Central Florida Collective Raises Nearly $27K to Retire Controversial Gameday Tradition

UCF's Kingdom NIL collective used vote on in-game song to raise funds

Central Florida's collective, Kingdom NIL, turned a controversial issue among Knights fans into a means to raise nearly $27,000 to support its NIL efforts. 

In 2021, UCF began playing Frankie Valli's "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" in the fourth quarter of every home football game. Some fans loved to join in the singalong, while other fans despised the new tradition. 

Kingdom NIL decided to settle the controversy with a vote. Fans were given the option to click a button to "Donate to retire the song" or "Donate to keep the song." 

The results led to a clear winner: $14,017 was donated to retire the song, while only $12,900 was donated to keep it. Over 140 people made donations, resulting in nearly $27,000 that will be utilized to support NIL endeavors for UCF student-athletes. 

"I donated to kill the song. Although it was a nice thought, I felt like it brought down the energy (in the Bounce House)," UCF fan Mary Ashbaugh told FOX 35 Orlando. "We need hype to get the crowd going in the fourth quarter. Especially for close games. Hype songs get people on their feet cheering."

Other fans were disappointed to see the song go. 

"I hate to see it leave because I think that it had the crowd going," Gianna Aprile told FOX 35. "The crowd got excited, everyone sang along. Even though it was an old song, I feel like it was a song that everyone liked and could sing along with."

Kingdom NIL was launched in 2022 and is currently operating as UCF's official NIL collective. 

"To raise that much money while having some fun doesn't happen a lot," Kingdom NIL Executive Director SJ Tuohy told FOX 35. "I think at least on the surface, to me, everybody had a fun time and everybody was a good sport and that doesn't happen a lot." 

UCF finished their first season in the Big 12 with a record of 6-7, losing to Georgia Tech on Friday in the Gasparilla Bowl in Tampa.