The following press release was sent to the Bloomingtonian Monday:

”Indiana University Men’s Rugby Team to compete in the

USA Rugby 7s Collegiate Championship in Atlanta – May 14-15, 2022

Mark Cuban, Celebrity Entrepreneur and Former IU Rugby Player, and the

Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company Generously Contribute to make this a

World-Class Event for Indiana University Fans, Parents, and Athletes

(ATLANTA, GA) – The Indiana University Men’s Rugby team will compete in the Collegiate Rugby USA Championship on NBC and CNBC in Atlanta, May 14-15, 2022 at Kennesaw State University (1000 Chastain Rd NW, Kennesaw, GA 30144). To purchase tickets: https://r7cc.rugby/.

Mark Cuban, Dallas Mavericks owner and celebrity businessman is one of the best-known Indiana University Rugby alumni. Cuban has been a significant supporter of IU Rugby since his years at the school.

“I’m pleased to see that the IU Men’s Rugby team has made it to the national championship,” said Cuban. “The Hoosiers have a strong rugby tradition and have been a top-ranked team since my IU Rugby days.”

Former IU Rugby player and principal of KKR & Co., Inc. Evan Kaufman led a groupof IU Rugby alumni seven years ago in establishing a strong endowment, attracting funds, and assistance from former Indiana rugby players, including Cuban, to support initiatives like the upcoming USA Championship.

This endowment was instrumental in helping the IU Men’s Rugby team recruit former USA men’s national team player David Fee as a director of rugby and coach of the current highly-successful 7s team.

“Despite being a club program, we’ve been a top-ranked squad,” said Evan Williams, another current IU alumni leader. “We’ve got a great rugby heritage and a very successful team on campus. IU Rugby is a program on the rise.”

Williams says the culture of alumni participation through its endowment has changed, and no one benefactor should bear the financial burden alone. That said, Cuban has committed to matching every dollar raised for the IU Rugby Endowment, which currently exceeds $2 million.

Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company’scontributions will help to make the championship games a truly world class event for the IU parents, student athletes, and fans, and will include:

A suite for full two days for the team to recover in, and for alumni to come through;
A private 20×20 cabana for the full two days, located above the suite for shade and entertaining for guests and alumni;
Personalized Indiana signage in between the suite and the rows of reserved seating for Indiana fans;
Reserved rows of seating to complete the Indiana University branded section.

“When you add in this off-field experience that Mark Cuban is helping to provide, to the rugby product on the field that this tournament has produced, this is truly a not-to-miss event,” said Fee. “Complete with USA National Team Players and Olympians, the reality is that someone on these fields – both male and female – will compete for a medal for the USA in both 2024 and at home in LA in 2028.”

The IU Men’s Rugby team is in the 16-team D1A Division. The tournament will include over 60 teams across three division tiers. Men’s teams will be broken into Gold (D1A), Red (D1 Club), and Blue (D2) divisions; while women’s teams will compete in Gold (D1 Elite and NIRA), Red (D1), and Blue (D2).

“The support for IU Rugby has been great to see, both through the alumni gatherings that are being planned in Atlanta, and the heavily involved parents who will attend the main event,” added Fee. “This will be a true fan festival – AEG Worldwide and the Aspire Group are all promoting the games. I am so proud of the talent and determination of our IU Rugby players, and can’t wait to see them compete at the national championship.”