METALLICA And Virginia Tech Collaborate On New Merchandise

METALLICA has collaborated with Virginia Tech on a new collection of t-shirts and hats. The co-branded merchandise, which is being made available just in time for the football season, features designs inspired by the band's logo and original sketches by Virginia Tech artist Steven White.

Regarded among college football’s most powerful entrances, METALLICA's "Enter Sandman" is a tradition that dates to August 27, 2000 when Virginia Tech installed its first video scoreboard in Lane Stadium and needed a new walkout song.

"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."

Merchandise is on sale at merchants including the link textHokie Shop and the Hokie Sports Shop.

The t-shirts made an appearance on August 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."

Nicole Armentrout, CLC's senior vice president of marketing, said: "'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. 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."