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Michigan State Receives Record $401 Million Gift From Greg and Dawn Williams

The pledge channels major funding into the FOR SPARTA build-out with a separate Spartan Ventures vehicle to grow athletics revenue.

Overview

  • About $290 million is earmarked for FOR SPARTA, the $1 billion athletics capital initiative unveiled this week to upgrade facilities including a reimagined Spartan Stadium.
  • $100 million will be invested in a new entity to be formed by Spartan Ventures that is described as a revenue, innovation and development arm for MSU Athletics.
  • Roughly $11 million is designated for academic and extracurricular programs such as the Burgess Institute, the Broad College risk management program, the Spartan Marching and Pep Bands, and the Sparty Mascot Program.
  • The commitment is the largest in MSU history and among the biggest in U.S. college sports, far exceeding the university’s prior record athletics gift of $32 million from Mat Ishbia in 2021.
  • Coverage notes the announcement comes days after MSU hired Pat Fitzgerald as head football coach, as the university positions athletics for greater competitiveness through new fundraising and infrastructure.