ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Griffon Athletics has kicked off its annual Gold Coat Victory Fund membership drive this past week, as a group of volunteers made up of Gold Coat members, Griffon coaches, and community members began the process of securing renewals and cultivating new members to the Gold Coat Club.

Current Gold Coat members who renew their memberships prior to July 1 will retain their previous football seats; while members who renew by September 1 will retain their previous basketball seats.
Renewed Gold Coat members at the Gold Level or above will be invited to take part in a "Pick A Seat" event on the afternoon of Tuesday, August 1 from 4-6 p.m. at Spratt Stadium. New members, or those wishing to change their seat, will have the opportunity to pick from unassigned seats.

Gold Coat members who renewed by July 1 do not need to attend the Pick A Seat event to retain their current seats – they only need to attend if they wish to change their seats. New members, and those who renewed after July 1 who do not attend will have seats assigned at random.

The Gold Coat Club is the athletics booster organization of Missouri Western State University. Founded in 1969, the club raises funds to support the endeavors of all Missouri Western sports programs. Donors to the Gold Coat Victory Fund automatically become members of the Gold Coat Club.

All Gold Coat packages include the opportunity to purchase season tickets at a discounted rate, while premium amenities – including reserved seating, football Stadium Club access, courtside club seating at basketball, and premium parking – are available at the higher levels of giving. The non-ticketing portion of a Gold Coat Fund gift may be earmarked to the sport or department of the donor's choice.

Additional packages are available exclusively to Missouri Western employees and retirees.

While the structure of the Gold Coat Fund has changed, the mission has not - as always, Griffon Athletics strives to provide student-athletes with the necessary resources to provide at the highest level of Division II and prepare our student-athletes to reach their full potential in the classroom, in competition, and in the community. 

As an economic driver for the city of St. Joseph, Buchanan County, and all of northwest Missouri, and by hosting regular-season and championship events, Griffon athletics creates revenue opportunities for local businesses and generates important tax revenue for the community. 

The value we provide goes far beyond the simple metric of wins and losses - Griffon athletics makes a transformational impact in the lives of our student-athletes and in the community in which we serve.

In order to more effectively support our deserving student-athletes - and in consultation with members of the Gold Coat board - we have re-imagined the Gold Coat model and moved from a transactional to a transformational model that brings Missouri Western athletics into line with not only the other football-sponsoring institutions in the MIAA, but our athletic peers in the Central Region and Super Region 3. 

This new model will allow Griffon athletics to deliver more personalized and meaningful benefits to our members while also preserving the value for those who have generously invested in our program. 

Joining and paying is easy – you can sign up online at gogriffons.com/goldcoat, call 816-271-4481, or by emailing MWSU Senior Associate Athletic Director Paul Smith at psmith27@missouriwestern.edu.