LIKELY PACK UP AND GO HOME. KICKOFF SET FOR 11:30 TOMORROW MORNING AT BANK OF AMERICA STADIUM IN CHARLOTTE. >>> THE FINANCIAL HIT FOR SCRAPPED BALLGAME, COACH BROWN POINTED OUT, PROMPTED ESU AND ATHLETIC BOOSTERS TO LAUNCH MILITARY BULL FUND TO HELP THE HEFTY PRICE TAG WITH OTHER NONREFUNDABLE EXPENSES. WE TOLD ABOUT THE INITIATIVE LAST NIGHT. >> TIRES SET TO PLATE BOSTON COLLEGE IN MARYLAND. BEFORE KICKOFF THEY FOUND IT WOULD NOT HAPPEN. COVID CASES ON THE BOSTON COLLEGE TEAM CAUSED EVERYTHING TO BE CANCELED. THE ECU ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT ANTICIPATES $400,000 IN EXPENSES TO PILOT MADE UP OF NONREFUNDABLE COST ASSOCIATED WITH TRAVEL TO AND FROM MARYLAND AS WELL AS BRINGING THE TEAM BACK TO CAMPUS FOR PRACTICE. THEY PLAN TO PAY THE BILLS WITH DISBURSEMENT OF THE MILITARY BULL. ATHLETIC BOOSTERS WORKED WITH THE SCHOOL TO START A FUND TO COVER THE BILLS. LOCAL BUSINESS GAVE THE FIRST $200,000 GIFT. ANYONE WHO BOUGHT A TICKET THROUGH THE SCHOOL CAN RETURN IT THROUGH THE FUND TO DONATE 100% OF THE TICKET TO THE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT. >>> ECU DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS JON GILBERT JOINS US LIVE. THIS IS A BILL NOT MANY PROGRAMS ARE PREPARED TO SIGN OFF ON, FOR THOSE WONDERING, IS THIS TYPE OF FUNDING SET ASIDE EARLY ON IN THE PLANNING PROCESS ? >> IT IS NOT SET ASIDE EARLY BUT WE STARTED THE FUND AFTER WE LEARNED OF THE CANCELLATION AND THE PIECE OF NOT BEING ABLE TO RECEIVE A BOWL PAYOUT FROM THE MILITARY BOWL. EXPECTING PAYOUT OF THE $600,000 RANGE. OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVE SIGNIFICANT EXPENSES UP TO $400,000. WE ARE EXCITED BILL CLARK HOLMES STEPPED UP AND MADE VERY SIGNIFICANT DONATION. IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAD OUR FAN BASE THAT HAVE DONATED TICKETS UP TO I BELIEVE $45,000 RIGHT NOW. >> OF COURSE, A LOT OF MONEY ON THE LINE. TERRIBLE THING FOR THE STUDENT BODY AND KIDS ON THE TEAM AND COACHES AND FANS. WHAT PREPARATIONS DID THE SCHOOL MAKE ANTICIPATING SOMETHING LIKE THIS? WE HAVE BEEN IN THE MIDDLE COVID SOMETIME COMMENCING EVENTS CANCELED LEFT AND RIGHT. DURING THIS EVENT LEADING UP TO THE BOWL GAMES, WHAT WAS DONE TO PREPARE FOR WORST-CASE SCENARIO? >> CERTAINLY, ALWAYS PREPARE FOR WORST-CASE SCENARIO FROM A MEDICAL STANDPOINT. THERE IS NOT ACCORDING TO THE BOWL, THERE IS NOT LOSS OF REVENUE INSURANCE SO THE BULK OF THE EXPENSES ARE GOING TO FALL BACK ON THE INSTITUTION. >> YOU TALK ABOUT HOW EXPENSIVE THIS IS, IT IS ALSO QUITE A LOSS FOR THE TEAM, ESPECIALLY THE SENIORS WHO WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PLAY. ECU HAS NOT BEEN TO A BOWL GAME SINCE 2014. A LOT OF EXCITEMENT SURROUNDING