Sooner Club

What Sooner Club does

The Sooner Club is the official athletics fundraising organization for the University of Oklahoma, operating as a membership-based philanthropic development platform for OU Athletics. Founded in 1992 and headquartered in Norman, Oklahoma, it mobilizes donations from alumni, fans, and supporters to fund scholarships, facility projects, and operational support for 21 varsity sport programs serving nearly 600 student-athletes. The core offering is an annual membership program structured in tiered levels (Silver, Gold, Bud Wilkinson, Captain, All-American, Hall of Fame), with contributions unlocking a dual-point benefits architecture: Sooner Points govern home seat selection priority, while Championship Points govern access to away games, Red River Rivalry tickets, and postseason allocations — a design that preserves tax deductibility under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 by separating tax-deductible philanthropic gifts from seat-related payments.

Revenue is generated through five primary streams: recurring annual membership contributions, per-seat priority seat gifts for football/basketball/softball season tickets (starting at $100 per seat), tax-deductible championship/philanthropic gifts routed to the Inspiring Champions Fund and scholarships, multi-year facility project pledges (3-5 year terms for projects such as Rock Creek Entertainment District, Kimrey Family Stadium, and stadium enhancements), and a $50 Collegiate Membership add-on for OU students. Distribution runs entirely through direct sales: regional development officers handle enterprise-level donor cultivation, while the Evenue.net donation portal and Oklahoma Sooners mobile app handle transactional giving and ticket delivery. The organization supports a continuous capital project pipeline, with completed facilities including Love's Field (2024), Gymnastics Training Center (2025), Golf Training Facility (2025), and Headington Family Tennis Center, alongside the in-development Rock Creek Entertainment District multipurpose arena and Kimrey Family Stadium. Operational oversight is provided through the OU Foundation for tax-deductible gift processing and endowment management, and the Varsity O Association maintains post-graduation engagement with letterwinner alumni.

Name

Sooner Club

Legal name

Sooner Club

Website

https://thesoonerclub.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The Sooner Club is the official athletics fundraising arm of the University of Oklahoma, mobilizing annual memberships and capital pledges to fund scholarships and facilities for 21 sport programs and nearly 600 student-athletes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Athletics Fundraising Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (8134), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Spectator Sports (71121)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Sports Fundraising & Development Services (Foundations, NIL Collectives Support) (MPAKAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Athletics Fundraising, Sponsorships & NIL Support (EDALAIAN)

Keywords

• Athletics fundraising
• Donor membership program
• Priority seating benefits
• Scholarship endowment support
• Athletic facility development

Headquarters

HQ city

Norman

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Contributions: Annual contributions at varying levels (Silver, Gold, Bud Wilkinson, Captain, All-American, Hall of Fame) that determine membership status and unlock benefits including priority seating, parking, and event access. These are recurring gifts required annually to maintain membership level.
2. Priority Seat Gifts: Required per-seat donations for football, basketball, and softball season tickets. These are seat-related and not tax-deductible, but earn Sooner Points for priority seat selection.
3. Championship/Philanthropic Gifts: Tax-deductible gifts above and beyond seat requirements, including contributions to Inspiring Champions Fund, facility projects, and scholarships. These earn Championship Points and qualify for the dual-point system under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.
4. Facility Project Pledges: Multi-year pledges (3-5 year periods) for capital facility projects including Rock Creek Entertainment District, Kimrey Family Stadium, Gaylord Family Stadium enhancements, and completed projects like Love's Field, Gymnastics Training Center, and Headington Family Tennis Center. Points for full pledge amount are deposited at pledge time.
5. Collegiate Membership: One-time $50 add-on for OU students purchasing season tickets, providing priority access to high-demand tickets for Red River Rivalry, SEC Championship, and bowl games.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Sooner Club is the official athletics fundraising organization of the University of Oklahoma, operating a membership-based donation program for alumni, fans, and supporters. It collects annual contributions and seat-related gifts that fund scholarships, training facilities, and operations for nearly 600 student-athletes across 21 sport programs. Members receive tiered benefits including priority seating, parking, Champions Tailgate access, and allocations for away games and postseason play, governed by a dual Sooner Points and Championship Points priority system.

