An examination of factors impacting athlete alumni donations to their alma mater: a case study of a U.S. university

It has been suggested that athlete alumni do not give as generously as they could to their alma maters. Athlete alumni may feel they have given enough to their schools by playing sports, and they may feel greater loyalty to their former sports teams than their alma maters. Drawing on social exchange theory, this study investigated whether such attitudes among athlete alumni at a U. S. university were related to lifetime donations. Results indicate: the quality of alumni's athletic experience and the perception that they have already given to their school by playing sports are predictive of giving amount. similar to the general alumni donor, the variables of age, income, and geography were also found to be related to giving level. Universities and colleges may need to develop specialized marketing communications programs to mitigate athlete alumni's perceptions of not needing to donate because they competed for their school. Implications for universities and other nonprofit organizations are offered. Copyright (C) 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.