“Unrivaled Ambition,” the athletic department’s first strategic plan approved by the Board of Trustees in May, proposed a potential $325 million capital campaign for the athletic department. In 2006, the largest ongoing development campaign in the country was the University of Washington’s $300 million goal, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education. And while Duke’s likely would not have been rolled out until the end of this year, at the earliest, it would have qualified as the most ambitious in the country.

That announcement and the donations Duke would have received might be put on hold until the economy bounces back. And while the effect of the teetering markets spread to the base of Duke’s giving pyramid, the development office is perhaps most concerned about the hit its top donors has taken.

After all, a $325 million capital campaign for the expansion of facilities and full endowment of scholarships would be almost impossible by what senior associate athletic director Tom Coffman called “transformational gifts.” These types of donations are bigger than Spike and Mary Yoh’s $5.5 million gift to build the Yoh Football Center—they’re more reminiscent of T. Boone Pickens’ $165 million donation to Oklahoma State’s athletic department, or the $63 million more he gave this week.

“In order to be successful, the athletic department will have to, in the future, identify people who are making those transformational gifts,” said Coffman, who is responsible for development and planning. “We think a lot about that. We need to position ourselves to find people who are passionate enough who can do that, and we will…. In order to compete in the world we’re in, we’re going to have to have those types of benefactors.” Continue reading →