How fan feedback is shaping the UVA football gameday experience

University News

How fan feedback is shaping the UVA football gameday experience

Eric Ward has developed a post-football home game tradition during his time working in the University of Virginia’s Department of Athletics.

The associate athletics director for marketing pores through each line of every fan survey that lands on his desk.

“I read those, front to back, three times after every game,” said Ward, who’s been with UVA since 2022. “I deploy the information that comes from that to the correct people.”

Ahead of the Cavaliers’ season-opening game against Coastal Carolina University on Saturday – kickoff is 6 p.m. at Scott Stadium – Ward appeared on the and UVA play-by-play broadcaster John Freeman to discuss .

Carla Williams, Eric Ward and John Freeman on the set of the ”Inside Virginia Athletics“ podcast

The latest “Inside Virginia Athletics” podcast with UVA Director of Athletics Carla Williams, left, and play-by-play broadcaster John Freeman, right, features Eric Ward, �鶹�ƽ�� associate athletics director for marketing. (Photo by Matt Riley, University Communications)

in an effort to, as Ward said at the time, have “collaborative and transparent discussions about all facets of our experience with the Cavalier faithful.”

From there, – representing a broad spectrum of local and out-of-town supporters, as well as longtime season ticket holders, non-season ticket holders and former season ticket holders – to meet monthly with a Ward-led committee of Virginia Athletics representatives.

“It’s been rewarding to hear exactly what their experience has been,” Ward said on the podcast. “There’s been a few surprises along the way. I think some of the things that they circled have been things that we’re aware of, but it’s been tremendous in helping us understand the exact priorities.”

First Fan Council meeting in the books. Glad to get this off the ground, really appreciated the insights from the whole group.

Today we covered many data points to set the table for discussions to come. Grateful for the council members feedback! 🔸⚔️🔹
— Eric Ward (@ericward_7)

Improved attendance and ticket affordability, Ward said, were hot topics, and UVA has responded with a variety of creative purchase options this season, including a new “family four-pack” season ticket package that’s led to more than 2,500 new season ticket purchases.

“Those have been selling extremely well,” Ward said. “People are really buying into the season ticket model. I think that that’s been awesome.”

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Another change comes with the “Hoos Choice Flex Pack” mini plan, starting at $99, where fans can claim tickets in nearly any section for three of any of the first six home games.

“Previously, those have always been where you basically get assigned the games,” Ward said. “This year, we took the first six home games and said, ‘Pick any three, whatever works, fits your schedule, whatever you want.’ It’s $99 for three games.”

Tickets are available for Saturday’s game .

Outside of the stadium, Ward said the fan council feedback helped spark . The hospitality company is servicing a new tailgate area for UVA fans this season – the green space adjacent to Observatory Hill Dining Hall.

“The tailgate experience directly beside Scott (Stadium) is amazing, (but) there’s just not a lot of inventory,” Ward said, “and so we worked with a company called RevelXP. They’ve been with us for the last year and a half on the ticket side and helping us with sales there, but this outlet is going to be great for the fans tailgating. I’m sure it’s going to be something that’s going to continue to grow as time passes.”

The fan council meetings also touched on areas to improve concessions, in-game entertainment, traffic and transportation issues, and Virginia Athletics-related content. All has been considered to strengthen both the gameday experience this season and in future years, Ward said. These meetings are ongoing.

“This group has done an outstanding job helping us establish a clear identity to work toward, not just for this year, but for the next generation of gamedays in Scott,” Ward told UVA Today.