Pirate Club Surpasses $103 Million In Fundraising Over Last Four Years

GREENVILLE, N.C. – Through the generosity of donors, the Pirate Club has surpassed $103 million in new gifts and commitments over the last four years, including $21 million raised in 2025, ECU Director of Athletics Jon Gilbert announced Wednesday.

The Pirate Club, established in 1964, achieved the most productive four-year stretch in its history, raising at least $21 million in each of the last four calendar years, highlighted by a record $36.7 million in 2022. The department's fundraising efforts are led by Gilbert, Executive Associate AD for Revenue Generation Ryan Robinson, and Pirate Club staff. The seven largest one-time gifts in Pirate Club history have come since 2019. In addition, 18 new endowments were established the last four years to benefit student-athlete scholarships.

"Surpassing $103 million over the last four years is a direct reflection of the passion and belief our donors have in our student-athletes and the future of ECU Athletics," Gilbert said. "The generosity of our donors has transformed our facilities, expanded our resources, and positioned our programs to compete and win at the highest level. Individuals and businesses have a choice, and we are fortunate they choose to invest in our student-athletes.

"Our Pirate Club staff should be commended for their leadership and work on behalf of Pirate Nation. It is a selfless group of individuals who are dedicated and committed to working daily on behalf of the Pirates."

In 2025, 8,600 individuals or businesses contributed to the Pirate Club, including 2,575 new donors. Contributions to the Pirate Club Impact Fund in 2024 totaled nearly $7 million in support of student-athlete scholarships, including 182 Sabre Society donors, contributing $8,250 or more annually. Pirate Club membership has generated at least $6.9 million in scholarship support for four consecutive years.

"On behalf of the Pirate Club staff, we are so appreciative and grateful for the generosity of our incredible donors who support our student-athletes," Robinson said. "Pirate Nation continues to demonstrate what makes being a Pirate so special. Their commitment and loyalty are second to none. The construction of several new facilities will be finished this year, and they are truly BUILT BY PIRATES through the Pirates Unite Campaign. We are excited to grow our membership in the coming year, build new relationships, and push ECU Athletics forward."

Pirates Unite: The Campaign for Comprehensive Excellence
ECU Athletics and the Pirate Club launched the Pirates Unite Campaign in May of 2022, the most ambitious fundraising campaign in the history of ECU Athletics. Through the campaign, numerous projects have been completed with funding solely through Pirate Club donations. The following three projects are expected to be completed in 2026:

Isley Indoor Performance Center
Dick and Sarah Bennett Baseball Building
ECU Golf Facility by the Varner Family

Supporting Student-Athletes in a New Era
Following the formalization of revenue sharing with student-athletes on July 1, the Pirate Club became the primary philanthropic avenue supporting ECU Athletics. Team Boneyard played an integral role in supporting ECU student-athletes and kept ECU competitive during a time of uncertainty. The Pirate Club transitioned support from Team Boneyard and launched the Purple & Gold Society and Athletics Excellence Fund to provide vital resources for student-athlete recruitment, retention, scholarships, and program enhancement.

The Purple & Gold Society has 74 members and offers exclusive recognition and engagement opportunities for donors. Contributions to the society are tax deductible and the Pirate Club also accepts donor advised funds, stock gifts, and matching gifts. Those interested in contributing to the society can sign up online, contact the Pirate Club by phone at 252-737-4540, or by email at ecupirateclub@ecu.edu.

The Athletics Excellence Fund accepts gifts of any amount and 598 donors have contributed to the fund since revenue sharing was instituted. Every donation plays a crucial role in the evolving landscape of collegiate athletics.

Pirate Club Pledge Day Continues Growth
The Pirate Club introduced Pledge Day in 2024 to bring awareness of the IMPACT FUND and encourage membership renewals in January. Members who pledge early receive double priority points on membership contributions.

In 2025, $1.9 million in pledges and $1,003,127 in cash payments were received by the January deadline. In 2026, the initiative generated $205,000 more in pledges year over year and increased donor participation by 105 individuals. The Pirate Club recorded $464,701 in pledges and $423,466.96 in payments on January 23, 2026.

The IMPACT FUND supports athletic scholarships while providing membership benefits including ticket and parking priority. Annual memberships begin at just $100, with monthly payment plans available by contacting the Pirate Club offices at (252) 737-4540. Additional membership levels are outlined in the 2026 Membership Packet.

Engagement and Brand Awareness
In addition to fundraising success, the Pirate Club continued to expand engagement opportunities for supporters. The organization hosted 54 events in 2025, not including hospitality areas at home football and men's basketball games or away football tailgates.

Notable highlights include:

The Pirate Club launched a 10-Day Challenge in January to recognize the 113 student-athletes, including 28 seniors, who represented ECU in the Military Bowl win over Pittsburgh. The initiative surpassed its initial goal of $113,000, ultimately raising more than $404,000 to support football student-athletes through the Athletics Excellence Fund and Purple & Gold Society.
The Pirate Club introduced the Pledge Per Touchdown campaign in 2025, allowing supporters to donate based on ECU Football to benefit the football program. In total, $86,354 was donated by 147 individuals for each touchdown scored in 2025 and the funds were used for student-athlete recruitment and retention.
Charter flight trip for two nights to San Antonio for ECU's football game at UTSA, following similar trips to Michigan (2023) and the Army game in New York City (2024). Trips to Alabama and Army are in the works for 2026.
Charter bus trips for Pirate Club members to attend ECU's Military Bowl victory over Pittsburgh.
Hosted a Glitter & Gridiron event where Pirates head coach Blake Harrell and student-athletes led the women through on-field drills. Ladies enjoyed painting custom pieces with Jesse Harrell, and a hat bar and permanent jewelry station to create a custom hat or get a new piece of jewelry.
Expansion of the 252 Coming to You tour featuring ECU head coaches throughout the region.
Sold out TowneBank Tower, a $60 million structure built in 2019 with five founder's suites, 19 standard suites, 22 loge boxes and 550 seats in the Trade Club, at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium for four consecutive years.
ECU leading the American Conference in home football attendance with an average 37,097 fans and saw a six percent growth in student attendance to 9,707.
More than 15,000 season tickets sold in each of the last three seasons, including 15,205 in 2025, exceeding the previous year's total.

Pirate Club Information
For more information about the Pirate Club, including membership opportunities and ways to support ECU student-athletes, visit ecupirateclub.com, call (252) 737-4540, or email ecupirateclub@ecu.edu. The Pirate Club staff consists of:

Ryan Robinson, Executive Associate AD for Revenue Generation
Matt Maloney, Assistant AD/Major Gifts
Danielle Morrin, Assistant AD/Development
Macy Gladson, Executive Director of Premium Seating/Pirate Club Operations
Blaise Hudson, Assistant Director of Development
Rosalynd Hollingsworth, Pirate Club Operations/Development Coordinator
Molly Pierce, Business Officer
Beth Rose, Data Entry Specialist
Harrison Martin, Operations Assistant

Pirate Club Surpasses $103 Million In Fundraising Over Last Four Years

Related News

Related Videos

Footer