The USUFans BBSF Challenge 2013 has begun! We here at USUFans are issuing an official challenge to our members to contribute to the fund drive this year, or increase your contributions from last year. Last year we were blown away by the support we received for the drive, and raised $27,735!

It's an exciting time to be an Aggie! Since last year's challenge began we have:

• Accepted an invitation to join the Mountain West Conference
• Received a complete re-branding courtesy of Nike including new logos, uniforms, court design, and new turf in Romney Stadium
• Seen 5 players get drafted into the NFL, as well as many others sign free agent deals
• Experienced unprecedented success by our football team who finished the year ranked #16 in the nation at 11-2 with an undefeated conference record and Famous Idaho Potato Bowl victory
• Announced a new state of the art Strength and Conditioning Center
• Plans underway to announce a new Basketball Practice Facility

The University is encouraging all fans to "Give 110%" this year, upping their donation by 10%. Because of this, our goal this year is to raise $30,500, which would be reached if each of our donors from last year commit to increasing their donations by 10% this year. With the move to the Mountain West Conference and all the momentum we have in other areas, it's time to step up and show our support for our Aggies!

The BBSF Contributions required for any season ticket renewals (football or basketball) WILL count toward this drive, and can be made through the process detailed below. After donating I would recommend contacting Aneka Christensen to let her know your donation was for your season tickets and and she can coordinate with the ticket office to let them know that you've paid. There is an option to set up recurring monthly payments as well if you can't pay it all at once. If you have any questions feel free to contact me.

If you have already submitted your 2013 donation but would still like to be included in the challenge please contact me and we will see that you are added. The donations will be tracked and updated periodically in a graphic at the bottom of the message board (see below).

To donate please visit the Official Big Blue Scholarship Fund GiveZooks Donation Site.

In order to track these donations as part of our challenge, and to be eligible to receive your rewards (and be entered into the drawings) be sure to click on the "Special Instructions" checkbox and include the following information in the Special Instructions field:

USUFans Challenge - (Insert your username here)

Please see the example below.



To make it fun again this year, we've decided to donate several items as rewards for those who choose to donate through this challenge. Anyone who donates (minimum of $25) will receive a Robert Turbin, Bobby Wagner, or Chuck Jacobs rookie card. The four different cards being offered can be seen below:




AGGIE BLUE TURF - We were able to secure some of the excess Aggie Blue Turf from the new Merlin Olsen Field this past summer, and will be giving away pieces to some of our participants this year. Anyone who donates $500 or more will receive a 1ft x 1ft square piece of blue turf. Those who donate $1,000 or more will receive a doormat sized piece (approximately 3 x 2 ft). The turf will be available only while supplies last, so get your donations in! First come, first served.

In addition to these rewards, we will also be giving away autographed and vintage memorabilia for reaching certain donation milestones. These rewards will be drawn at random from the pool of donors at the end of the challenge (no minimum required to be entered here).

$5,000 donated - 2000's Football Cards - Kevin Curtis, Chris Cooley, Kevin Robinson (Including Rookies), USUFans Hat
$10,000 donated - 2010's Football Cards - Curtis Marsh, Robert Turbin, Bobby Wagner, Michael Smith, Will Davis, Chuck Jacobs (Rookies)
$15,000 donated - Vintage Football Cards - Merlin Olsen, Cornell Green (Including Cornell Green Rookie), USUFans Hat, 8x10 print of Spectrum/Romney
$20,000 donated - Vintage Basketball Cards - Shaler Halimon, Nate Williams, Marv Roberts (Including Rookies), USUFans Hat
$25,000 donated - Autographs / Prints - Autographed cards from Marv Roberts, Kevin Curtis, Robert Turbin, Michael Smith, Will Davis, 8x10 Print of Spectrum/Romney, USUFans Hat
$30,000 donated - International - Jaycee Carroll Spanish League Card, Anthony Calvillo Canadian Rookie Card, USUFans Hat, 16x20 Print of Spectrum/Romney
$35,000 donated - 1x1 pieces of Romney Turf (exclusive for smaller donors), 16x20 Print of Spectrum/Romney

Detailed information about each set of prizes will be revealed as we approach the applicable milestone.

NEW FOR 2013 - As a way to encourage people to give 110%, any donor who increases their 2012 donation from last year by 10% will receive a BONUS entry in the final prize drawings (minimum $100 2013 donation, includes new BBSF members).

So far we have already received two donations from two of the board moderators/admin personnel. Let's crack that goal and keep going. The fund drive will be open from now until June 30, 2013. Now is the time to put your money where your mouth is and help make Utah State Athletics even better!

