Stanford football has received a record-setting $50 million gift from former player Bradford M. Freeman, marking the largest individual donation in program history and one of the biggest ever made to a college sports team.
The gift comes as Stanford attempts to rebuild its football fortunes under new general manager and former NFL QB Andrew Luck. The Cardinal have gone 5-12 over the past five seasons and are currently under interim coach Frank Reich. The funds will be used to enhance player support, scholarships and institutional name, image and likeness initiatives.
“With Brad’s incredible gift, we are positioned to win on the field and build a bridge to a sustainable future for Stanford football,” Luck said in a statement. “The ability to support our players through new scholarships and institutional NIL will reinforce Stanford as the preeminent place in the country to be a football scholar-athlete.”
Freeman has been a longtime supporter of Stanford University and athletics. The 1964 grad is co-founder of the private equity firm Freeman Spogli & Co. and previously endowed the nation’s first head coach position the Bradford M. Freeman Director of Football. He also served as a Stanford Trustee.
Stanford plans to honor Freeman’s donation by naming both a tunnel and a gate at Stanford Stadium after him. He said his experience at Stanford “impacted the trajectory of my life” and expressed hope that the gift would “herald a new era of excellence for Stanford football.”
The gift also strengthens the efforts of Luck and new athletic director John Donahoe, who has been on the job for four months. As the university searches for a permanent head coach and works to modernize its football operations, this is a tremendous step forward.
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