Texas A&M quarterback Kenny Hill has already shattered former Aggies' quarterback Johnny Manziel's single-game passing yards record. Will his success on the field allow Texas A&M to brake its fundraising record as well?
For the 2013 fiscal year, Texas A&M raised over $740 million from booster donations and pledges. To put this record-breaking haul in perspective, the amount of money raised is more than $300 million greater than the school’s previous record, and is almost $600 million in excess of what the university was able to raise in 2012. While more than half of the money went to the Texas A&M Foundation, which uses the money to fund scholarships, faculty support, students activities, and other discretionary expenses, about a third went to the renovation of the school’s football complex, locker rooms and stadium, Kyle Field. Recently, the university unveiled its new Bright Football Complex, which received a $20.8 million upgrade.
For the most part, Texas A&M’s ability to raise the highest amount of money received by a Texas university can be attributed to success of Heisman Trophy Award winning quarterback, Johnny Manziel. Texas A&M’s System Chancellor, John Sharp, has stated that the fundraising feat could be directly linked to the football team’s success upon joining the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and national media attention that came as a result of Manziel unexpectedly bursting onto the scene. Furthermore, Ed Davis, president of the Texas A&M Foundation, has associated being in the news and having a media magnet such as Manziel to lead the football team to its recent success with the recent flood of excitement that has come to envelop the campus and past alumni. Such excitement led past and present Aggies to donate more money than ever.
With the 52-28 rout of No. 9 South Carolina this past Thursday night, the torch has officially been passed from Johnny Manziel to Kenny Hill. Not only does Hill have the ability to continue the trend of underclassmen winning the Heisman Trophy in their first year as starting quarterback, but that ability allows him to help continue the success of A&M’s fundraising campaign. While Manziel has left tough shoes to fill, Hill has already shown a penchant for setting records, breaking Manziel’s single-game passing mark with 511 yards in the air against the Gamecocks. With such talent, the Aggies should have no shortage of help in their pursuit of breaking its 2013 fundraising record during this upcoming year.
Darren Heitner is a lawyer and the Founder of South Florida-based HEITNER LEGAL, P.L.L.C., which has a focus on Sports Law and Entertainment Law.
