Kansas Jayhawks Football Program Will Benefit From Historic Donation

For years, Kansas Jayhawks have worked to shed its reputation as a Big 12 underdog. The team’s recent resurgence under coach Lance Leipold has brought some light of hope.

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Booth's new donation is going to make Leipold's impact even more noticeable. The announcement has already started to receive massive attention, as they are about to kickoff their 134th football season.

The donation is believed to be among the largest single gifts in college athletics. Booth previously contributed $50 million in 2017 to support stadium renovations, which at the time was the largest gift KU had ever received. The renovation of the stadium is complete, and it is ready for the Aug. 23 opener against Fresno State.

However, the new $300 million gift represents a significant step forward since Kansas football has never received an investment of this scale before. It is considered the second phase of the David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium transformation, which, according to reports, will begin after the 2025 season.

Thamel also shared a more detailed picture of this massive donation. As noted, it will immediately fund Phase II renovations of the stadium. However, the specific figure for this construction is estimated at $75 million. The remaining funds will be invested to generate long-term revenue for Kansas Athletics to ensure sustained growth across all sports.

Booth is a Kansas alum who completed his bachelor’s degree in business in 1968 and a Master of Science in 1969. Although he later left the university, he has remained a committed supporter of Kansas Athletics.

Following this historic gift, his name will once again grace the stadium. The current momentum under Leipold, combined with Booth’s donation, suggests the program may be entering a new golden era. There is a high hope that Kansas football could reach the same high points it achieved under coach Mark Mangino.