Texas Tech Announces Modernization Efforts of the Red Raider Club
For nearly 70 years, the Red Raider Club has been the chief philanthropic arm in supporting Texas Tech student-athletes in the classroom and at the highest levels of competition in order to elevate Texas Tech Athletics among the best collegiate athletics programs in the country.
As the collegiate athletics landscape continues to evolve, the same mission that paved its past success will also shape its future, as Texas Tech Athletics announced Thursday it will modernize the Red Raider Club to maximize the value it delivers to student-athletes, Texas Tech University and Red Raiders everywhere.
As part of the modernization effort, the Red Raider Club will seek to grow its donor base and increase annual dollars raised in order to reach elevated goals, which now include new academic achievement awards, a program Texas Tech Athletics has branded ‘STRIVE.’ STRIVE provides up to $5,980 to scholarship student-athletes who reach specific academic requirements – an initiative requiring an additional $1.8 million in annual fundraising.
The Red Raider Club will also now promote and assist in the fundraising efforts for The Matador Club to provide the best name, image, and likeness opportunities available in the country. The Matador Club, an NIL collective formed in 2022, has gained national recognition for supporting Texas Tech student-athletes through NIL agreements to promote and support local charities through social media, in-person appearances, and community engagements.
The Red Raider Club and The Matador Club will remain two separate entities, with The Matador Club becoming a corporate sponsor and the official and exclusive NIL collective of Texas Tech Athletics. This partnership is critical to creating streamlined fan and donor experiences while keeping Texas Tech at the forefront of the competitive new NIL space.
“Texas Tech Athletics intends to compete at the highest levels of intercollegiate athletics, while maximizing the potential of our student athletes’ lives and careers when they graduate,” Director of Athletics Kirby Hocutt said. “The overall modernization of the Red Raider Club, including the partnership with The Matador Club, positions us for success for generations to come. By growing and strengthening the Red Raider Club, we are supporting our student-athletes at the highest level ever imagined, while also providing our donors a more simplified way to give. We continue to be at the forefront of the changing athletics landscape, and we believe this is the right opportunity to positively impact the future of Texas Tech Athletics.”
In addition to the partnership with The Matador Club, Texas Tech will introduce a rebranding effort for the Red Raider Club, featuring a new logo, website and marketing materials beginning this summer. The Red Raider Club and The Matador club will also provide enhanced benefits to annual donors to encourage giving and engagement at all levels.
“The mission for the Red Raider Club – supporting Texas Tech Athletics student-athletes – will not change,” said Andrea Tirey, Senior Associate Athletics Director for Development. “By modernizing the Red Raider Club, however, we seek to fulfill the needs of today’s student-athlete. If you are a Red Raider, we want you to be a member of the Red Raider Club and The Matador Club. Texas Tech student-athletes are the University’s ambassadors to the world, and when we support student-athletes, we boost the reputation and the legacy of Texas Tech.”
The Red Raider Club generates more than $21 million toward the athletics department’s more than $100 million budget and will continue to empower the whole student-athlete through academic scholarships, academic support, leadership training, technology, meals, nutritional education, mental health resources, strength and conditioning, state-of-the-art facilities and now STRIVE funding. The Matador Club provides student-athletes with additional financial resources in exchange for the use of their name, image, and likeness and connects student-athletes with ways to positively impact community organizations.
“If you support Texas Tech Athletics, we need you to be a member of both the Red Raider Club and The Matador Club,” head football coach Joey McGuire said. “It’s a great time to be a Red Raider with the momentum we have built as an athletics department. It’s going to take all of us, though, so we need fans and donors to support both tremendously impactful organizations.”
The partnership between Texas Tech Athletics and The Matador Club aims to eliminate competition in fundraising efforts and donor confusion while also increasing overall fundraising support and the annual donor base of each organization. While athletics department staff will now be able to provide education and fundraising support to The Matador Club and its’ members, Texas Tech will not coordinate any NIL activities for student-athletes, per state and NCAA guidelines.
“As a former student athlete and lifelong Red Raider, I am thrilled to see that Texas Tech Athletics continues to be on the forefront of progress, innovation, and creativity,” Texas Tech University System Board of Regents member Cody Campbell said. “This partnership will provide incredible opportunity for our student-athletes and will ensure the long-term competitiveness of our programs. Our strength is rooted in the large numbers and tremendous passion of our alumni and fans. We look forward to more-deeply engaging with Red Raider Nation and encourage everyone to help however they can. This is a massive team effort, and each individual has a vital role to play.”
“Today, a new era begins as the Red Raider Club seeks to modernize our vision to achieve increased financial goals, foster sustainability, welcome a refreshed brand, and champion our new partnership with The Matador Club,” Tirey added. “We hope all Red Raiders will join us as we continue to impact our great University.”
