Courtesy of Grambling State Athletics
Trayvean D. Scott, Grambling State University’s Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics releases a letter announcing that the HBCU will be announcing the new Athletics Annual Fund, in light of the preliminary approval of the House v. NCAA case, paving the way for athletic departments to begin sharing revenue directly with student-athletes. Read his letter below.
Dear GramFam,
The landscape of intercollegiate athletics is transforming right before our eyes. The era of conference realignment, Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL), the transfer portal, and litigation challenges have led to a revolution across the collegiate athletics landscape. From the beginning, the staff and coaches of Grambling Athletics have demonstrated innovation and resilience in navigating these new and unchartered territories.
In October 2024, U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken gave preliminary approval on the settlement in the House v. NCAA case, paving the way for athletic departments to begin sharing revenue directly with student-athletes. The calendar has transitioned to 2025, and we’re excited to transition NIL giving internally at GSU, a move made possible by the anticipated outcome of the House settlement.
As we continue to work to enhance the student-athlete experience at GSU, we will be announcing the new GSU Athletics Annual Fund, which will allow us to support TiGerNIL in a more profound way. The new annual fund will also be critical to funding scholarships and provide financial support to GSU Athletics for the future. Additional details will be coming soon, but if you are interested in learning how to support NIL opportunities for our student-athletes, please contact a member of our championship resources staff at 318.274.2374.
In addition to permitting revenue-sharing, the legal settlement would replace scholarship limits with roster caps. This will provide us with the opportunity to add scholarship support to several of our varsity programs. The settlement also provides back damages to student-athletes who competed from 2016-24, a total of nearly $2.8 billion.
While we support the proposed settlement and the new opportunities it provides for our student-athletes, it also creates significant financial challenges for our department. In all, we anticipate new expenses to reach roughly $300,000 annually for the next ten years, totaling $3 million over that timeframe.
Grambling State University Athletics has developed a comprehensive new strategy and structure not just to navigate this new collegiate landscape, but to thrive in it. While we will be evaluating targeted reductions in operating expenses, we know that we cannot grow our program by cuts. Our focus must continue to be on revenue growth to maintain competitive relevance in this new era, while preserving our storied history of winning championships.
The forthcoming transition to the new revenue-based model will provide a solid foundation for future growth. This past year, we unveiled The Courtside Tigers, a terrific new premium club overlooking the court in the Frederick C. Hobdy Assembly Center that provides a best-in-class member experience as well as new revenues for our department. We are also actively revitalizing our ticket sales & annual fund plans, investing in major gift fundraising, and exploring additional premium amenities in and around the athletics footprint.
Moving forward, we will be asking you to continue and augment your support of Grambling State Athletics. To remain competitive, we will need to significantly grow our resources. To that end, I ask you to do the following:
1. Renew your season tickets, whether it’s for football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, baseball or all four;
2. Renew your TiGer Club membership or consider upgrading your membership level;
3. Support forthcoming fundraising campaigns;
4. Recruit new fans and members to the GramFam
The recent success of Grambling State Athletics has been the result of dedicated administrators and coaches, outstanding student-athletes, and generous support from donors like you. We renovated and enhanced the GSU Soccer Complex. Wilbert Ellis Field at R.W.E Jones Park will see significant upgrades in the coming days by way of new field padding in and around the stadium. The GSU Softball complex received similar upgrades along with new netting for their facility, as well. The GSU football program will undergo their long-awaited locker room renovation to be completed this summer. We’ve also invested in new state-of-the-art video boards and sound systems at Frederick C. Hobdy Assembly Center and Eddie G. Robinson Stadium in conjunction with our partners at the Grambling University Foundation. And, as we look forward to the future of GSU athletics, fans and stakeholders can expect a facilities master plan that will position Grambling State Athletics for future success.
To continue the positive momentum forward, we will be asking you to continue supporting and elevating Grambling State Athletics, your contributions, ticket purchases and more, while we continue to emphasize our mission to educate, unite, inspire, and empower through athletics. Even more, we ask for your help in recruiting more investors and fans to the #Gramfam, as there is incredible strength in support in numbers.
Thank you for being an integral part of this journey and for your unwavering commitment to GSU and our student-athletes. You absolutely make a difference in advancing our intercollegiate athletics program and helping position it as the best, most unique, in the nation. Best wishes to you and your family for a great 2025! I look forward to seeing you inside the Fredrick C. Hobdy Assembly Center as our men and women make a run for March Madness.
Go Tigers!
Trayvean D. Scott
Grambling State University Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics