Why the Texas Sport for Healing Fund Should Return – The Daily Texan

Texas Sport for Healing Fund was a charitable endeavour set up this year. Raising money for flood devastation, the scheme could be a permanent fixture of the state’s charity calendar.

The state of Texas has had a tough year, with floods causing chaos and ruining lives over the summer. Yet it was also a time when the state came together, and sport was at the forefront of this. The Texas Sport for Healing Fund embodied this ethos, raising money to help those impacted. But should this be a regular occurrence, and can sport be utilised for even more good in the area?

The Texas Sport for Healing Fund

This July, after the devastating floods that engulfed central Texas, an initiative known as the ‘Texas Sport for Healing Fund’ was put in place. This saw around 40 national and local sports teams come together to raise money for relief efforts. This was done through a charity auction, packed with interesting and unique items of sports memorabilia.

The items on offer were donated by a range of teams and individuals, with 80 players and squads represented. In total, 150 items were up for grabs. Running until the 8th of August, all proceeds from the auction went to support immediate relief efforts and the long-term recovery of the sport.

The Popularity of Sport in Texas

The popularity of this auction was unprecedented. Sport has always been huge in the US, with a range of activities from football to baseball and basketball being popular. In recent years, this growth has reached even further, and has been due to numerous factors. These have included the dawn of the streaming era, which has made it easier to watch games and engage with teams and players. In addition, the growth of sports betting online has been legalized in many states, adding an extra layer of excitement to game day for many players.

Missouri has been the latest state to change its laws regarding online betting, and it already has licenses lined up for some of the best global brands. Amongst them is Bet365, which is using a new user promo at Bet365 Missouri to attract new customers. This is a great introduction to the holiday season schedule, letting people place bets on the NBA and prepare for the Super Bowl.

Items That Were Sold

The range of prizes on offer ran the whole gamut. At the top end, sat some very high ticket prices. A VIP Formula One United States Grand Prix package was available with a starting bid of $50,000.

There were also much smaller game packages available for a wide range of sports, and some of the most popular were autographed pieces of memorabilia. A Dirk Nowitzki jersey, signed by the former German player who now works for the Dallas Mavericks, managed to fetch $2,200. A Mikko Rantanen Autographed Dallas Stars Jersey managed to bring in $5,150.

Even in the lower price range, there were items for everyone. Soccer fans could have picked up a signed Houston Dynamo match ball for $350, with autographed photos going for between $100 and $150.

Why Sport for Healing Should Continue

In the end, Texas Sport for Healing raised over $6.3 million in profit. Yet this unique event was only set up to help the floods, in an isolated occurrence. But why couldn’t it do this yearly?

Texas, with its love of sports, has many sports-based charities that would benefit highly from this type of endeavour. Take Atlas Adaptive Sports. This non-profit organisation, based in Round Rock, is dedicated to providing opportunities for those with disabilities. It does this through adaptive sports and recreational activities. Funding of this nature would help them provide STEM activities, along with fun and interactive learning programmes.

Another Texas charity is Every Kid Sports. They pay youth sports registration fees for low-income qualifying families, allowing access to sport for those who would not normally be able to afford it. They believe kids are missing out simply because of the cost. They work in Texas and across the US and have so far provided $21 million to families, with access for over 182,000 children.

One of the biggest has to be the Sports Authority Foundation. This is a Houston-based organisation that holds numerous events, with its crowning glory being the Olympic and Paralympic days. This gets actual athletes who have competed to teach and train over 250 children. Sports taught include basketball, tennis, track and field, taekwondo, and more.

By holding these charity auctions, more could be ploughed into youth and adult sports alike. In fact, it does not have to stop at sport. This money could be used for a range of charitable causes. The real golden nugget from his is that it costs very little: Sports organisations lose nothing in donating match-worn and signed shirts or memorabilia, and turning them into money, which can build the future of Texas sports.