Here are some highlight videos to get everyone pumped up:
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A Note from Assistant Athletics Director for Annual Giving, Corey Ansfield:

As the spring season comes to a close I want to thank you for your support of Utah State Athletics as fans, donors and season ticket holders. This year you were part of a season that brought us 3 conference championships, 2 NCAA tournament appearances, and a Famous Idaho Potato Bowl victory. Last May, we broke ground on a state-of-the-art strength and conditioning facility that will be among the best in the nation upon its early summer grand opening and in a few short weeks, we will begin constructing a men’s and women’s basketball practice facility/volleyball playing venue right outside the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum. None of this would be possible without the generosity of our friends and alumni.

As we make the move into the Mountan West Conference with one of the lowest operating budgets, the need for a self sustaining schlarship fund is more important than ever before. Every gift made to the Big Blue Scholarship Fund helps provide tuition, room and board, and books for our student-athletes. Additionaly, every dollar of support gifted to scholarships helps free up resources for recruiting, facility enhancements, coaches salaries, and other special projects that help advance Utah State Athletics.

Last year the USUFans.com community showed support by investing nearly $28,000 in our student-athletes. This year, I would like to extend a challenge to USUFans.com to not only renew that support, but come together to help the Big Blue Scholarship Fund increase membership and grow Aggie Athletics beyond Cache Valley by giving 110% to the Big Blue Scholarship Fund.

I also want to encurage all of you to take part in EACH1REACH1: A NATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR AGGIE ATHLETICS. The EACH1REACH1 campaign will be a challenge to all current Big Blue Scholarship Fund members to recruit one new member. By recruiting just one new member to make a gift of $100 or more, you will be doing your part to provide the resources necessary for our student-athletes to win championships nationally, and in the Mountain West Conference. (It will also be a chance for you to score some pretty cool aggie gear)

Your continued support is crucial to the long-term success of Utah State Athletics, and by sharing your passion for the program with your friends, family, and colleagues; you become one of Aggie Athletics’ greatest ambassadors.

EACH1REACH1 will officially launch in June so here is your chance to get a head start on expanding the Big Blue Scholarship Fund nationwide. You can help Utah State Athletics by doing these four simple things:

1) Renew or purchase your season tickets.

2) Make a gift to the Big Blue Scholarship Fund.

3) Wear Aggie blue.

4) Tell others to do the same.

On behalf of our coaches, student-athletes, and administration, thank you for being Aggies!

Corey Ansfield
Assistant Athletics Director-Annual Giving

As we approach our first milestone of $5,000 donated I will highlight the prizes that will be given away. The $5,000 mark consists of Aggie Football players from the 2000's. Here are the items that will be given away in a drawing at the end of the challenge:

2003 Kevin Curtis Sage Hit Rookie Card


2003 Kevin Curtis Score Rookie Card


2004 Topps Draft Picks & Prospects Chris Cooley Jersey Rookie Card


2007 Kevin Curtis Topps Card


2008 Kevin Robinson Prestige Rookie Card


USUFans.com Hat (Choose between two styles)

As an additional note with the graph, for this year we have a row showing the total amount donated and another bar showing New donations. New donations will include all donations from people that haven't donated to the BBSF in the past, AND increases over your last year's donation.

Thanks for doing this.

We have received 3 more donations and we're up to $1,200 total raised. We have our first new donor, and a total of $275 in new funds from 2012 donation amounts. Keep up the support!!

I normally give through the official BBSF channels, but decided to help out "The Challenge" this year. It all adds up the same, and proves to those in the athletic department who say untoward things about "message boards" that they, too, need to mind their P's & Q's because USUFans.com is a force of Aggies to be reckoned with!

So give SOMETHING. Even if you're a poor student, you can afford to do that.

AggiesForever wrote:I normally give through the official BBSF channels, but decided to help out "The Challenge" this year. It all adds up the same, and proves to those in the athletic department who say untoward things about "message boards" that they, too, need to mind their P's & Q's because USUFans.com is a force of Aggies to be reckoned with!

So give SOMETHING. Even if you're a poor student, you can afford to do that.

This is still official channels. The link we provide is to the official page and when you put in the notes that it is for the Challenge they forward the information to treesap.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

Thanks for your donation and participation AggiesForever! We're up to $3,250 now here in the first 24 hours of the challenge, including $1730 in new funds. Let's keep it rolling!

