JMU Duke Club

What JMU Duke Club does

JMU Duke Club is the official fundraising arm of James Madison University Athletics, a nonprofit operation housed within the public university in Harrisonburg, Virginia, with a five-person staff operating from 380 University Blvd. The organization channels philanthropic capital to all 18 varsity sport programs and more than 500 student-athletes, with the FY2022 record of $5,081,405 in total giving from 4,695 donors representing its most recently disclosed scale.

Its core product is the Proud and True Fund, a tiered annual membership program with levels from $75 (Madison) through $2,500+ (President's), unlocking graduated benefits including priority points, parking privileges, and seat-allocation priority. Premium inventory at Bridgeforth Stadium (1,000 Club Level seats, 15 private suites, APC patio suites, East Side Premium seating) and the Atlantic Union Bank Center (Strickler Courtside Lounge, Campanelli Club) functions as the inventory that donors access via per-seat contributions layered on top of season tickets. Long-tail giving instruments include the Circle of Champions for $100,000+ capital project donors, the Morrison-Ehlers Athletics Society for planned giving, the Student Duke Club for $25 student memberships, the Duke Dog Paver Campaign, and facility naming rights from $25,000 to $3,000,000.

The business model operates on a direct-to-consumer nonprofit development motion: the Duke Club acquires and renews donors through personal outreach, an events calendar (Duke Club Golf Classic, Friday Night Flights, Coaches Caravan, DC Socials, Hall of Fame), email newsletters, and social channels, then processes gifts through give.jmu.edu, jmusports.evenue.net, and in-person ticket office sales. The 2025 launch of the Student-Athlete Enhancement Fund adds a NIL- and revenue-sharing-aligned giving vehicle, expanding the product surface into the post-NCAA settlement era.

Name

JMU Duke Club

Legal name

James Madison University Duke Club

Website

https://jmudukeclub.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

JMU Duke Club is the official fundraising arm of James Madison University Athletics, operating a tiered annual giving program and premium seating products that support 18 varsity sports and over 500 student-athletes with a five-person development staff in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Athletic Fundraising & Membership

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Athletics Fundraising, Sponsorships & NIL Support (EDALAIAN), Fundraising & Annual Giving (EDALAOAB)

Keywords

• Athletic fundraising
• Donor membership programs
• Premium seating sales
• Capital campaign giving
• Athletic scholarship support

Headquarters

HQ city

Harrisonburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Proud and True Fund (Annual Fund): Unrestricted contributions to support student-athlete scholarships and general athletic operating budget. The primary revenue stream for JMU Athletics, with gifts starting at $75 for membership. Total giving topped $5,081,405 in FY2022 with $4,044,247 in unrestricted annual fund gifts.
2. Duke Club Seat Contributions: Required donations for access to premium seating at Bridgeforth Stadium and Atlantic Union Bank Center. Seat contributions are non-tax-deductible under 2017 TCJA provisions. Priority points accumulate at 0.08 multiplier.
3. Premium Seating and Hospitality: Revenue from Club Level seats ($970 each + $800 seat contribution), suites, and patio suites at Bridgeforth Stadium. Also includes East Side Premium seating at $955/season ($655 ticket + $300 seat contribution).
4. Naming Rights and Facility Opportunities: Naming opportunities for athletic facilities ranging from $25,000 (Assistant Coach Offices) to $3,000,000 (Game Court at Atlantic Union Bank Center). Generates capital campaign revenue for facility enhancements.
5. Duke Dog Paver Campaign: Brick paver donations at $275 (4x8 inch, 3 lines) or $525 (8x8 inch, 5 lines). Tax-deductible but does not count toward Duke Club membership benefits.
6. Special Events: Revenue from signature events including Friday Night Flights ($35-$80 tickets), Duke Club Golf Classic, Coaches Caravan, and Hall of Fame ceremonies. Proceeds support Proud and True Fund.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

The JMU Duke Club is the official fundraising arm of James Madison University Athletics, operating the Proud & True Fund (PATF) annual giving program for all 18 varsity sport programs and over 500 student-athletes. Members contribute annual gifts starting at $75 in exchange for tiered benefits including season ticket access, Priority Points for seat and parking selection, parking passes, hospitality experiences, and recognition. The organization also manages premium seating, capital campaign naming rights, planned giving, special events (Golf Classic, Coaches Caravan, DC Socials, Friday Night Flights), and major donor programs including the Circle of Champions.

