech’s agent, facilitated the co-branding.
“It was a very effective collaboration,” Alarid said. “It was quite an effort, taking about a year to hammer out and finalize, and we had to keep it top secret.
“It took a community and the right team,” she said. “Without CLC, the Original Retro Brand, athletics, and the trust of our local retailers, Licensing and Trademarks would not have been able to make this dream a reality. Thank you everyone who helped us in the process.”
“’Enter Sandman’ and the unmatched fan intensity at Lane Stadium is one of the great experiences in college sports, and we’re excited to work alongside Virginia Tech to expand this amazing tradition to a customized merchandise collaboration with Metallica,” said Nicole Armentrout, CLC’s senior vice president of marketing. “Our goal is to help bring unique experiences and traditions like this one into the marketplace so that passionate Hokie fans can relive and showcase the great moments well beyond game day.”
Virginia Tech Licensing and Trademarks, Downtown Blacksburg Inc., the Town of Blacksburg, the Blacksburg Partnership, and several Blacksburg businesses will host a block party downtown — Kickoff on College Avenue — on Sept. 6.
“We’re delighted to work with Virginia Tech to showcase this exciting collaboration with Metallica at the Kickoff on College Avenue event,” said Ann Cassell, president of the Blacksburg Partnership. “Virginia Tech and Blacksburg are so closely linked and this will only add to the energy and excitement in town as students return and a new football season begins. It’s been a busy summer of infrastructure improvements in Blacksburg, and we look forward to welcoming students, alumni, and visiting fans back home this fall.”
Everyone is invited to share in the excitement at the Kickoff on College Avenue from 5 to 9 p.m. Sept. 6, the eve of Virginia Tech’s first home football game of the seasons. The block party is open to the public as well as students, faculty, and staff at Virginia Tech and their families and friends to celebrate the greater Blacksburg community.
