The Bulldog Club Legacy Priority Point Structure accounts for 4 different factors:
- Current Annual Giving
- Lifetime Giving
- Number of Consecutive Year of Contributions
- Season Ticket Purchases
Current annual giving is the most important factor in the Legacy Priority Point Structure. It is weighted more because the current year’s costs are paid with these annual funds, which are crucial to the success of the Bulldog Club’s main purpose - to fund scholarships for student-athletes and support the overall operation of the athletic department. Consecutive years of contributions and total cumulative contributions relate to loyalty to the Bulldog Club and Mississippi State Athletics.
Every active Bulldog Club Member earns a rank based on the priority points they have accumulated. The higher the rank the more priority a Bulldog Club Member has (with #1 being the highest). All priority seating areas, parking, post-season ticketing, and assignment requests are satisfied based on Bulldog Club Rank. Priority deadlines are set prior to events such as, renewals, re-seating, parking assignments, and post-season assignments. These priority deadlines represent the time a “snap shot” will be taken of Bulldog Club Ranks to establish the rank order for the event.
Please be aware that as of July 9th, 2024 the Bulldog Club will implement a new point structure. For more information please click here.
Current Annual Giving
Your current annual contribution receives 12 points per $1,000 (.012 per dollar). Only dollars pledged in the current drive year count in this category. After the year, the current annual giving points expire and are replaced by the current annual giving points for the next year. This means, if you pledge the same amount each year you will continue to earn the same current annual giving points each year.
A Major Gift pledge, defined as a commitment beyond seating donations of $25,000 or more, payable over a five-year period, with necessary documentation, is awarded Current Annual Giving points based on the total pledge of the major gift. These points remain on the account over the course of the gift’s duration. Example: a gift of $25,000 payable over five drive years will receive 300 Major Gift points (25,000 x .012) in the drive year that the gift begins, and those 300 points will not roll off until the major gift expiration date.
Lifetime Giving
Lifetime points are received eight points per $1,000 (.008 per dollar) as pledges are paid. All paid gifts given over a donor’s lifetime to the Bulldog Club receive these points. These points do not expire like the current annual giving points. All lifetime points continue to accumulate, even if the consecutive year’s string was broken at some point.
Consecutive Years of Contributions*
Each consecutive year of giving receives one (1) point for the first 10 years. For each additional consecutive decade of active membership in The Bulldog Club 0.5 extra points are awarded. This factor treats all donors the same, regardless of giving level. For example: a donor who has been active for 20 consecutive years would receive 10 points for years 1-10 and 15 points for the second decade (1.5 points for years 11- 20).
*for purposes of our point system, consecutive years begin no earlier than 1985 for any member.
The key word is consecutive. If a donor first contributed in 1990, did not make a Bulldog Club contribution from 1991 to 1995 and contributed again in 1996, the consecutive years of giving would begin in 1996.
Season Ticket Purchases
Points will be added for buying season tickets for football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball or baseball. One point per season ticket (maximum of 10 points per sport, per year) will be credited. Once the season expires, the points for the tickets expire and are replaced by the ticket points for the next season.
Declining Priority Points
Please take note that The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 changed federal tax law as it relates to the deductibility of contributions to organizations like The Bulldog Club. For all donations beginning in 2018, no federal income tax deduction is allowed if, as a result of a contribution, the donor receives (directly or indirectly) the right purchase tickets for seating at an on campus athletic event. Under this new law, contributions required to purchase season tickets (required seat donations) are no longer tax deductible. Our current understanding is that any other contribution for which a donor receives priority points in The Bulldog Club priority points system will also be nondeductible. In light of this change, The Bulldog Club wants all donors to be aware of the option to decline priority points for a donation that is not related to required seat donations. If you would like to decline priority points for any donation made above and beyond your required seat donation, it is your responsibility to notify The Bulldog Club by filling out and submitting the Bulldog Club Priority Points Waiver Form or by contacting our office. Unless we are advised of an intention to decline priority points for a donation, we will process the payment and recognize priority points in accordance with current priority points policy.