Product overview

The Duke Club is the official fundraising arm for James Madison University Athletics, operating a membership-based program supporting 18 varsity sport programs and over 500 student-athletes. The core offering is the Proud & True Fund (PATF) annual membership program, which provides tiered benefits including season ticket access, priority points for seat/parking selection, parking passes, and hospitality experiences based on giving levels starting at $75. Supporting programs include the Student Duke Club (SDC) for undergraduate members, the Circle of Champions for $100K+ capital project donors, and the Morrison-Ehlers Athletics Society for planned giving. Premium seating products include Club Level seats, hospitality suites, and patio suites at Bridgeforth Stadium and the Atlantic Union Bank Center. The organization also manages fundraising events (Duke Club Golf Classic, Coaches Caravan, DC Socials, Friday Night Flights), endowments, naming opportunities, and paver campaigns.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Proud and True Fund (PATF): The official annual fund for JMU Athletics supporting student-athlete scholarships and general operating budget
• Circle of Champions
• Morrison-Ehlers Athletics Society
• Student Duke Club (SDC)
• Duke Club Priority Points
• Student-Athlete Enhancement Fund

Products and services

• Duke Club Membership (Proud & True Fund)

Quantifiable outcome

• Record $4,044,247 in unrestricted annual fund gifts in FY2022
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• VA EagleminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 May 2026Sponsor for 41st Annual Duke Club Golf Classic. Virginia-based sponsor participating in premier JMU Athletics fundraising event.
• VHBminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 May 2026Sponsor for 41st Annual Duke Club Golf Classic. Engineering and infrastructure firm supporting JMU Athletics fundraising.
• Bank of the JamesminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 May 2026Sponsor for 41st Annual Duke Club Golf Classic. Regional financial institution supporting JMU Athletics.
• PCVA (Pepsi-Cola Virginia)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 May 2026Sponsor for 41st Annual Duke Club Golf Classic. Beverage partner providing products for event.
• DMS (Dead Meat Society)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 May 2026Sponsor for 41st Annual Duke Club Golf Classic. Event sponsor for JMU Athletics fundraiser.
• Harrisonburg ConstructionminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 May 2026Sponsor for 41st Annual Duke Club Golf Classic. Local construction company supporting JMU Athletics.
• Steven ToyotaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 May 2026Sponsor for 41st Annual Duke Club Golf Classic. Automotive dealer supporting JMU Athletics fundraising.
• MoseleyminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 May 2026Sponsor for 41st Annual Duke Club Golf Classic. Design/firm sponsor for fundraising event.
• Opulent WealthminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 May 2026Sponsor for 41st Annual Duke Club Golf Classic. Wealth management sponsor for JMU Athletics fundraiser.
• Lakeview Golf ClubcoreOthers · 1 May 2026Host venue for 41st Annual Duke Club Golf Classic. Located at 4101 Shen Lake Drive, Harrisonburg, VA 22801. Annual host for JMU's premier fundraising golf event.
• Hotel MadisoncoreOthersOfficial hotel partner hosting DC Socials pre-game events. Quill's Lobby Bar venue for fan gatherings before home games. Located at 710 S. Main Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22801.
• Charlie Obaugh Auto GroupcoreOthersParking partner providing Charlie Obaugh Auto Group Parking Deck for game day parking. Suite holders receive 4 passes. Premium parking access for high-level donors.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Big Red Athletic Fund (University of Nebraska): Established athletic fundraising organization for Nebraska, a Power program with deep tradition. Runs comparable annual fund, priority point-driven seat allocation, and a multi-tier Circle of Champions-style major gift society at significantly larger scale.
• Tiger Athletic Foundation (LSU): Established independent athletic fundraising foundation for LSU, a Power 4 program. Operates at much larger scale but uses similar annual fund, premium seating, capital campaigns, and priority point mechanics comparable to the Duke Club.
• National Commodore Club (Vanderbilt University): Athletic fundraising arm of Vanderbilt University, a private institution with comparable academic-athletic balance. Operates parallel annual giving, premium seating, and major gift donor recognition programs to support scholarship and operating needs.
• Seminole Boosters (Florida State University): Major athletic fundraising organization for Florida State, an established Power 4 program. Comparable annual fund, premium seating, capital campaigns, and priority seating assignment methodology, but operates at significantly larger scale and scope.

Direct peers

• Jaguar Athletic Fund (University of South Alabama): Athletic fundraising organization for University of South Alabama, a Sun Belt Conference peer of JMU, with parallel annual giving campaigns, premium hospitality, and Circle of Champions-style major gift recognition.
• Old Dominion Athletic Foundation (Old Dominion University): Fundraising arm for ODU Athletics, a Virginia-based Sun Belt peer. Manages similar membership tiers, donor benefits, and premium seating at S.B. Ballard Stadium with annual scholarship support.
• Big Green Fund (Marshall University): Athletic donor organization for Marshall, a Sun Belt Conference peer of JMU. Operates comparable membership levels, priority seating and fundraising campaigns supporting 16+ varsity sports.
• Eagle Club (Georgia Southern University): Fundraising arm for Georgia Southern Athletics, another Sun Belt peer, with analogous membership tiers, priority points allocation, and premium seating at Allen E. Paulson Stadium.
• Trojan Athletic Fund (Troy University): Official fundraising arm for Troy University Athletics, a Sun Belt Conference peer of JMU. Operates tiered annual giving, premium seating at Veterans Memorial Stadium, and Circle-level major gift programs analogous to the Duke Club structure.
• Yosef Club (Appalachian State University): Athletic fundraising organization for Appalachian State, a fellow Sun Belt school that recently transitioned to FBS. Runs comparable annual giving, priority points, and premium hospitality at Kidd Brewer Stadium.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/JMUDukeClub
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@jmuathletics
• Facebookfacebook.com/JMUDukeClub
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jmu-duke-club
• Instagraminstagram.com/sdcjmu

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 JMU Duke Club