Univ. of Tennessee gets roasted online for goal post fundraiser

Oct 15, 2022; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers fans carry the goal posts after defeating the Alabama Crimson Tide at Neyland Stadium. Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

University of Tennessee sets up fundraiser to pay for new goal posts; gets roasted for it

By Adam Gretz | Last updated Oct 16, 2022 5:04 PM ET

The Tennessee Volunteers picked up a huge win on Sunday against Alabama, winning an absolutely thrilling 52-49 game that launched the Vols into the No. 3 spot in the country.

It also ended an extensive losing streak against the Crimson Tide and put them on the map as national title contenders this season.

Volunteers fans celebrated by storming the field, ripping down the goal posts, and then proceeding to dump them in the Tennessee river.

Now the University has set up a fundraiser to try and pay for new goal posts, seeking $150,000 from fans,

Y'all remember how we tore the goalposts down, hauled em out of Neyland and dumped em in the Tennessee River?

Yeah that was awesome.

Anywho, turns out that in order to play next week's game, we need goalposts on our field. Could y'all help us out? https://t.co/NSMoL3SzPX
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) October 16, 2022

It had already raised over $16,000 an hour after being posted.
The responses, though, are not exactly as happy and positive.

Y’all don’t have insurance?? https://t.co/bNklX01Vai
— R. (@RuhGEEnah) October 16, 2022

Goalposts cannot cost that much man. Why is a incredibly rich football program asking for money like this https://t.co/33bDcJgWDT
— Jack (@ClevelandJack22) October 16, 2022

This school with $1.34 BILLION DOLLARS worth of endowments just managed to put every wrestling go fund me scam to shame…

buy your own damn goal posts #RockyTop https://t.co/9u5D30GBgo
— Lenny Thomas (@LennyLeonardNYC) October 16, 2022

This is the absolute dumbest thing ever. https://t.co/78uG9X9xJp
— uᴉsʇlǝ⅄ sᴉɹoq ↙️ (@kthomson99) October 16, 2022

*Dave Chappelle Rick James voice* You could afford another one! https://t.co/OVnzlyNWLs
— Jeremy Schneider (@J_Schneider) October 16, 2022

This is what we call opportunistic fundraising.

Tennessee’s athletic department brings in $140 million a year. https://t.co/4iUSYqvsco
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) October 16, 2022

So that happened. Maybe when you are an athletic program worth hundreds of millions of dollars per year, pays coaches with blank checks, and is finally giving your loyal fans something to be excited about you should not try to get some extra money out of them like that in a moment of celebration.

Adam Gretz

Adam Gretz is a freelance writer based in Pittsburgh. He covers the NHL, NFL, MLB and NBA. Baseball is his favorite sport -- he is nearly halfway through his goal of seeing a game in every MLB ballpark. Catch him on Twitter @AGretz

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