Georgia Tech Sets Athletics Funding Record Amid ACC Chaos

The future of the ACC is up in the air as Florida State and Clemson have filed lawsuits against the conference, opening up the potential for them to find new homes. But amid the dysfunction, Georgia Tech has managed to bring some positivity to the conference.

The Atlanta-based school announced Monday that the Alexander-Tharpe Fund, its athletics fundraising arm, brought in nearly $78.2 million in the fiscal year ending on June 30, a school record that is 43% higher than its previous record set in 2019–2020. The latest fund is 161% higher than what the school raised last year.

Tech’s announcement also stated that almost 90% of the donations were “non-seat-related gifts,” meaning they did not come with an exchange for tickets to football or basketball games. The school also said that 20 of the donations it received this year were of at least $1 million.

The record-setting donations come at an opportune time for Tech as the college environment continues to shift since the creation of the transfer portal and the changes in the name, image, and likeness rules.

“As the landscape of college athletics shifts and the financial resources needed to compete for championships at the highest level increase, we are so grateful for our donors stepping up to the plate and making a record-breaking impact on Tech athletics,” Georgia Tech director of athletics J Batt said.

The donations could be a stepping stone in revitalizing a school with four football national championships—though its last one was in 1990, while its last conference championship was in 2009. 

Tech could also use the funds to develop its other athletic programs. While the Yellow Jackets have seen success in men’s basketball, baseball, softball, and golf in this century, the school’s only other national championship outside of football was won by its women’s tennis team in 2007.