Tax Group Targets Albemarle Sports Deals

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Updated: 7:48 PM Apr 15, 2011

Albemarle County Public Schools athletics programs are under fire for signing exclusive deals with sporting apparel and equipment companies like Under Armour. The school board is asking for revisions to the buying policy be made.

Posted: 5:25 PM Apr 14, 2011
Reporter: Chris Stover
Email Address: chris.stover@newsplex.com

Monticello Agreement

Albemarle Agreement

Western Albemarle Agreement

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April 14, 2011

Albemarle County school officials say "changes will be made" in the way high school athletic directors make deals with sporting goods companies.

Local taxpayer group Albemarle Truth in Taxation Alliance (ATTA) has uncovered details about all three high school athletics programs signing what the groups says are exclusive deals with sporting goods and equipment companies made without the approval of the school board.

"You have employees of the school division being paid with taxpayer money signing contracts on behalf of the county and its taxpayers who are unauthorized to do so," ATTA chairman Keith Drake said. "That's a problem."

At a Thursday night school board meeting, the board asked staff to revise the policies for purchasing and present the revisions to the board at a later date.

While ATTA alleges all three schools - Albemarle, Western Albemarle, and Monticello - entered unauthorized agreements, CBS19 has only learned the details behind one. Monticello High School signed a contract with Under Armour as an exclusive provider of athletic apparel.

"The school board was unaware of these agreements and there was no legal review and no policies they knew in place," Albemarle County parent Jim Stern said.

Some parents and taxpayers are questioning the deal.

"We want to know what benefit that the students were getting in exchange for having to purchase this gear," Stern said.

"Parents are being required to buy, in some cases, very expensive athletic gear, and that could potentially pose a financial hardship to those families," added Keith Drake, of ATTA.

Albemarle County Schools spokesperson Maury Brown addressed the controversy in an email to CBS19, saying:

"All athletic apparel agreements are now under review and will be amended, if necessary, to conform to all policies and procedures. Changes will be made."

Brown confirmed that Albemarle and Western Albemarle do have contracts with other sporting apparel companies, however those deals are not as binding as the Monticello deal with Under Armor.

"The Athletic Directors at our three high schools entered into agreements with vendors in order to keep athletic apparel costs as low as possible for students. Their purpose was to realize cost savings for the students through bulk-buying," she wrote.

Latest Comments

Posted by: Parent on Apr 17, 2011 at 12:09 AM

LEAVE OUR ADs alone Leave the coaches alone leave our kids alone. Have you ever heard of team work, team sperit?? Fitz is proud of MHS, as are the students, as are the teachers, as are the players, as am I. Adults ruin youth sports. Now can we just play ball.

Posted by: Booster Dad Location: Albemarle County on Apr 16, 2011 at 07:21 PM

It is sickening to see misinformed people make wrong quotes. I was a booster at Monticello and all my kids were athletes.Someone has got to stand up for good people in this county. Fitz has raises more money for kids than any other AD IN THIS AREA. He raised the money for the turf field. He is the reason why Albemarle and Western have fields. I stood beside him when a parent offered money to build a baseball press box and Fitz said "Girls softball would have to have one too" he built both boxes. Fitz has always been more aggressive than the other schools. Look how nice Monticello Coaches and team dress.What is wrong with family getting a 40% discount on underarmour gear. My sons saw a pair of football shoes in Dicks and they were $100.00. We bought the same shoe for $60.00 at Monticello. I have never seen a student forced to buy anything. Kids was wearing team shoes when I played football. The main reason Fitz went this route to provide his coaches and students athlete an opportunity to get clothing and shoes at a much reduced rate. If you look at the agreement there is no rebates for buying anything. The agreements are so none binding,I see why all three schools did not get a legal opinion.The Anti Albemarle Tax Group need to spend more time bringing in business to Albemarle County to keep taxes low and leave athletics to our School Board.

Posted by: parent on Apr 15, 2011 at 11:34 PM

Not! I have insurance. I have never had the county pay for one doctors visit or offer any type of insurance.

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