Pilot Gets Kudos

#26
#26
J C Higgins said:
I'm confused. I thought Pilot was now owned by Berkshire Hathaway. If so, did Warren Buffet have anything to do with this? Or was this situation negotiated as part of the sale?
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It is owned by Berkshire Hathaway. As of now, no one outside of Pilot’s executives really understand the decision for Pilot to sponsor Neyland. My guess is that the people at Pilot think it’s a very good deal for them and they aren’t being charitable as some people seem to think.

I hope it’s something else and UT Athletics took in an obscene amount of money. My sense of being realistic says we were one of the first major programs to get in on this naming rights stuff, so prepare to watch us be outdone by our rivals as we are stuck in a 20 year deal.

Please don’t beat me up for being a naysayer. I don’t know anything beyond the first sentence here. I’m hoping that maybe questions like these contribute to helping our fans and myself understand exactly where we are in the grand scheme of competing against other collegiate programs. What’s great today might not look so good in 5 years, as outdoing one another is always the goal in college football.
 
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#27
#27
adam.vol said:
It is owned by Berkshire Hathaway. As of now, no one outside of Pilot’s executives really understand the decision for Pilot to sponsor Neyland. My guess is that the people at Pilot think it’s a very good deal for them and they aren’t being charitable as some people seem to think.

I hope it’s something else and UT Athletics took in an obscene amount of money. My sense of being realistic says we were one of the first major programs to get in on this naming rights stuff, so prepare to watch us be outdone by our rivals as we are stuck in a 20 year deal.

Please don’t beat me up for being a naysayer. I don’t know anything beyond the first sentence here. I’m hoping that maybe questions like these contribute to helping our fans and myself understand exactly where we are in the grand scheme of competing against other collegiate programs. What’s great today might not look so good in 5 years, as outdoing one another is always the goal in college football.
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Not a naysayer at all...it's a valid point.
We are one of the first to.cut this kind.of deal.
Is 20 yrs too long, that remains to be seen.
 
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#28
#28
adam.vol said:
It is owned by Berkshire Hathaway. As of now, no one outside of Pilot’s executives really understand the decision for Pilot to sponsor Neyland. My guess is that the people at Pilot think it’s a very good deal for them and they aren’t being charitable as some people seem to think.

I hope it’s something else and UT Athletics took in an obscene amount of money. My sense of being realistic says we were one of the first major programs to get in on this naming rights stuff, so prepare to watch us be outdone by our rivals as we are stuck in a 20 year deal.

Please don’t beat me up for being a naysayer. I don’t know anything beyond the first sentence here. I’m hoping that maybe questions like these contribute to helping our fans and myself understand exactly where we are in the grand scheme of competing against other collegiate programs. What’s great today might not look so good in 5 years, as outdoing one another is always the goal in college football.
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If I know anything about Berkshire Hathaway, they did their homework. May be recognized as a huge overpay on the front end and look much better down the road. Prolly set the market for twenty year deals.
 
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#29
#29
pimo1 said:
This is a classy (smart business) move. People involved understood this fanbase.

All the people that were hating on Danny White for this Naming deal before it was announced step out of the way yet another home run hit by this guy. If Pilot didn't suck they would have gotten a new customer here. I am a Circle K/Weigles guy.
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Warren Buffet and Berkshire Hathaway back WINNERS.
 
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#31
#31
J C Higgins said:
I'm confused. I thought Pilot was now owned by Berkshire Hathaway. If so, did Warren Buffet have anything to do with this? Or was this situation negotiated as part of the sale?
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Adam Wright, who is well thought of in the Berkshire Hathaway management tree, is the CEO of Pilot and lives in Knoxville now. He was hand-picked by Buffett to run things once the Haslams left the scene. I'm sure the purpose here is to maintain good community relations, as well as get some good advertising. Pilot did it for the same reason many companies sponsor teams---to get their name front and center for the public. Pretty much the same concept with Food City and the basketball arena.
 
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#32
#32
DonDiego said:
Adam Wright, who is well thought of in the Berkshire Hathaway management tree, is the CEO of Pilot and lives in Knoxville now. He was hand-picked by Buffett to run things once the Haslams left the scene. I'm sure the purpose here is to maintain good community relations, as well as get some good advertising. Pilot did it for the same reason many companies sponsor teams---to get their name front and center for the public. Pretty much the same concept with Food City and the basketball arena.
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Gotta rub shoulders with the locals, dontcha know!
 
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#33
#33
DonDiego said:
Adam Wright, who is well thought of in the Berkshire Hathaway management tree, is the CEO of Pilot and lives in Knoxville now. He was hand-picked by Buffett to run things once the Haslams left the scene. I'm sure the purpose here is to maintain good community relations, as well as get some good advertising. Pilot did it for the same reason many companies sponsor teams---to get their name front and center for the public. Pretty much the same concept with Food City and the basketball arena.
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Shots going nationwide of Pilot on the field while UT players run the T.

