Monmouth University Athletics

Below are common questions regarding the Blue/White Club.  If you have any other questions or need further explanation please contact Ken Taylor at 732-263-5474.
What is the Blue/White Club?
The Blue/White Club is the fundraising arm of Monmouth University Athletics.  Any individual and his/her spouse who donates $1 or more to the club is a member of the club for that academic year.  The club supports all 23 Varsity Teams at Monmouth, cheerleading and department wide needs through the Athletic Director's Excellence Fund.  In the 2020-21 academic year, there were over 1,800 members of the Blue/White Club.

How can I join the Blue/White Club?
You can join the club by making a donation to the team or area of your choice. Click here to make a gift online or click here to learn about all of the different ways you can make a gift. 

Where does my gift go?
100% of the funds donated are allocated to the area(s) of the donor's choice.  Once a donation is received, it is allocated to an account designated specifically for the team or area chosen by the donor. The Blue/White club supports all 23 Varsity Teams at Monmouth, cheerleading and department wide needs through the Athletic Director's Excellence Fund. 

Is my gift tax deductible?
Yes, gifts to the Blue/White Club are eligible for a tax deduction.   Please note, this statement is provided for informational purposes.  The information posted on this page is not intended to substitute for tax, audit, accounting, investment, financial, nor legal advice. For financial, tax, or legal advice please consult your own professional.

What benefits are available to members?
Blue/White Club members become eligible for benefits based on the level at which they donate.  All members receive the HAWKExpress newsletter (via e-mail), invitations to special events such as the annual Blue/White barbecue, exclusive events to meet coaches and student-athletes and priority opportunities to purchase tickets to Monmouth Athletics events.  Annual donations of $500 or more to the Blue/White Club make a donor eligible for additional perks.  A complete listing of benefits is available here.

What do I need to know regarding NCAA Rules?
Blue/White Club members are considered representatives of Monmouth University by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). All members need to be aware of NCAA Rules and Guidelines for athletic boosters, alumni and friends of the University. Please be sure to review the guide at this link to educate yourself about these rules.

What is the best way to be notified of Blue/White Club events and news?
The best way to get information is to visit this website and provide a current e-mail address to receive communications from the Blue/White Club.  To best ensure e-mails do not get filtered as spam, please add noreply@mail.collegiateathleticnews.com to your address book.  The Blue/White Club does not share any contact information with any third party vendors.  Donors can customize communications from the Blue/White Club and Monmouth University (i.e. request no phone calls, no mail, etc..). Please contact a member of the athletics development staff for more information. 
 
Varsity Club & Doherty Deck
What is the Varsity Club and the Doherty Deck?
The Varsity Club and Doherty Deck are hospitality areas reserved for any Blue/White members who make an annual gift totaling at least $1,000 or more to the annual fund of one or more teams, cheerleading, the athletic director's excellence fund or the general athletics fund.  Once an annual fund pledge is made, members receive the designated number of passes according to the amount of their annual gift starting with two passes for an annual gift of $1,000. The passes grant access to pregame hospitality typically starting 90 minutes prior to each football, men's basketball and women's basketball home game.  In addition, one-time guest passes are also available for members to entertain additional guests.

Do I have to give at least $1,000 to one specific sport or one athletics annual fund account to receive Varsity Club passes?
No, you can split up your gift and allocate to multiple sports.  Anyone whose combined Blue/White Club annual fund contributions total $1,000 or more will receive Varsity Club passes for that year.  

Can I break up my gift into installments?
Yes, you may break up a gift into installments by setting up a recurring gift with a valid credit or debit card.  A donor making a monthly recurring gift of $83.33 meets the minimum to receive Varsity Club passes. 

I'm an MU employee, can I do payroll deduction?
Yes, you can do a payroll deduction of any amount and allocate it to the Blue/White Club fund(s) of your choice.  For an employee receiving 26 annual paychecks, a deduction of at least $38.50 per pay period meets the minimum to receive Varsity Club passes.  Contact the athletics development office on campus at 5474 for more information on setting up payroll deduction.  

