UCLA uses extensive auction as annual fundraising event

While many universities look to auctions as additional fundraising options, the University of California at Los Angeles has begun using an annual auction dinner as a significant fundraising tool for UCLA student-athletes.  Over the weekend, the UCLA Athletic Department held its annual True Blue Celebration, featuring a silent auction of close to 500 items.  Present at the event were many UCLA coaches and administrators, who spoke on the importance of Bruins fans to UCLA Athletics.  Additionally, student-athletes were present at the event, helping solicit support for the “Drive to $10,000”, an initiative designed to raise $10,000 for athletics scholarships.

Although auctions to raise funds for student-athletes are not new to the collegiate athletics fundraising landscape, the size and scale of these auctions are.  In fact, a high bidding auction item at the True Blue Celebration was the opportunity to dine with men’s basketball Coach Ben Howland and his wife Kim, going for $2,500.  Overall, the auction offered many unique items and packages, which included many signed pieces of memorabilia from past UCLA student-athletes like; Troy Aikman, Darren Collison, and Kevin Love.

As shown with the annual True Blue Celebration, when run on a large scale, auctions can become a major source of support for athletic departments.   More importantly, auctions can serve as a fun and creative way to engage former student-athletes in the helping of current student-athletes.  With the additional fundraising UCLA Athletics has begun to receive from its auction, it may not be too long before we see many other athletic departments look to auctions as a significant source of fundraising.

Michael Speight