Enterprising College Kid Crowdfunds Beer Money on National Television

Crowdfunding is the solution to many a modern-day problem. Can’t afford to open the artisanal avocado toast cafe of your dreams? Launch a Kickstarter! Need funding for your documentary about pumpkin spice lattes? Start an Indiegogo!

Rather than relying solely on the kindness of internet strangers, an enterprising young college student in Tennessee thought big: He took his fundraising efforts to ESPN, one of the most widely-watched cable networks in America.

During filming for ESPN’s College GameDay at Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday, a spectator held up a homemade sign reading, “Hi Mom! Send beer money” along with his Venmo username. (Venmo is a peer-to-peer payment system in the vein of Paypal.)

As The Score reports, that ingenious use of paper and markers paid off: The guy known only as SamC2270 has raked in hundreds of Venmo donations since the show aired on Saturday, and the payments are continuing to pour in. In addition to sending that much-needed beer money, donators are also complimenting Sam’s fundraising tactics, with one writing, “Cheers! You’re killing this college thing!” Indeed.

• Hundreds Send Donations After Fan Asks for Beer Money on ‘GameDay’ [The Score]
• All Crowdfunding Coverage [E]