It'll take getting used to but it's good business for Pilot and it's good business for UT.

In the end, the business model has going to change per the courts from "amateur athletics" to "employees of the school." That UT is preparing for this is an example of our good leadership.
 
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#34
#34
SayUWantAreVOLution said:
Shots going nationwide of Pilot on the field while UT players run the T.

It'll take getting used to but it's good business for Pilot and it's good business for UT.

In the end, the business model has going to change per the courts from "amateur athletics" to "employees of the school." That UT is preparing for this is an example of our good leadership.
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Running the T and the checkerboards have been prominently featured in recent SECN commercials.
 
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#35
#35
Tman44 said:
Danny White and the Haslam family has just given Tennessee Football (and ALL other Tennessee athletic programs that Tennessee Football funds) a financial Boon! We are leading the way in this new environment. Be Proud! The incompetence of Mike Hamilton; Lane Kiffin; Derek Dooley; Butch Jones; Fulmer as an AD and Jeremy Pruitt is GONE! In Donde, White and Josh I TRUST!!!! Go VOLS!!!
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I was told by the end of the contract $300+ million.
 
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#36
#36
Tman44 said:
Danny White and the Haslam family has just given Tennessee Football (and ALL other Tennessee athletic programs that Tennessee Football funds) a financial Boon! We are leading the way in this new environment. Be Proud! The incompetence of Mike Hamilton; Lane Kiffin; Derek Dooley; Butch Jones; Fulmer as an AD and Jeremy Pruitt is GONE! In Donde, White and Josh I TRUST!!!! Go VOLS!!!
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Randy gets no respect… sheesh.
 
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#41
#41
chuckiepoo said:
Didn’t realize he ran the Appy league until I saw the Boyd Sports logo on the Axmen’s pocket schedule. That just scratches the surface. He is deeply invested in sports gaming and representation of athletes.
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Letting Danny White or Randy Boyd get away would be a mistake for UT until this all settles down.

I'm a believer that universities don't need to be in the pro sports business but if UT chooses that direction, I'm here for it and I want good leadership. I don't believe we can do better than Danny and Randy.
 
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#42
#42
Just a marketing aside:

Because I typed a response to the Pilot announcement, the next day, on the right margin column of ads when I'm on Volnation... I suddenly began getting car ads for a new Honda Pilot.

So count me "in" to entrust management of the world to Large Language Model Artificial Intelligence.
 
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#43
#43
brockytop said:
I understand the situation and fully admit it’s better than a stadium name change for sure, but I hate seeing the Pilot logos on the field. Guess I’ll have to get used to it.

I suppose business logo patches on jerseys are next.
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The Quikrete yellow patch on the Braves jerseys is hideous. I’m afraid that what’s next is going to be the absolute commercialization of college sports. I sincerely hope that I’m wrong. I hope social media handle patches aren’t next.
 
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#45
#45
DonDiego said:
Adam Wright, who is well thought of in the Berkshire Hathaway management tree, is the CEO of Pilot and lives in Knoxville now. He was hand-picked by Buffett to run things once the Haslams left the scene. I'm sure the purpose here is to maintain good community relations, as well as get some good advertising. Pilot did it for the same reason many companies sponsor teams---to get their name front and center for the public. Pretty much the same concept with Food City and the basketball arena.
Click to expand...
Very impressive gentleman who played college football in Omaha and for a couple of years for the Giants. He looks like he could suit up right now.
 
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#47
#47
pimo1 said:
They are separate companies but oftentimes gas stations change names and brands over time so there is bleedover. Both are nationwide so they probably change hands from time to time. like here most of the Texacos are now Circle K's but some are Weigels.
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#49
#49
I just looked at the link for Flying J facilities in the US, and they are, according to that link, in 44 states.
WoodsmanVol said:
Fine, I only know what I saw in my treks back and forth, up and down the USA.
Seen other sights too from a car with a calf in the passenger seat, a woman with her arm out the windows and a snake coiled around it.
I've even seen a few UAPs, so I figure a Pilot station outside Tennessee isn't anything extraordinary.

I don't know Weigel, I just know a Pilot station when I see it. My original question was if there was an association with Pilot and Love's.
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#50
#50
bigorangepoppa said:
I just looked at the link for Flying J facilities in the US, and they are, according to that link, in 44 states.
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If I am not mistaken, the Haslams sold the pilot stations to Buffett, but they still own the Flying J truck stops. They are actually two separate businesses now.
 
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