Interesting that you bring this up. I received this email today concerning my seat payments. Under the new tax code, even if I itemize, they are no longer deductible.




Dear Bobcat Supporter,

Thank you for your generous support of Ohio Athletics through your contribution to the Ohio Bobcat Club. Your support allows more than 400 student-athletes to succeed in the classroom and in competition.

As you may have heard, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act has been signed into law and is now in effect. This new law includes provisions that may affect your charitable contributions to Ohio Athletics.

Previously, IRS Tax Code allowed donations to be 80 percent deductible if paying such amount provided the right to purchase tickets for seating at university athletics events. In the new tax law, this deduction will no longer be permissible.

It is important to note that the changes in the IRS Tax Code only impacts contributions that provides a donor with the right to purchase tickets. Gifts to endowments, capital projects, special uses, etc. are types of contributions that currently do not provide any ticket benefits unless specifically stated. Additionally, many donors give to the annual fund without taking advantage of the benefit of purchasing tickets. Donors can waive their right to benefits to ensure 100% deductibility.

As a result of these changes, all per-seat requirements tied to football and/or basketball season tickets will need to be paid to the Ohio Athletics Ticket Office. We are no longer able to process per-seat money to the Ohio Bobcat Club through the Ohio University Foundation. However, per-seat requirement payments will continue to be credited towards the donor’s overall OBC benefit level total. Although the payment process has been slightly adjusted, the reality of obtaining great seats for watching exciting Ohio Bobcats action and supporting student-athletes has not changed at all!

Contributions to the Ohio Bobcat Club remain vitally important to the success of Ohio Athletics. We rely on the generosity of many Ohio Bobcat supporters each year to help cover academic and operational expenses for all 16 varsity sport programs. Your continued support is needed and appreciated!

As always, we advise you to consult with your own tax advisors to determine how this law might impact your particular situation.

Thanks for your continued support of Ohio Athletics and the Ohio Bobcat Club. Please contact our office at 740-593-1176 or by email at mailto:bobcatclub@ohio.edu if you have any questions.

Go Bobcats!

+1

I started with the Green and White Club and went over to the Bobcat Club when the G&W went away.

Living in N.J.,I don't get to take advantage of most of the benefits.
But I look at it the best way to support O.U. athletics.

Interesting points. What sort of incentives do you think would lead to more people far from Athens giving more?

The lowest level ($100 a year) is a pretty low barrier to entry, even for a recent grad. I agree with what others are saying in terms of benefits, but I'm not sure what one can expect from a nominal donation to a cash-strapped entity.

I'm at the captain level and I like and appreciate the extras I get at that level, but it's certainly not commensurate in value monetarily. I like supporting the program and getting perks isn't the main reason I do it.

Some great ideas here. Unfortunately, our AD isn’t interested in outside ideas.

We used to give to the volleyball program but when those contributions no longer counted toward the seat donation, it became more expensive than I was willing to pay. A look at the Green and White Club roster and the obc roster reveals lots of disenfranchised fans. As SBH, they just don't seem to care.

Good ideas.