UW extends Go B1G! for Washington fundraiser after big first year

Washington takes the field for the season opener against Colorado State last month. (Dean Rutz / The Seattle Times)

Skip Ad

By Andy Yamashita Seattle Times staff reporter

On Sept. 9, 2024, UW athletics announced its Go B1G! for Washington donation campaign. The goal was to raise $300 million during the next five years to help the Huskies relieve some of the rising costs of college athletics. 

A little more than a year later, Washington is expanding its efforts after a tidal wave of support produced more contributions than the Huskies expected. UW athletics announced it has raised $123 million, including a program-record $73 million during 2024 alone, and is now hoping to reach $350 million across the original five-year time period according to a news release Monday.  

“The generosity of Husky Nation has already made history and is proof of what can be accomplished when we come together with a shared vision,” UW athletic director Pat Chun said in the news release. 

Washington originally began the fundraising campaign in hopes of alleviating budget pressures caused by the shifting landscape of college athletics, in particular revenue sharing. Starting this season, athletic departments were allowed to share around $20.5 million directly with its student-athletes after a federal judge approved the settlement of three antitrust lawsuits against the NCAA and its five largest conferences known collectively as the House settlement. 

UW, which has a unique financial situation because of its existing stadium debt and its half share of the Big Ten’s media rights, needed a way to supplement its budget and led the Huskies to launch their fundraising campaign. 

Washington’s student-athletes have already received some of the benefits of the fundraiser. Along with revenue sharing, UW renovated the Don James Center to become a student-athlete nutrition center and upgraded the football weight room. 

Advertising Skip AdSkip AdSkip Ad

Increasing the target goal for the campaign will lead to more improvements focused around three specific areas according to the news release: scholarship support, sports science and data analytics and facility upgrades. 

“These resources will allow us to innovate, elevate performance and create an environment where our student-athletes can succeed,” Chun said, “not just on game day, but every day.”

According to the news release, UW will attempt to raise an additional $3 million annually to support extra scholarships. Teams no longer have scholarship limits following the House settlement. The athletic department also plans on investing $10 million into sports analytics during the next three years. 

Washington will also move into the next phase of its facility improvements, including football game presentation improvements, upgrades to Husky Softball Stadium, renovations for the basketball coaches offices and enhanced training and weight facilities for all teams. 

UW football coach Jedd Fisch, who donated $1 million along with his wife Amber when the campaign was first announced, said he’s been pleased with the financial commitment he’s received from the athletic department. 

“Over the 18 months I’ve been here, there’s nothing we haven’t asked for that we haven’t gotten,” Fisch said Monday. 

He said the football program has been able to upgrade its video cameras and computers and added new graphics and a recovery lounge alongside the improvements to the weight room and the nutrition center. He hopes to renovate the locker room soon. It’s all part of the player-centric program Fisch has consistently promoted. 

“The cost of doing business,” he said, “is expensive.”

Andy Yamashita: ayamashita@seattletimes .com. Andy Yamashita is a sports reporter at The Seattle Times, primarily covering Washington Huskies football.