GameChange, the First-Ever Competitive Giving Platform, Names Auburn University as an Official Partner School
Tiger Fans Can Now Turn Everyday Purchases Into Donations That Support Auburn Athletics
October 23, 2024 – GameChange, the first-ever competitive giving platform designed to transform the way fans support college athletics, is excited to announce its official partnership with Auburn University. This partnership marks a significant step forward for both GameChange and Auburn, bringing enhanced fan engagement through co-branded marketing materials and activations that will allow Tiger fans to support their teams in a new, competitive way.
GameChange, founded by several Auburn graduates, including CEO Jack McWilliams and co-founder Seth Griffin, worked with Harness Technologies to develop an innovative web-based round-up giving program that drives contributions and enables instant-win sweepstakes through GoGameChange.com. Fans can sign up with a major credit or debit card and select their favorite college or university, including Auburn University, as their school of choice. Every purchase is rounded up to the next dollar, with the majority of the proceeds directly benefiting their school’s athletic department.
“Auburn University has been a proud supporter of GameChange from the start, and this official partnership represents a significant step forward in elevating our fundraising efforts through cutting-edge fan engagement,” said Auburn University Athletic Director, John Cohen. “GameChange provides Tiger fans with a unique opportunity to support our athletic programs at no cost to the University, and it’s already opened the door to a new and growing base of supporters. And it’s particularly meaningful to see Auburn alum like Jack McWilliams and Seth Griffin leading the charge on such an innovative platform.”
Since its launch in late August, Auburn fans have been quick to embrace GameChange. By Week 2 of the college football season, the University rose to the top of the GameChange platform’s leaderboard. Auburn edged out in-state rivals thanks to the enthusiastic support of Tiger fans, who have already made an impact through the round-up giving system.
The official partnership includes co-branded marketing initiatives such as Jumbotron features during home football games, Auburn Athletics website integration, the Auburn Tigers App, and social media presence. Fans will also experience co-branded gameday activations with giveaways and an exclusive Auburn-skinned webpage at GoGameChange.com/Auburn.
In conjunction with the partnership, GameChange announced ESPN Reporter and Host Marty Smith as its spokesperson and ambassador. Smith’s voice, name, and likeness will be featured in select brand creative, social content, and advertising at launch.
“When the folks at GameChange approached me about getting involved, my first reaction was, ‘Why didn’t someone invent this years ago?,'” noted Smith. “Fans are the heartbeat of college athletics, and GameChange is a fun and innovative way for fans to support the programs and teams they love by making every purchase a chance to make a real impact.”
“College sports fans and specifically Auburn fans love to compete at everything, so why not charitable giving? GameChange democratizes giving while making it fun and competitive,” noted Jack McWilliams, Auburn alum and CEO of GameChange. “Working directly with fans, coaches, athletes, administrators, and a who’s who of college sports, we’ve created a solution that will revolutionize how fans can support their favorite college or university athletic program.”
GameChange is working with United Charitable to enable fans to securely donate to all NCAA Division 1 college and university athletic programs, with Division 2 and Division 3 schools being added over the coming months. In addition to driving contributions, the round-up feature also funds GameChange’s instant-win sweepstakes. Fans have a chance to win with every purchase, and sweepstakes winners are rewarded with gift cards from popular retailers. Fans also have an opportunity to participate in the sweepstakes through a free alternative method of entry.
In addition to the partnership with Auburn, GameChange has developed an integrated marketing strategy that leverages multiple channels to reach college sports enthusiasts nationwide. This includes nationally televised ads on ESPN’s College GameDay, the country’s premier college football pregame show and during marquee college football games throughout the season. The brand will also collaborate with various college sports influencers across platforms like TikTok and Instagram and is working with partner schools to create fan activations on and around campuses.
Visit GoGameChange.com/auburn to enroll and learn about new ways you can support your favorite collegiate athletic department.
About GameChange
GameChange is a competitive giving platform built specifically for fans and designed to transform the way fans financially support college athletics, including the growth of non-revenue sports. The platform offers a sleek, intuitive interface that provides users with real-time updates on their contributions and the overall impact on their chosen teams. Powered by Harness Technologies, Inc., GameChange ensures secure, reliable transactions and uses advanced technology to round up everyday purchases to the nearest dollar, turning small amounts into impactful contributions. All transactions are managed by United Charitable, a trusted nonprofit organization, along with Stripe, which provides transparency and accountability in the management of donations.
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