SAN ANTONIO — The Roadrunner Athletic Fund (RAF) on Thursday launched its COVID response fundraising initiative to support UTSA Athletics as it faces financial challenges amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Many of the annual revenue streams that support UTSA’s more than 350 student-athletes, including football ticket sales, RAF donations, game guarantees and NCAA distributions have decreased, while the costs associated with protecting the health and safety of UTSA student-athletes, coaches and staff have increased, resulting in a projected $5 million budget shortfall. The COVID response initiative will help ensure that the financial ramifications of the pandemic do not impact student-athlete scholarships and resources that UTSA student-athletes depend on.
In addition to the assistance that RAF members already provide through their generosity, supporters of UTSA Athletics can now make unrestricted gifts to support scholarships, sports operating budgets and important student-athlete services such as academic, medical and nutritional support.
“The business model of athletics departments across the country have been tested the past eight months, and revenues and expenses look very different than they did last year,” UTSA Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Lisa Campos said. “We want to be transparent with our community regarding this financial impact, share the real-world implications for our coaches and ask our supporters and fans to rally around the student-athletes they cheer on.”
Any RAF gift received between January 1 and December 31, 2020, will receive double Loyalty Points of four per $100. Typically, donors receive two points per $100 for RAF per-seat requirement (non-tax-deductible) and two points per $100 for RAF+ gifts (tax-deductible).
“The future of UTSA Athletics is bright and our student-athletes are performing at high levels competitively and academically in spite of these challenges,” Campos said. “We’re excited about the performance of the football team this season and can’t wait to see our other sports get underway soon. I encourage everyone — if able — to please consider making a gift to this initiative to ensure our momentum continues.”
UTSA student-athletes have stepped up in the face of adversity throughout the pandemic. In the classroom, every UTSA sports program earned a 3.0-plus GPA and more than 76 percent of student-athletes posted a GPA of at least a 3.0 in the spring semester, including 62 who earned a 4.0.
For more information or to make your gift today, please visit GoUTSA.com/Support or call 210-458-4483(GIVE).
-UTSA-
Many of the annual revenue streams that support UTSA’s more than 350 student-athletes, including football ticket sales, RAF donations, game guarantees and NCAA distributions have decreased, while the costs associated with protecting the health and safety of UTSA student-athletes, coaches and staff have increased, resulting in a projected $5 million budget shortfall. The COVID response initiative will help ensure that the financial ramifications of the pandemic do not impact student-athlete scholarships and resources that UTSA student-athletes depend on.
In addition to the assistance that RAF members already provide through their generosity, supporters of UTSA Athletics can now make unrestricted gifts to support scholarships, sports operating budgets and important student-athlete services such as academic, medical and nutritional support.
“The business model of athletics departments across the country have been tested the past eight months, and revenues and expenses look very different than they did last year,” UTSA Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Lisa Campos said. “We want to be transparent with our community regarding this financial impact, share the real-world implications for our coaches and ask our supporters and fans to rally around the student-athletes they cheer on.”
Any RAF gift received between January 1 and December 31, 2020, will receive double Loyalty Points of four per $100. Typically, donors receive two points per $100 for RAF per-seat requirement (non-tax-deductible) and two points per $100 for RAF+ gifts (tax-deductible).
“The future of UTSA Athletics is bright and our student-athletes are performing at high levels competitively and academically in spite of these challenges,” Campos said. “We’re excited about the performance of the football team this season and can’t wait to see our other sports get underway soon. I encourage everyone — if able — to please consider making a gift to this initiative to ensure our momentum continues.”
UTSA student-athletes have stepped up in the face of adversity throughout the pandemic. In the classroom, every UTSA sports program earned a 3.0-plus GPA and more than 76 percent of student-athletes posted a GPA of at least a 3.0 in the spring semester, including 62 who earned a 4.0.
For more information or to make your gift today, please visit GoUTSA.com/Support or call 210-458-4483(GIVE).
-UTSA-
