News Summary
Chase Fisher, founder of Blenders Eyewear and SDSU graduate, has donated $5 million to enhance the men’s basketball program at San Diego State University. This landmark contribution aims to bolster the program’s competitiveness against larger power conference teams. Fisher’s donation will support recruiting and provide a financial foundation, coinciding with significant fundraising efforts by the MESA Foundation. His commitment reflects a deep connection to the university and underscores the need for external support as SDSU prepares for its entry into the Pac-12 Conference.
San Diego—Chase Fisher, the founder of Blenders Eyewear, has made a landmark contribution of $5 million to the men’s basketball program at San Diego State University (SDSU). This remarkable donation, which breaks down to $1 million per year over the next five years, aims to enhance the mid-major program’s ability to compete with larger power conference teams.
Fisher, a 2010 graduate of SDSU, began his career as a surf instructor before launching Blenders Eyewear in 2011. The company has since transformed into a national brand valued at over $100 million. Fisher’s financial commitment is expected to play a crucial role in boosting the basketball team’s recruiting capabilities, a key area of focus for head coach Brian Dutcher.
The donation comes on the heels of significant funding efforts surrounding the SDSU men’s basketball program. The MESA Foundation, which supports SDSU’s basketball name, image, and likeness (NIL) collective, has successfully raised nearly $3 million for the 2025-26 budget. This figure marks a substantial increase from the $350,000 raised during the 2021-22 season. Fisher’s donation serves as a cornerstone for the basketball program, providing a financial foundation that, combined with a related guarantee from the annual Players Era Festival event in Las Vegas, establishes a baseline of $2 million per season.
Fisher has previously collaborated with the MESA Foundation, facilitating fundraising efforts that generated $275,000 through the sale of specially designed sunglasses. In 2019, he sold 70% of his ownership in Blenders Eyewear and currently acts as a “brand evangelist” for the company. Fisher expressed his deep connection to SDSU, emphasizing his commitment to bringing resources and opportunities to the program.
As part of strategic planning, SDSU’s athletic department intends to integrate the independent efforts of the MESA Foundation with internal revenue-sharing programs, enhancing financial consistency for the basketball initiative. Nonetheless, the donation may encounter a fee from the Campanile Foundation, which customarily retains about 5% of donations for administrative overhead, approximating around $250,000.
Significant developments in NCAA rules have enabled university athletic departments to share revenue with athletes, impacting the operation of collectives like MESA. President of SDSU, Adela de la Torre, has lauded Fisher’s contribution as transformative, underlining the entrepreneurial spirit synonymous with the university.
Fisher demonstrated his cherished affiliation with San Diego State by wearing a Blenders letterman jacket during a recent television appearance, reinforcing his loyalty to the school’s sports programs. In anticipation of SDSU’s impending entry into the Pac-12 Conference, the men’s basketball program faces the ongoing challenge of attracting high-level recruits due to previously limited resources compared to major conferences like the Big Ten and SEC. Fisher’s financial commitment arrives at a vital juncture as the basketball team seeks to capitalize on NIL opportunities, underscoring the necessity for such external financial support.
Overall, Fisher’s donation marks a pivotal moment for SDSU men’s basketball, promising to enhance the program’s competitiveness and ensure a brighter future for its athletes.
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Additional Resources
- Daily News: UCLA Men’s Basketball Gets What It Wanted from San Diego State
- Wikipedia: NCAA Men’s Basketball
- LA Times: UCLA Men’s Basketball vs. San Diego State Exhibition
- Google Search: UCLA Men’s Basketball
- San Diego Union Tribune: Slow Start Dooms SDSU against UCLA
- Encyclopedia Britannica: National Collegiate Athletic Association
- 10 News: SDSU Alum Donates $5 Million to Men’s Basketball Program
- Google News: San Diego State Basketball
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