For nearly 70 years, the Red Raider Club has been the chief philanthropic arm in supporting Texas Tech student-athletes in the classroom and at the highest levels of competition in order to elevate Texas Tech Athletics among the best collegiate athletics programs in the country.
As the collegiate athletics landscape continues to evolve, the same mission that paved its past success will also shape its future, as Texas Tech Athletics announced Thursday it will modernize the Red Raider Club to maximize the value it delivers to student-athletes, Texas Tech University and Red Raiders everywhere.
As part of the modernization effort, the Red Raider Club will seek to grow its donor base and increase annual dollars raised in order to reach elevated goals, which now include new academic achievement awards, a program Texas Tech Athletics has branded ‘STRIVE.’ STRIVE provides up to $5,980 to scholarship student-athletes who reach specific academic requirements – an initiative requiring an additional $1.8 million in annual fundraising.
The Red Raider Club will also now promote and assist in the fundraising efforts for The Matador Club to provide the best name, image, and likeness opportunities available in the country. The Matador Club, an NIL collective formed in 2022, has gained national recognition for supporting Texas Tech student-athletes through NIL agreements to promote and support local charities through social media, in-person appearances, and community engagements.
The Red Raider Club and The Matador Club will remain two separate entities, with The Matador Club becoming a corporate sponsor and the official and exclusive NIL collective of Texas Tech Athletics. This partnership is critical to creating streamlined fan and donor experiences while keeping Texas Tech at the forefront of the competitive new NIL space.
“Texas Tech Athletics intends to compete at the highest levels of intercollegiate athletics, while maximizing the potential of our student athletes’ lives and careers when they graduate,” Director of Athletics Kirby Hocutt said. “The overall modernization of the Red Raider Club, including the partnership with The Matador Club, positions us for success for generations to come. By growing and strengthening the Red Raider Club, we are supporting our student-athletes at the highest level ever imagined, while also providing our donors a more simplified way to give. We continue to be at the forefront of the changing athletics landscape, and we believe this is the right opportunity to positively impact the future of Texas Tech Athletics.”
In addition to the partnership with The Matador Club, Texas Tech will introduce a rebranding effort for the Red Raider Club, featuring a new logo, website and marketing materials beginning this summer. The Red Raider Club and The Matador club will also provide enhanced benefits to annual donors to encourage giving and engagement at all levels.
“The mission for the Red Raider Club – supporting Texas Tech Athletics student-athletes – will not change,” said Andrea Tirey, Senior Associate Athletics Director for Development. “By modernizing the Red Raider Club, however, we seek to fulfill the needs of today’s student-athlete. If you are a Red Raider, we want you to be a member of the Red Raider Club and The Matador Club. Texas Tech student-athletes are the University’s ambassadors to the world, and when we support student-athletes, we boost the reputation and the legacy of Texas Tech.”
The Red Raider Club generates more than $21 million toward the athletics department’s more than $100 million budget and will continue to empower the whole student-athlete through academic scholarships, academic support, leadership training, technology, meals, nutritional education, mental health resources, strength and conditioning, state-of-the-art facilities and now STRIVE funding. The Matador Club provides student-athletes with additional financial resources in exchange for the use of their name, image, and likeness and connects student-athletes with ways to positively impact community organizations.
“If you support Texas Tech Athletics, we need you to be a member of both the Red Raider Club and The Matador Club,” head football coach Joey McGuire said. “It’s a great time to be a Red Raider with the momentum we have built as an athletics department. It’s going to take all of us, though, so we need fans and donors to support both tremendously impactful organizations.”
The partnership between Texas Tech Athletics and The Matador Club aims to eliminate competition in fundraising efforts and donor confusion while also increasing overall fundraising support and the annual donor base of each organization. While athletics department staff will now be able to provide education and fundraising support to The Matador Club and its’ members, Texas Tech will not coordinate any NIL activities for student-athletes, per state and NCAA guidelines.
“As a former student athlete and lifelong Red Raider, I am thrilled to see that Texas Tech Athletics continues to be on the forefront of progress, innovation, and creativity,” Texas Tech University System Board of Regents member Cody Campbell said. “This partnership will provide incredible opportunity for our student-athletes and will ensure the long-term competitiveness of our programs. Our strength is rooted in the large numbers and tremendous passion of our alumni and fans. We look forward to more-deeply engaging with Red Raider Nation and encourage everyone to help however they can. This is a massive team effort, and each individual has a vital role to play.”
“Today, a new era begins as the Red Raider Club seeks to modernize our vision to achieve increased financial goals, foster sustainability, welcome a refreshed brand, and champion our new partnership with The Matador Club,” Tirey added. “We hope all Red Raiders will join us as we continue to impact our great University.”