Don't forget that a $500 donation will get you a 1'x1' piece of turf from Merlin Olsen Field and $1,000 will get you a 2'x3' doormat sized piece. In our first day we already have 1 of each size claimed and quantities are limited. It will be given out on a first come, first served basis. Here is what it looks like:

We're up to $3950 after day 1! Here are a couple of important reminders:

1 - The Big Blue Scholarship Fund is giving away four $50 gift cards to the USU Campus Store. Anyone that donates before 5p.m. MST today will be eligible to win one of them! Donate through the USUFans Challenge as described above.

2 - Priority Renewals for Season Football Tickets are due TODAY!! Renew your tickets and take part in the USUFans Challenge by making your BBSF donation through the link above.

GO AGGIES!

We have received several donations today, including some very generous ones to bump us all the way up to the $13,535 mark. That means that we've surpassed the $5,000 milestone and all of the "2000's Football" prizes will be awarded at the end of the challenge. We also passed the $10,000 milestone and all the "2010's Football" prizes will be awarded. Here's what will be given out for the $10,000 mark:

2011 Curtis Marsh Panini Threads Rookie Card


2012 Robert Turbin Leaf Draft Metal Silver Autographed Rookie Card


2012 Bobby Wagner SP Authentic Canvas Rookie Card


2012 Michael Smith Crown Royale Die Cut Rookie


2013 Will Davis Leaf Autographed Rookie Card


2013 Chuck Jacobs Upper Deck Autographed Rookie Card

Treesap,

I'm making my BBSF currently through monthly electronic payments and want to increase my contribution by the 10% challenge. Is there a way to do it using the GiveZooks donation site? I can't see how. I could just call Aneka and have her do it, but I'd like my contribution to add to usufans.com challenge total.

OKAggie wrote:Treesap,

I'm making my BBSF currently through monthly electronic payments and want to increase my contribution by the 10% challenge. Is there a way to do it using the GiveZooks donation site? I can't see how. I could just call Aneka and have her do it, but I'd like my contribution to add to usufans.com challenge total.

When you call in just ask Aneka to add it to the USUFans.com challenge. She will be able to pass that information on to treesap.

With todays donations, the doormat sized pieces of turf are going fast. If you want to claim one then you better get in soon. They are almost all claimed.

After two full days of the fund drive we've already jumped up to $23,965 raised! Two of the prize packages have been announced so far, but 4 of them have been guaranteed now up to the $20,000 mark.

Here are the prizes that will be given away for reaching the $15,000 mark:

Vintage Football prizes:

1964 Cornell Green Topps Rookie Card


1973 Cornell Green Topps Card


2000 Merlin Olsen Fleer Greats of the Game Card


2005 Merlin Olsen Topps All American Card


USUFans.com Hat (Choose between two styles)



8x10 Photo Print of Romney Stadium or Dee Glen Smith Spectrum (your choice)



The Photo prints above are a few samples of the photos that you will be able to choose from. There will be both HDR and non-HDR options.

Here is a list of the prizes from the $20,000 Vintage Basketball milestone:

1970-71 Shaler Halimon Topps "Tall Boy" Rookie Card


1972-73 Nate Williams Topps Rookie Card


1973-74 Nate Williams Topps Card


1974-75 Marv Roberts Topps Rookie Card


USUFans.com Hat (Choose between two styles)

We only need $375 more donated to reach the $25,000 milestone. This milestone will consist of autographed memorabilia. Here are the prizes that will be given away:

2003 Kevin Curtis Sage Hit Autographed Rookie Card


2011-12 Marv Roberts Panini Past & Present Autograph Card


2012 Michael Smith Sage Hit Gold Autographed Rookie Card


2012 Robert Turbin Leaf Valiant Autographed Rookie Card


2013 Will Davis Leaf Autographed Rookie Card


8x10 Photo Print of Romney Stadium or Dee Glen Smith Spectrum (your choice)



The Photo prints above are a few samples of the photos that you will be able to choose from. There will be both HDR and non-HDR options.

USUFans.com Hat (Choose between two styles)


 

Here are some statistics on our USUFans Challenge so far:

Total Donors: 20
Total Prizes Announced to be awarded in the final drawing: 30
Total New BBSF Donors: 2
Total 110% Donors: 13

Due to the overwhelming response in the first two days including many generous donations and increased donations this year, we have announced more prizes than we have donors. If you haven't contributed yet, you are pretty much guaranteed a prize for donating this year. Let's keep it rolling!

I doubled my donation.

Not a ton but $400 this year

Amazing that in only 4 days board members have donated more than last year's drive. I think we are going to shatter the goal.

