The Varsity

The Varsity is a restaurant chain, iconic in the modern culture of Atlanta, Georgia. The main branch of the chain is the largest drive-in fast food restaurant in the world. There are now six other branches across metro Atlanta, and another near the University of Georgia in Athens.

History

Originally named "The Yellow Jacket," The Varsity was established in 1928 at the corner of Luckie Street and Hemphill Avenue in Midtown Atlanta. Its founder, Frank Gordy of Thomaston, Georgia, a Reinhardt University graduate, briefly attended The Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) but dropped out in 1925. Then, as now, the restaurant catered heavily to Georgia Tech students. As the business grew, Gordy was forced to move the restaurant to 61 North Avenue (on the northwest corner of Spring Street). To accommodate the crowds, the present structure now covers two city blocks. It was here that the name was changed to "The Varsity," reflecting his desire to expand to other college campuses. During the drive-in era, The Varsity began its curbside service, which continues to this day.

The Varsity (newspaper)

The Varsity is one of the main student newspapers of the University of Toronto. In publication since 1880, it is the second-oldest student newspaper in Canada, and with a weekly circulation of 20, 000 copies is one of the largest student newspapers by distribution, in North America.

The paper publishes weekly during the university semesters and online throughout the year. Originally a broadsheet daily, it now issues in compact form. The paper focuses on campus affairs and issues directly relevant to all U of T students. The major sections are news, comment, science, arts, sports, and features.

The Varsity usually assumes a left-of-centre stance on political affairs. The paper is published by Varsity Publications, a not-for-profit corporation, and is primarily financed by advertisement revenues with subsidies from student levy.

History

At the height of debate on coeducation in 1880, The Varsity published an article in its inaugural issue voicing in favour of admitting women.

Varsity (bar)

Varsity is a student-focused pub chain operating in the United Kingdom. The name originates from annual university sports competitions.

History

The chain began in the mid-1990s. Its main competitor was Scream Pubs. Varsity was more sports-orientated than It's A Scream.

Varsity Wolverhampton – the first varsity bar in the chain – will shut its doors in June 2012 after The University of Wolverhampton made a successful bid to Barracuda Group to purchase the building.

Ownership

Wolverhampton & Dudley

Varsity was founded by Wolverhampton & Dudley. It also had the Poacher's Pocket brand, and the Milestone Restaurants chain.

Barracuda Group

The Barracuda Group was formed in July 2000 by PPM Ventures, a private equity company that became Silverfleet Capital.

In September 2001 Barracuda Group bought fifty pubs from Wolverhampton & Dudley for £37.25 million, which included the twenty two pubs of the Varsity chain.

In June 2005, the Barracuda Group was sold for £262 million to Charterhouse Capital Partners. In August 2006 there were thirty six Varsity bars.

The Varsity Match

The Varsity Match is an annual rugby union fixture played between the universities of Oxford and Cambridge in England. The event began in 1872, with interruptions only for the two World Wars. Since 1921, the game has been played at Twickenham Stadium, London. It is normally played in early December.

Following the 134th match in 2015, Oxford University RFC have 59 wins, and Cambridge University R.U.F.C. maintain the lead with 61; 14 games have ended in draws.Varsity matches between Oxford and Cambridge are also arranged in various other sports. For example, the first recorded water polo match in history was played between Oxford and Cambridge in 1891.

History

The history of The Varsity Match extends back to early 1872. It was a year after the first ever rugby international (Scotland v England). Both Cambridge and Oxford sent officials to meet and arrange a match between each other. At The Parks, Oxford, they played a 20 a-side version of the game (as opposed to today's 15 a-side games; the teams would be set to 15 a-side in 1875). Oxford won the inaugural meeting. In that first match, Oxford wore dark blue jerseys (the same as today, though at some stages they wore white), however, Cambridge played in pink, changing to their blue and white in 1876.

The University Match (cricket)

The University Match in a cricketing context is generally understood to refer to the annual fixture between Oxford University Cricket Club and Cambridge University Cricket Club. From 2001, in most of their fixtures Oxford appeared as the Oxford University Centre of Cricketing Excellence (Oxford UCCE, incorporating Oxford Brookes University), and Cambridge appeared as the Cambridge University Centre of Cricketing Excellence (Cambridge UCCE, incorporating Anglia Ruskin University), but this does not apply to the University Match(es).

History

The match was first played in 1827 at the instigation of Charles Wordsworth who was also responsible for founding the Boat Race in 1829. It was traditionally an annual three-day first-class fixture, normally held at Lord's. From the 1830s until 1939, it was among the most important fixtures of the season, attracting large crowds and widespread press coverage. It was still a major social, as well as sporting, event as recently as just after World War II . According to The Cricketer (1954), the 1954 match attracted over 13,000 paying spectators as well as MCC members.

Varsity match

A varsity match is a sporting fixture between two university rivals. In its original and most commonly used form, it is used to describe meetings between Cambridge University and Oxford University.

Varsity in England

By far the country's longest-running series of varsity matches is played between the University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford with some rivalries airing live on national television. Unlike in North America, the broadcast of university sport is not commonplace.

In recent years, city and regional sporting rivalries have developed.

Oxbridge