Tulane Football Hosts Creative New Golf Classic To Raise NIL Funds

The Tulane Green Wave were one of the college football programs to lose their starting quarterback to the transfer portal this offseason.
Former quarterback Darian Mensah reportedly received one of the highest offers in college football in a multi-million dollar deal with the Duke Blue Devils.
Lucrative NIL deals likely lured running back Makhi Hughes to the Oregon Ducks and tight end Alex Bauman to the Miami Hurricanes, something head coach Jon Sumrall spoke about in a recent interview with Josh Pate's College Football Show.
As NIL resources become more critical than ever to compete, particularly for Group of Five schools, Tulane football is poised to reload through creative efforts aimed at funds for name, image, and likeness.
Green Wave football teamed up with local merchandise shop Campus Connection to host their inaugural Fairways Fore! Football Golf Classic on Feb. 13 at English Turn. The proceeds went to the school’s NIL collective, Fear the Wave, with proceeds aimed towards football players.
The Inaugural Fairways Fore! Football Classic presented by @TulaneShop was a huge success!
— Tulane Football (@GreenWaveFB) February 14, 2025
Thanks to everyone involved! We can’t wait for next year! #UptownFootball pic.twitter.com/zpvEZN2YnA
Tickets for the event were sold with prices starting at $300 for individuals, and they were able to bid online to play a round with a Tulane celebrity golfer. Head coach Jon Sumrall, defensive coordinator Greg Gasparato, and linebacker Tyler Grubbs represented the current era as available golfers.
The event brought back two program legends, former Voice of the Wave and current play-by-play caller for the New Orleans Pelicans, Todd Graffagnini, and former quarterback Shaun King.
Co-founder of the collective, Michael Arata, thanked local sponsors on X including Rizzuto’s Restaurant and Acme Oyster House, and the golf classic was backed by two important booster clubs for the program, the Greenie Gals and the Greenbackers.
Several notable football alumni attended the event, showing a connection with the pre-Sumrall era. Running back Tyjae Spears and linebacker Dorian Williams, selected in the third round, respectively, by the Tennessee Titans and Buffalo Bills in the 2023 NFL draft, both made trips back to support the football program.
The classic also saw a surprise appearance by New York Jets punter Thomas Morstead as a special guest.
New Tulane football director of roster management, Kelly Comarda, called it an incredible tournament in a post on X, thanking the boosters, Campus Connection, and all the alumni and former program cornerstones.
It’s the second inaugural event put on by Sumrall as head coach that’s seen massive success out of the gate. The Tulane Football Women’s Clinic was held on a weekday in July and had hundreds of women in attendance, showing the momentum the recent success has brought to fan support and buy-in.
Still can’t get over how amazing the inaugural Tulane Football Women’s Clinic was last night!
— Tulane Football (@GreenWaveFB) July 25, 2024
Thanks to everyone who came out! We can’t wait to do it all again next year! #UptownFootball pic.twitter.com/IkKj3kIXFG
Many schools are implementing simple NIL fundraising sources, such as mandatory fees for NIL collectives as part of season ticket purchases.
Many would do well to look at the creative avenues the Green Wave have explored in generating NIL funds.
Rather than stagnate and approach the current state of college football with a bitter approach after losing star talent in the transfer portal, Tulane is choosing to fight and adapt.