I read the article to make sure before I commented... There's no way to tell from that piece whether it's good, bad, or indifferent from U of L's standpoint or his. Good for him that it doesn't appear to be anything but a business decision. No mention of business or financial hardship. Also no mention of store closings so you don't know what it means for employees in any negative way. Doubtful that Bridgeman owns enough franchises in a single area for it to impact a local economy, Louisville or elsewhere.
More likely that there's a profit and/or personal motive in the move for Bridgeman & Family. Perhaps it's an opportunity for his son to take over a business (Coca-Cola bottling) that he wants to manage when his father retires at some point. With Dad's track record and connections, it could be a great opportunity with Coke that the Bridgemans couldn't pass up.
To the contrary, this could be a great opportunity that eventually BENEFITS U of L, if indirectly. Maybe Junior wants more time and effort to focus on philanthropy and his alma mater. Maybe this frees up a large amount of his net worth that he can more easily pass on to his successors. You just don't know what it means, not from that article anyway. Good luck to Junior, and thanks for your service and contributions to U of L...
