A Study of Booster Club Operations and the Organization of a "K-Club"

Abstract

Booster clubs have gone from having a negative stigma to being an integral part of athletic department operations. Thus some universities fearing the negative public opinion of booster clubs have termed their club a sports development program. The name is not important, the functions of both are the same. Booster clubs are designed and created to provide financial support to their university. A booster club is set up to fill in the financial holes in an athletic program's budget. Once the athletic department's mission statement has been determined, it is carried out in two ways by the booster club. The first is public relations and the second is fund-raising. The purpose of this S.I.P. is first to gain an understanding of what a booster club is and to understand operations within a club. This is accomplished with a detailed description of average booster club operations. Then to further demonstrate these functions an in depth view of the University of Wyoming's booster club (Cowboy Joe Club) is given. The second section of this paper is designed to show the need at Kalamazoo College for a booster club and to provide a plan for implementing a booster club. A survey was conducted to determine what to expect from a booster club's operation. This survey is used to give a rational expectation for a club. A booster club is not a "cure all" for an average athletic department, but it is a source of much needed funds. Kalamazoo is in dire need of an extra source of income for the athletic department. A booster club with a strong mission statement and solid PR and fund-raising programs could add this extra income.