STOCKTON, Calif. - University of the Pacific, home to the famed Tiger football program for over a century, is officially announcing a $1.5 million fundraising initiative called the Pacific Football Legacy Project, announced Janet Lucas, director of athletics. The fundraising effort, which is off to a strong start with 75% of the funds committed to date, is led by a committee of former Tigers and professional athletes nearly 30 strong, including Seattle Seahawks Head Coach Pete Carroll '73, '78 and Tom Flores '58 who was recently inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 
 
"The purpose of the project is to celebrate the positive impact the sport of football had on the university, the community, and on the individuals who participated," said Ted Leland '70, '74, former director of athletics at Pacific and co-chair of the project. "For former players, it's a chance to remember those special, seemingly simple moments in our youth, when we were really fully alive."
 
The initiative will memorialize the program and tell the rich history of football at Pacific for generations to come. The heart of this project will be the construction of Stagg Memorial Football Plaza, a nearly 9,000 sq. ft. open space across from the Alex G. Spanos Center. The Plaza is envisioned as a gathering place for alumni and students who will learn of the storied past of Pacific Football through the narratives and interactive displays featured in and encircling the plaza. The plaza will also serve as a campus destination hosting tailgates and receptions annually associated with athletic and campus events. The Plaza is projected to be completed by spring when the university will host a football reunion and Pacific Athletic Hall of Fame inductions April 29-30, 2022.
 
"Pacific football is nothing short of legendary," said Pacific President Christopher Callahan. "From the coaching philosophy of Amos Alonzo Stagg to the many NFL players and coaches it produced, the program didn't just shape Pacific history, it shaped the history of football itself."
 
The project will also include the creation of a Pacific football archival collection that will be cataloged and stored in the university archives, and a "Forever Football" endowed scholarship for student-athletes.
 
"It's incredibly important to memorialize the history of this program," said Cindy Spiro '76 '84, campaign co-chair. "While the plaza is the centerpiece of the project, we're proud to use this opportunity to create endowed scholarships so that more talented student-athletes will gain an education at Pacific."
 
Though football was formally disbanded at Pacific in 1995, its impact is remembered. Football was a rallying point for the university and the local community, bringing together students and fans to cheer for the Tigers and enjoy community events. For more than half a century, Amos Alonzo Stagg Memorial Stadium was the largest public gathering place in Stockton. Football was also a major driver of diversity within the student body. Thousands of underrepresented students and students of color attended Pacific on football scholarships, contributing to a more diverse and inclusive university community.
 
"Football was so much more than a sport at Pacific. It was woven into the very fabric of the university, and in many ways, it still is," said Janet Lucas, director of athletics. "It's incredible to see how many alumni, donors and professional players are coming together to make this project a reality. That really speaks to the enduring legacy of the program." 
 
To learn more about ways you can make a gift to the Football Legacy Project, please contact Executive Associate Athletics Director for Development Tim Dickson at tdickson@pacific.edu or 209.946.3177, or visit joinpaf.org.
 

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