Virginia Tech Hokies To Wear New York Yankees’ Logo On Pinstripe Bowl Helmets

Citing a longstanding relationship the franchise, the Virginia Tech football program will wear the New York Yankees’ interlocking “NY” logo on the right side of its helmets for Wednesday’s Pinstripe Bowl against Maryland.

In appreciation to the @Yankees for their longstanding relationship with the #Hokies, as well as the many gestures of compassion that they have extended to @virginia_tech over the years, we are proud to announce a special addition to our helmets for the @PinstripeBowl pic.twitter.com/grEl7DPbgX
— Virginia Tech Football (@HokiesFB) December 28, 2021

The decal has been added to the Hokies’ 1999 throwback uniforms, which are making their second appearance of the season and include a Pinstripe Bowl patch on the left shoulder. It is white and outlined in orange, somewhat mimicking the “VT” on the opposite side on the maroon helmet, which actually has a maroon stroke in the middle.

The logo is the inverse of what Virginia Tech’s baseball team wore on its hats when New York played an exhibition game in Blacksburg in 2008 – 11 months after a mass shooting on campus that killed 33 people, including the gunman.

The Yankees also made a $1 million contribution to the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund in the wake of the tragedy, which helped cover expenses for victims and their families.

“For George Steinbrenner and those guys, and not just the money that them, all the players and the organization donated, but for them to donate their time,” interim head coach J.C. Price said this week. “Taking time out of their schedule when they could have been anywhere else but Blacksburg, Virginia, to play a baseball game, that’s what makes our feelings toward the Yankees very special.”

Kickoff between the Hokies and Terrapins is set for 2:15 p.m. ET on ESPN.