Andre Agassi has given about $20-million of his tennis fortune to support charitable causes, but many
professional athletes give very little money to charity, according to experts in sports philanthropy.
“There’s great untapped wealth out there among professional athletes and sports teams that could really be significant in supporting efforts to strengthen communities and families,” says Nancy Gist, associate director of the Sports Philanthropy Project, in Boston, which tries to help athletes and teams give their time and money effectively. “We think there are many ways short of what Andre Agassi is doing in which athletes could be far more generous with their wealth.”
Two big grant makers want to encourage more giving among athletes and sports teams. The W.K. Kellogg Foundation in February pledged to make a $3.5-million grant over the next four years to encourage professional athletes who have not yet given to charity to do so, and to help strengthen the efforts of athletes who already contribute. Also, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has given $2.5-million to help sports teams increase their philanthropy. Both grants went to the Sports Philanthropy Project.
Pitfalls of Giving
Of the 148 major-league sports teams in this country, only about half have organized a public charity, according to Ms. Gist. And although athletes make appearances to support a cause, she says, many don’t make monetary contributions.
As many jocks have learned, charity is no easy game. Michael Jordan, one of the most celebrated athletes of all time, closed his charitable foundation in 1996 after experiencing a wave of negative publicity that focused on how little money the organization gave to charity. Other athletes have failed to follow federal or state regulations in running their charities, established organizations without planning adequately, or discovered that raising money becomes increasingly difficult as their fame fades.
As a result of problems some athletes have experienced with their charitable work, sports agents who give career advice to millionaire athletes often discourage players from setting up foundations during their playing days.
Mark Pollick, president of the Giving Back Fund, in Los Angeles, which has helped about 50 athletes set up foundations, says a “fundamental shift” needs to occur in how sports philanthropy is done, to encourage more athletes to give money to charity.
Says Mr. Pollick: “If we could get athletes to be as proud of their charitable contributions as they are of their batting averages or golf scores, we would be on our way to getting more athletes to become great philanthropists.”