Rabidchild wrote:Amazing that in only 4 days board members have donated more than last year's drive. I think we are going to shatter the goal.

I hope so. Things are slowing down but keep it up. Even small donations help.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

When does it end? I'm not liquid right now.

TheAKAggie wrote:When does it end? I'm not liquid right now.

The fund drive will run through June 30 so you have some time. Beyond that point you can always donate to the BBSF, it just won't be eligible for prizes. We do this every year though.

We received a $500 donation last night without a username specified in the comments field. It was a pledge to send a check through the mail, but made through our link. If someone from the message board made this donation as a part of the USUFans challenge, please send me a message with your name to verify, so we can include you in our challenge. Thank you!

One week into our 2013 USUFans Challenge, we are only $210 away from our previous years mark. There are still plenty of people who participated last year who have yet to renew their donations, so I'm optimistic we can shatter our goal this year. If you haven't participated yet please do so!

We have surpassed the $25,000 mark, and the next milestone is our "International" milestone at $30,000.

This milestone has the following prizes:

1994 Anthony Calvillo Jogo CFL Rookie Card (Canada)


2010-11 Jaycee Carroll Panini ACB "Jugón" Card (Gran Canaria, Spain)


16x20 Photo Print of Romney Stadium or Dee Glen Smith Spectrum (your choice)



The Photo prints above are a few samples of the photos that you will be able to choose from. There will be both HDR and non-HDR options.


USUFans.com Hat (Choose between two styles)


 

Can someone please just donate like $20 so we can beat last years total?

ProvoAggie wrote:Can someone please just donate like $20 so we can beat last years total?

I think we should already be ahead. I don't think my donation has been counted yet....has it treesap? We were short when I made my donation but mine was enough that it should have put us over.

Rabidchild wrote:

ProvoAggie wrote:Can someone please just donate like $20 so we can beat last years total?

I think we should already be ahead. I don't think my donation has been counted yet....has it treesap? We were short when I made my donation but mine was enough that it should have put us over.

You have been counted.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

ProvoAggie wrote:

Rabidchild wrote:

ProvoAggie wrote:Can someone please just donate like $20 so we can beat last years total?

I think we should already be ahead. I don't think my donation has been counted yet....has it treesap? We were short when I made my donation but mine was enough that it should have put us over.

You have been counted.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

I believe you but that's weird because I could have sworn the graph showed us in the $27,000 range before I made my donation and like I said - I remember thinking mine would have put us over last year's total. I must be "mis-remembering".

Rabidchild wrote:

ProvoAggie wrote:

Rabidchild wrote:

ProvoAggie wrote:Can someone please just donate like $20 so we can beat last years total?

I think we should already be ahead. I don't think my donation has been counted yet....has it treesap? We were short when I made my donation but mine was enough that it should have put us over.

You have been counted.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

I believe you but that's weird because I could have sworn the graph showed us in the $27,000 range before I made my donation and like I said - I remember thinking mine would have put us over last year's total. I must be "mis-remembering".

I'm with you Rabid, I swear I remember the total being in the $1,000 range and thinking my donation would take us over $30,000 to hit our goal. Oh well, maybe next year's donation will be counted correctly.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

With another generous donation we have surpassed last year's mark and are now sitting at $28,625. Only $1875 more remaining to reach our 110% goal for this year. Let's keep it going and blow that goal out of the water! We still have more prizes announced than donors so far this year, so get your donations in and you're pretty much guaranteed a nice Aggie memorabilia item (on top of the Aggie football cards everyone who donates at least $25 will receive).

tetonaggie wrote: I'm with you Rabid, I swear I remember the total being in the $1,000 range and thinking my donation would take us over $30,000 to hit our goal. Oh well, maybe next year's donation will be counted correctly.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ha! I see what you did there.... very clever and well done.

treesap32 wrote:With another generous donation we have surpassed last year's mark and are now sitting at $28,625. Only $1875 more remaining to reach our 110% goal for this year. Let's keep it going and blow that goal out of the water! We still have more prizes announced than donors so far this year, so get your donations in and you're pretty much guaranteed a nice Aggie memorabilia item (on top of the Aggie football cards everyone who donates at least $25 will receive).

Wow! I think we can consider the goal blown! Great work everybody. Thanks again for doing this Tree!

With a little encouragement we got a few big donations today. We have reached our initial goal and broken it, but we're not done yet! Let's see how high we can get this year! All the prizes have been claimed so far. I'll post more details on the final prizes tomorrow. I'm pretty sure we still have more prizes than donors at this point so everybody get your donations in, even if you can only afford a few dollars. Every little bit counts!