Getty Image / Michael Wade / Icon Sportswire
The rich just got a lot richer and it couldn’t have come at a better time for the Oklahoma Sooners as they just wrapped up their first appearance at SEC Media Days.
On Monday, Sooner Sports announced Brian and Kim Kimrey of Bartlesville, Oklahoma has made the largest donation in Sooners athletics history. The Kimrey Family announced a $20 million donation to University of Oklahoma athletics programs, with $10 million being earmarked for football and $10 million for baseball.
This massive donation brings the family’s charitable donations to Sooners athletics up to $25.1 million after the Kimrey’s donated $5M to the baseball team back in 2022.
The $10 million gifted to the Oklahoma Sooners football program will “upport future Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium enhancements” according to a press release announcing the historic donation.
OU Vice President and Director of Athletics Joe Castiglione released a statement about this game-changing $20 million donation to Sooners athletics. He said “we cannot exhaust our gratitude to Brian and Kim for their consistent faith in and support of OU Athletics. This gift demonstrates their selflessness, yes, but it also illustrates the importance of investing in people and programs, a foundational tenant of how we’ve been able to sustain success across our department.”
Castiglione went on to say “the size of this gift is undoubtedly significant, and we’re thrilled for what it means for the future of OU Baseball and the possibilities it presents for potential future football facility projects. The Kimrey’s generosity isn’t limited to what they’ve given monetarily to OU; they have a deep generosity of spirit which has resonated immensely with our student-athletes and staff. We’re ever so grateful for their belief in what we are building for OU Baseball and their trust that we will steward their resources well.”
This marks the fifth time in Oklahoma Athletics history an 8-figure donation has been pledged but this is the largest single donation in Sooners Athletics history.
Brian Kimrey, who donated the $20 million, expressed his confidence in OU’s coaches and made mention of the SEC while saying “we have great admiration for the values, hard work and commitment both Skip Johnson and Brent Venables are instilling in their programs. As the SEC embodies an elite level of competition, we are devoted to the success of our student-athletes and know the future is bright.”
As a point of reference, Coastal Carolina raised $21 million from all boosters… in the cumulative span between 2005 and 2022. It took them 17 years to beat what this family donated in one fell swoop to the Oklahoma Sooners. The University of Buffalo raised $17 million over that same 17 year span. Oklahoma had raised $597M over that 17-year span which was somehow less than Oklahoma State’s $670M from athletics boosters.
On the baseball side, the $10 million will go toward improving the stadium and fan experience for Sooners baseball fans as well as enhancements to the student-athlete facilities to lure in more top talent to Norman. The timing of this donation truly could not be better with the college football season about a month away.