Product overview

Sooner Club is the official athletics fundraising organization of the University of Oklahoma, operating as a membership-based donation platform that supports nearly 600 student-athletes across 21 sport programs. The core offering is the Sooner Club Membership program, which combines annual giving with tiered benefits including priority seating, ticket allocations, parking passes, and exclusive events. The organization manages two complementary point systems: Sooner Points (for home seat selection) and Championship Points (for away games and special events). Supporting products include the 1895 Trust (lifetime donor recognition), Inspiring Champions Fund (student-athlete initiatives), and Varsity O Association (letterwinner alumni). Facility development is a major focus, with completed projects like Love's Field, the Gymnastics Training Center, and Headington Family Tennis Center, while the Rock Creek Entertainment District arena and Kimrey Family Stadium are currently under development. Collegiate Membership provides student access to premium tickets. Premium seating options include courtside clubs, loge boxes, and stadium suites across football, basketball, and other sports venues.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sooner Club Membership Primary annual membership program through which donors contribute to OU Athletics at tiered levels (Silver, Gold, Bud Wilkinson, Captain, All-American, Hall of Fame) and unlock priority seating, parking, ticket allocations, and exclusive event access managed via Sooner Points and Championship Points.
• 1895 Trust Lifetime donor recognition program acknowledging cumulative contributions to OU Athletics above a defined giving threshold.
• Inspiring Champions Fund Annual giving fund supporting student-athlete initiatives including recruitment resources, academic excellence programs, and post-graduation career development for OU letterwinners.
• Collegiate Membership Student membership program priced at $50 per year added to season tickets, providing OU undergraduate and graduate students priority access to high-demand tickets including Red River Rivalry, SEC Championship, and bowl games.

Quantifiable outcome

• 45 National Championships achieved by OU Athletics
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• OU FoundationcoreOthersOU Foundation Portal serves as the institutional giving platform, with Sooner Club donations processed through oufoundation.org/login/83. The relationship enables tax-deductible gift processing and endowment management for scholarship support.
• MidFirst BankminorOthersMidFirst Bank Courtside Club is the naming rights sponsor for the basketball courtside premium seating area, providing premium member benefits and recognition for basketball ticket holders.
• Champions Tailgate SponsorsminorOthers25 Champions Tailgate Sponsors (as of August 2025) support the pregame experience at home football games. These corporate partners provide food and beverages for the exclusive Champions Tailgate event at John Jacobs Track & Field facility.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Tiger Athletic Foundation: Tiger Athletic Foundation is LSU Athletics' official fundraising arm, operating a tiered membership/seat-priority program that mirrors the Sooner Club's structure. Both are SEC-affiliated foundations funding scholarships, facilities, and annual operating support through philanthropy.
• 12th Man Foundation: The 12th Man Foundation is Texas A&M Athletics' official fundraising organization, providing scholarships, facilities, and priority seating through tiered membership levels — a near-perfect structural analog to the Sooner Club as a peer SEC institution.
• Longhorn Foundation: The Longhorn Foundation is the University of Texas Athletics' premier donor program, funding scholarships and capital projects through priority-point membership tiers. Direct SEC peer and closest comparable by scale, brand, and conference affiliation.
• Crimson Tide Foundation: Crimson Tide Foundation supports Alabama Athletics through philanthropy-driven scholarships and facility development. Comparable as an SEC fundraising arm with championship heritage driving donor engagement, similar to Sooner Club's model.
• Bulldog Club: The Bulldog Club is University of Georgia Athletics' official fundraising organization, using priority seating and tiered memberships to fund scholarships and facilities. Closely comparable as an SEC peer with a championship-driven donor value proposition.
• Vol Fund: The Vol Fund is the University of Tennessee Athletics' official annual giving and priority seating program, comparable in structure, SEC affiliation, and reliance on philanthropy to close the scholarship funding gap.
• Catbacker Club: Catbacker Club is Kansas State Athletics' primary fundraising organization, using priority points and tiered memberships for seat access and scholarships. Comparable as a university athletic development organization with a tiered priority-points model.
• Ram Club: Ram Club is Colorado State Athletics' official fundraising arm, supporting student-athlete scholarships through priority seating and annual memberships. Comparable mid-major peer operating the same philanthropy-driven funding model as the Sooner Club.
• Stanford Buck/Cardinal Club: Stanford's Cardinal Club is the official athletics fundraising arm supporting scholarships and capital projects through tiered memberships and priority seating, a direct structural analog to the Sooner Club's membership-based philanthropy model.

Others

• MidFirst Bank (corporate sponsor): MidFirst Bank is the naming-rights sponsor of the Sooner Club's courtside basketball premium-seating area. Included as a peer because it represents the corporate premium-seat sponsorship model that funds Sooner Club capacity, an adjacent revenue-supporting relationship rather than a direct fundraising peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SoonerClub
• Facebookfacebook.com/soonerclub

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sooner Club