BATON ROUGE – As the 2026-27 athletic year officially gets underway, the Tiger Athletic Foundation (TAF), in partnership with LSU Athletics, is launching LSU Athletics Kickoff Week, from Monday, August 10, through Sunday, August 16.
Timed with back-to-school energy and leading into the first official LSU Athletics home contest of the season as LSU Soccer hosts Northwestern State on Sunday, August 16, the weeklong campaign encourages enthusiasts everywhere to rally behind their favorite sports programs and support student-athlete success.
“LSU Athletics Kickoff Week provides supporters a direct opportunity to impact the programs they care about most,” Matt Borman, President and CEO of the Tiger Athletic Foundation, said. “Whether you choose to join a booster club, make a philanthropic gift to an excellence fund or sign up for recurring giving, every contribution directly enhances the student-athlete experience and elevates our 21 varsity sports and spirit squads.”
Booster Clubs vs. Excellence Funds: Choose Your Way to Give
Throughout Kickoff Week, supporters can tailor their impact by selecting between sport-specific Booster Clubs and Excellence Funds:
Booster Clubs (Membership Benefits)
Seven designated programs offer active booster club memberships, featuring exclusive benefits, such as custom team gear, special event invitations and behind-the-scenes access based on giving tiers.
Booster clubs include:
- Baseball Coaches Committee
- Men’s Basketball Tip-Off Club
- Women’s Basketball Fast Break Club
- Men’s & Women’s Golf Swinging Mike Club
- Gymnastics Tiger Spotters
- Softball Diamond Backers
- Bengal Belles
Excellence Funds (Philanthropic Support)
Supporters can also choose to make 100% tax-deductible, philanthropic contributions directly to excellence funds for any LSU program, including all sports and spirit squads. These funds supply critical discretionary resources for team travel, equipment upgrades, training technology and sport-specific needs.
Introducing Recurring Giving
For the first time, TAF is introducing Recurring Giving, allowing supporters to make automatic monthly contributions to their preferred sport’s Excellence Fund. Recurring gifts offer a flexible, convenient way to provide sustained backing year-round while earning priority point rewards (4 points per $1,000 contributed).
Coming Soon: Pledge Per Win
Launching Saturday, August 15, supporters will also have the opportunity to participate in the annual fan-favorite campaign – Pledge Per Win – for the 2026 football season. Commitments to Pledge Per Win support Team TAF, which directly supports the holistic student-athlete experience through scholarships and revenue share every time the Tigers secure a victory or score a touchdown on the gridiron.
Supporting Name, Image and Likeness (NIL)
Supporters interested in contributing to third-party NIL initiatives to directly impact LSU student-athletes can submit an online interest form here or contact Mary Claire Logue with NILSU MAX via email.
Get Involved Today
Help LSU Athletics launch the 2026-27 school year strong. To explore booster club tiers, establish a recurring monthly gift or contribute to an excellence fund, visit the official LSU Athletics Kickoff Week Giving Hub at lsutaf.org/kickoffweek or contact TAF at (225) 578-4823 or info@lsutaf.org.