Phil Knight's Relationship With Oregon Athletics Examined

Knight Pledging $100M To Help Facilitate New Basketball Arena

THE KNIGHT EFFECT: Bachman & Hunsberger reported while Knight's donations have "helped shatter the $600[M] goal for [UO's] universitywide fundraising campaign," his contributions also have "pushed the percentage of campaign funds going to athletics to 38[%], far exceeding the [10-15%] for athletics typical in other universities' fund drives." And Knight's gifts to athletics have "surged just as state funding has fallen to 13[%] of [UO's] budget, exacerbating the appearance of UO's emphasis on sports." Bachman & Hunsberger: "Even after the last payment of Knight's $100[M] pledge arrives, he will retain his nearly unique hold on [UO's] athletic department and the forces that shape it. UO employees whisper about the possibility that Knight, 70, could donate a large portion of his estate to the university in his will" (Portland OREGONIAN, 5/4). In part two of the OREGONIAN's series, Knight gives a statement discussing his contribution to the arena project (Portland OREGONIAN, 5/4). Part three of the series details how the UO band is "out of step with Nike's offbeat uniforms" (Portland OREGONIAN, 5/4).

INSIDE ACCESS: The OREGONIAN's Bachman & Hunsberger in part four of the series reported Knight "enjoys rare access to [UO's] coaches, locker rooms and players" and "sits in on coaches' strategy sessions, pep talks and postgame news conferences." While NCAA rules "restrict booster contact with recruits," the rules "say little about boosters' access to players or coaches" (Portland OREGONIAN, 5/4).

UNHEALTHY RELATIONSHIP? In Portland, John Canzano wrote Knight strikes him as a "reasonable, passionate, inspired person who in the end, is just a big, happy fan" of UO athletics. Canzano: "I don't blame Knight for wanting the arena built his way. I don't blame him for his desire to steer the millions in donations to the university he attended to the places he wants them. ... What I'll never understand is why [UO] decided to allow the relationship to become unhealthy." The troubling issue "isn't the booster, it's the university." With UO President Dave Frohnmayer expected to retire in '09, the "pursuit of a successor begins." Canzano: "And based on what we've learned about Knight's relationship with [UO], you have to sort of wonder what kind of influence Knight will have on the selection of a university president, and whether that selection will matter, given what's already been given away" (Portland OREGONIAN, 5/4).

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