Do I have to pay up front to receive Varsity Club passes?
No, you just need to make a pledge and setup an appropriate recurring gift or payroll deduction.  Once that is completed, you will receive the appropriate number of passes.  All pledges and recurring gifts must add up to at least $1,000 within the next 12-month period to be eligible.

If I make an annual gift of $1,000 or more, are part of the funds used for pregame hospitality in the Varsity Club or on the Doherty Deck?
No, 100% of the funds donated go directly to the program or area of the donor's choice.  The hospitality is provided through other sources.

If I make a gift of $1,000 or more annually to a capital project such as the Monmouth Stadium, Golf House or the Baseball Turf project, do I receive Varsity Club passes?
No, individuals donating to specific capital projects do not receive credit towards earning Varsity Club passes.  Only funds directed towards any athletics annual fund account are counted towards Varsity Club eligibility.  Click here for a complete list of eligible annual fund accounts.   

Tickets
What is the priority points list?
Blue/White members receive priority access to postseason tickets for Monmouth teams advancing to Conference or NCAA Championships. The order of priority is determined using the following point system:
• 10 points per $1 donated to Monmouth Athletics (lifetime).
• 1 point per $1 donated to Monmouth University (non-athletics).
• 5000 point bonus for current calendar year Captain giving level or above.
• 1000 point bonus per any season tickets purchased that year.
• 1000 point bonus for renewing any season tickets for the following season.

Blue/White members can contact Ken Taylor in the Athletics Development Office for more information.

Do you have to be a Blue/White Club member to purchase season tickets?
No, all minimum donation requirements to the Blue/White Club to purchase season tickets were removed starting in 2018 in accordance with new federal tax code.  This ensures donations to the Blue/White Club maintain full eligibility for tax deductions.  

Do Varsity Club passes get you free admission to ticketed events for Monmouth Athletics?
No, individuals with Varsity Club passes must also have a valid game ticket to access Kessler Stadium or the OceanFirst Bank Center.  To purchase tickets you can click here or contact the Monmouth Athletics Box Office at 732-263-5735 for information on season tickets, single game tickets and group sales opportunities.

Blue/White Club Events
What Blue/White Club events are available to members?
Blue/White Club members will receive invitations to special events throughout the academic year.  Many events are centered around athletic contests both on campus and off campus.  Additionally, the Blue/White Club conducts several annual signature events popular with our members.  

Is there an additional charge to attend Blue/White Club events?
Often, there is an additional charge to attend Blue/White Club events.  If so, the cost will be noted on the event invitation and the registration page.  Some events are available at no charge to Blue/White members.  If a free event requires an RSVP, you must register in advance for that event. 

Are these special events fundraisers for the Blue/Club and Monmouth Athletics?
Usually, no.  Any admission fees to Blue/White Club events (i.e. pregame reception) help cover the cost of food & beverage, tickets, or rental fees directly related to that event.  If an event is designed for the purpose of raising funds for a specific initiative, it will be clearly noted in the promotional information (i.e. foreign trip or annual athletics golf outing).    

Are Blue/White Club event registration fees eligible for a tax deduction?
The only time event registration fees may be eligible for a tax deduction are when the event is a specified fund raising event (i.e. athletics golf outing).  Monmouth University will provide an acknowledgment letter when this is the case once registration is received.  In compliance with IRS regulations, feed paid to attend fund raising events are tax deductible to the extent that payment exceeds the fair market value of services received by attendee.  For example if the entrance fee to the athletics golf outing is $400 and the attendee receives goods and services (green fees, lunch, dinner, awards and tee prize) whose fair market value totals $350, the amount eligible for deduction is $50.  Please note, this statement is provided for informational purposes.  The information posted on this page is not intended to substitute for tax, audit, accounting, investment, financial, nor legal advice. For financial, tax, or legal advice please consult your own professional.