Tommy Mitchell Sr. wants to ensure every Florida A&M sport is accounted for.
The FAMU alumnus and former National Alumni Association President has launched and presides over the FAMU Non-Revenue Producing Sports Booster Club.
The organization has been established to support the Rattlers' baseball, basketball teams, bowling, cheerleaders, golf, softball, track teams, and volleyball.
During this May's FAMU National Alumni Association Convention, the NRPS Boosters presented a $32,000 mock check, signifying donations to the Rattler teams' foundation accounts.
Mitchell said NRPS Boosters gave $2,000 apiece to each represented team. Volleyball received an additional $1,500, golf got $1,000, and baseball got $550.
FAMU NRPS Booster members can give directly to specific teams. However, Mitchell said FAMU NRPS Boosters push for unrestricted dollars.
"The idea is to provide and create a strong support base just like the National Alumni Association," said Mitchell, a FAMU Sports Hall of Famer for his basketball career with the Rattlers.
"I want to look at maybe not necessarily a chapter concept, but a club concept where we don't have to be some structured national organization unless the group wants to do that."
Mitchell said he began thinking of the FAMU NPRS Booster Club while serving as the Executive Director of the Rattlers Boosters from 2017-2020, a role he was asked to do by former FAMU athletic director Milton Overton . Then, Mitchell recalled former FAMU athletic director Kortne Gosha , deeming the sports "non-revenue producing."
Mitchell said he called people in about 10 states to ask for their support of the FAMU NRPS Booster Club.
"I called some people together and said the university needs a national support group," Mitchell said. "This organization is designed to make sure we support the other sports."
In 2022, FAMU NRPS Boosters raised $32,000. It raised $41,000 in 2023.
Through the first quarter of 2024, FAMU NRPS Boosters' efforts ballooned to $53,954.16, with $6,573.34 for the team's game snacks, mainly provided by Tallahassee's Piggly Wiggly, owned by FAMU alumnus Roy Moore . Game snacks are also arranged at the Rattlers' away game locations.
Alongside snacks, FAMU NRPS has provided other items for Rattlers' sports programs, such as laptops for the women's basketball coaching staff.
Another project FAMU NRPS Boosters look to tackle is sponsoring the Rattlers' three-day volleyball tournament at the Al Lawson Center from Sept. 6-7. FAMU NRPS Boosters need a minimum of $5,500 to sponsor the tournament, meaning that FAMU NRPS Boosters have to raise another $2,500 for Rattlers volleyball.
"All the teams tell us some project they want that we can help provide," Mitchell said. "What I found is that if people know what the money is for, they'll be more inclined to give the money."
Mitchell said the next plans for FAMU NRPS Boosters are attending more road games and landing more business and corporate sponsorships. He says the organization plans to make more donations in this year's fourth quarter, as early as September, and possibly another donation in December.
"Somewhere in either September or no later than October, we want to give another donation. And then by December, we would want to do it again," Mitchell said.
FAMU Athletics has to be self-sustaining. The university can't fund athletics.
FAMU is raising its most money in school history, but only seven percent of donors are alums. Mitchell said he discovered this at a FAMU National Alumni Association meeting.
Mitchell, who once served as FAMU's Director of Alumni Affairs, wants that to change and is willing to lead the charge.
"We have to remind our graduates that HBCU graduates are just not giving back the kind of way and the manner that they should," Mitchell said.
"If we don't give the money, the university will be in trouble ― and we've got championship teams ― volleyball, softball, baseball, tennis. I know these teams are doing well, but they don't charge for their games. So, we have to make sure we do a better job."
Mitchell is putting where his mouth is.
He says the FAMU Foundation automatically deducts $76.66 from his account twice a month, and is a season ticket holder for FAMU's sports teams.
"I can't ask people to give if I don't. We say we love the school, and we bleed Orange and Green. If we don't give the green, that love is questionable," Mitchell said.
"We just have to do a better job supporting because the university can't. The university is doing its job getting corporations and grants, but they can't support it. So, we have to."
Gerald Thomas, III covers Florida A&M University Athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at gdthomas@tallahassee.com or on the app formerly known as Twitter @3peatgee .
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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Past FAMU NAA President Tommy Mitchell leading support of non-revenue sports
