Nov. 24, 2009
NORMAL, Ill. -
The Redbird Club (TRC) is the fundraising arm of Illinois State Athletics. Its financial support is the lifeblood of the scholarship dollars for the 400+ student-athletes at ISU by using privately cultivated funds to cover increasing scholarship costs paid to Illinois State University. TRC also provides financial support for future facilities development that assists Redbird Athletics recruit the highest caliber student-athlete to Illinois State University.
Illinois State University does not receive state appropriated funds to operate its Department of Athletics. Redbird Athletics relies on some student fees and the revenue it generates (in the form of ticket sales, private giving and corporate sponsorships, etc.) to provide the foundation for the academic and athletic success of its student-athletes. Without revenue generation, there would be no opportunity for student-athletes to get an education at Illinois State and ISU's alumni and fans would have to go without a Department of Athletics to cheer for and draw pride from.
100% of the money raised by The Redbird Club is earmarked to offset the costs of sending our student-athletes to class. It is not used for salaries of coaches/staff, travel, recruiting or even keeping the lights on at Hancock Stadium or Redbird Arena. Each June the Department of Athletics transfers funds to the University for costs associated with educating our student-athletes, and the bill keeps rising. This year, the Department of Athletics paid $2.71 million to the University and that figure is set to rise above $3 million by the 2011 academic/sports year (FY July 1, 2011 - June 30, 2012).
The benefits that donors receive (priority seating/parking and hospitality room) are a way for Illinois State Athletics to thank its supporters. With limited parking stalls and seats for games, a priority system is in place that observes both donor longevity and generosity. An in-depth look at Priority Points can be found under the sidelines portion of The Redbird Club's webpage, under the Priority Tickets/Parking subheading.
As costs continue to rise and expectations for ISU student-athletes to excel in the classroom and in competition remain high, growth in The Redbird Club is essential to the stability of Redbird Athletics. Please continue to pledge your contribution to The Redbird Club each spring. If it is of interest to you, we'd like you to know you can help in a number of ways above and beyond your current contribution:
- By becoming a member of The Return to Dominance Program, whose members pledge to increase their giving 110% for three consecutive years, you are acknowledging the increasing costs we pay to the University and are stepping up your contribution incrementally as a response.
-By taking advantage of the Reach One program, a donor can receive Priority Points for getting their friends, family and colleagues involved with The Redbird Club. It's a way to increase your points without opening your wallet.
-By becoming a Member of the 20th Team, you can help ISU Athletics in a very meaningful way by assisting The Redbird Club in their annual spring fund drive.
The Redbird Club and ISU Athletics would like to thank all of our current contributors and urge them to continue their support. If you're not yet a member of The Redbird Club, please contact our office or download the brochure on this website (coming shortly). Collectively, we can reach our goal of having every ISU student-athlete walk across the stage at the end of their time at ISU to receive a diploma while wearing a Championship ring.
GoRedbirds.com: Your online source for Illinois State Athletics, tickets, TRC gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
