Brian Kelly announces plans to match up to $1 million in NIL donations with gift to LSU foundation

LSU coach Brian Kelly and his wife, Paqui, announced a match program to support the school’s NIL donations. They will match up to $1 million in donations with a gift to LSU’s foundation, the Tiger Athletic Foundation’s AD’s Excellence Fund.

Kelly announced the “Kelly Family Million Dollar Match Fund” Friday morning, encouraging fans to donate to the LSU-focused NIL collective, Bayou Traditions. The Kellys will donate up to $1 million to the TAF AD’s Excellence Fund based on donations from Dec. 13, 2024 to Feb. 5, 2025.

It’s part of a plan to ramp up LSU’s NIL efforts. Kelly recently said the school was on the right rack, but still had room for improvement in the space.

“LSU has a long and proud tradition of being one of the elite programs in college football,” Kelly said in a statement. “In order to remain among the nation’s elite in this new world of college athletics, we have to be competitive in all areas of our program. I am committed to doing all that we can to win championships at LSU.

“While we are not permitted to financially support our NIL efforts directly, Paqui and I can certainly match this tremendous fanbase’s generosity by investing in the future of LSU Athletics through the Tiger Athletic Foundation.”

Speaking with reporters Friday after practice for the Texas Bowl, Kelly said his prior press conference on Wednesday was the spark that led to the Million Dollar Match program. He cited the need to set the example after effectively issuing a challenge to the fan base.

“I figured that after my last press conference where I pretty much challenged the entire LSU fan base that if they wanted to continue to have a championship program – that they needed to understand that there is a financial responsibility, as well – that I needed to put my money where my mouth was and be part of that, as well,” Kelly said. “That’s the genesis of that, relative to the million dollars.

“My wife and I are going to match up to $1 million [in] new monies that are donated to NIL, that are earmarked for football, so that we can be competitive in that space. I thought it should start with me and continue to work through all the other avenues that are available to us.”

Brian Kelly on NIL in recruiting: ‘It’s about the most money I can get’

Speaking on National Signing Day a week ago, Brian Kelly assessed the state of the college football landscape. LSU currently holds the No. 7-ranked class in the nation, according to the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Ranking. The headliner of the group is Five Star Plus+ cornerback DJ Pickett – the No. 10 overall player from the 2025 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

But the Tigers saw some notable flips ahead of the early signing period, notably top-ranked quarterback Bryce Underwood. He ultimately signed with Michigan and is preparing to receive a lucrative NIL package.

During his press conference, Kelly broke down how recruiting has changed. He also mentioned the need to adapt to the changes as NIL takes on a more prominent role in recruiting.

“I would be remiss if I didn’t say that, as I mentioned in my opening remarks, this is a new landscape that we are in in recruiting,” Kelly said. “‘New,’ when I say it’s not just about finding the right fit academically.

“It’s not just about finding the right fit where you can develop holistically and graduate and play for a championship. It’s about [what’s] the most money I can get, and that’s unfortunate. But it’s the world we live in, and you have to be able to adapt, and you have to be able to realign and be prepared.”