It was a well-written story chock-full of facts about the Razorback Foundation receiving $31.2 million in donations in the last fiscal year.
Jaime Adame did not bury the lead.
Of that amount, 47% was from donations of at least $1 million. That’s a lot of money that University of Arkansas athletics obviously needed.
Some of it may be tied to new construction. Most likely some is a direct result of the north end zone expansion where suites and seats carried a hefty price tag.
Although it wasn’t new news, Adame had to report that Bret Bielema is no longer being paid by the Razorback Foundation. It made one payment of more than $4 million of the $11.9 million buyout for Bielema after he was fired in 2017.
The story generated from the Razorback Foundation’s 2019 tax filing showed Bielema had received nothing else.
The Foundation’s logic seems solid. Bielema agreed to try and find another job, but he spent the first year as a consultant to Bill Belichick with the New England Patriots.
Bielema was allowed to make up to $150,000 without affecting his buyout, and the Patriots did not surpass that amount.
Maybe it is just a coincidence that Bielema’s agent Neil Cornrich also represents Belichick.
Obviously, the Foundation felt Bielema voided the agreement with his New England dealings. The Foundation has asked to be repaid its $4.2 million.
Adame contacted top-shelf attorney Tom Mars, who has offices in Fayetteville and Atlanta. Mars said he is one of five attorneys representing Bielema, but he had no further comment.
Which pretty much says the disagreement continues.
Bielema is also represented by the law firm of McGuireWoods, which has 917 partners, associates and various other legal minds. They have 21 offices covering all the major cities in the U.S. as well as London and Shanghai.
If it goes to court, the Foundation will be represented by two or three attorneys who will be aided by Foundation President Scott Varady, who was legal counsel to the UA before moving to the Foundation.
He’s also a top-shelf legal mind, although his focus these days is raising money for Razorbacks athletics.
Foundation staff members spend a lot of time on the phone and visiting with people in person to keep relationships alive and the money coming in.
For example, when new defensive coordinator Barry Odom was offered another job and had to be given a raise, Foundation members went to the phones and started asking for thousands of dollars.
Odom was retained.
A few weeks ago, the official ticket-renewal and fundraising season ended, and more than 31,000 fans had pledged to buy tickets and donate.
Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek was pleased with the Foundation’s efforts even though season-ticket sales slipped another 4,000. Considering the product on the field the past two seasons, that isn’t surprising.
Now comes the pandemic, which has every athletic director in the country concerned.
A football season eventually would lead to some single-game ticket sales — if the pandemic allows it — because the Razorbacks stand to be improved, starting with their discipline.
Monday was the first day the Razorbacks football team could be on campus and use the facilities for voluntary workouts.
It will not be a surprise if some players are screened, then test positive for the virus. It is happening all over the country, but it was the first step in the process of having a season.