GOING TO THE WHOLE GAME. WHAT HAS BEEN THE RESPONSE FROM THE STUDENT ATHLETES? >> CERTAINLY THEY ARE DISAPPOINTED. WE ARE ALL DISAPPOINTED FOR THE STUDENT ATHLETES, COACHES, STAFF, ESPECIALLY OUR SENIORS AS YOU MENTIONED. IT HAS BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE HAVE BEEN TO A BOWL GAME. WE WERE FORTUNATE IN THAT OUR STUDENT ATHLETES GOT TO EXPERIENCE THE SOCIAL SIDE OF THE GAME, JUST NOT THE COMPETITIVE SIDE WHICH THE FAN BASE AND EVERYONE ELSE WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO. >> CLEAR SOMETHING UP FOR ME, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE IMAGINED COLLEGE SPORTS, SPECIFICALLY THE FOOTBALL PROGRAM, TO BE BIG MONEY BUSINESS WITH DEEP POCKETS, A PLACE LIKE ECU AND OTHER PLACES WATCHING BOWL GAMES BE CANCELED. YOU ARE ASKING FOR THE FAN BASE TO DONATE MONEY, ARE PEOPLE MISUNDERSTANDING THE MONEY IN THE POCKETS OF SOME OF THESE UNIVERSITIES WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR ABILITY TO COVER THESE COSTS? >> WELL, EVERY BOWL GAME IS ESSENTIALLY THE SAME, THE PAYOUTS ARE DIFFERENT. SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR THE BOWL GAME CANCELED YESTERDAY BUT I THINK THAT BOWL GAME HAD A PAYOUT OF 6 MILLION PLUS AND THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO PAY BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE FANS THAT BOUGHT TICKETS TO THEIR BOWL GAME, THE HOLIDAY BOWL, THEY WILL WANT A REFUND. AS INSTITUTIONS AND SCHOOLS LOOK TO HOW THEY FUND THESE THINGS WHEN THERE IS A CANCELLATION, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN LOOK TO THE CONFERENCE OFFICES TO SEE IF THE CONFERENCE OFFICE WILL HELP SUBSIDIZE THE DEFICIT FROM THE RESERVE FUND BUT THERE IS NOT EXTRA CASH LAYING AROUND TO COVER SOMETHING LIKE THIS. WHETHER YOUR AT EAST CAROLINA OR A BIG INSTITUTION, THE FUNDING MODEL IS THE SAME ON THE BOWL GAMES. >> THAT TIGHT TO TURN TO THE FANS FOR $40,000 PLUS? >> WHAT WE DID WAS WE HAD $200,000 DONATION FROM BILL CLARK HOLMES AND SO FAR TO DATE, WE HAVE HAD $45,000 DONATED AND REFUNDED TICKET MONEY MEANING IF YOU BOUGHT TICKETS TO THE GAME AND YOU SAID, WE ARE NOT GOING TO TAKE OUR REFUND, YOU CAN KEEP OUR FUNDS TO HELP COVER THOSE COSTS, THAT AMOUNT HAS BEEN 45,000. WE ARE NOT ASKING FOR DONATIONS TO COVER THE DEFICIT, WE ARE ASKING FOR THE FANS THAT PURCHASED TICKETS TO NOT TAKE THE REFUND AND DONATE THOSE FUNDS TO THE PRIVATE CLUB. >> PIRATES FANS ARE VERY LOYAL AND VERY GENEROUS. BEFORE WE LET YOU GO, VERY QUICKLY, DID YOUR TEAM GET A WIN ON THE RECORD AND A TROPHY LIKE NC STATE? >> WE DIDN'T GO DOWN THAT PATH. I HAD BEEN IN CONTACT WITH BOSTON COLLEGE, WE DIDN'T PLAY THE GAME SO I'M NOT LOOKING AT IT AS A MORAL VICTORY OR FORFEIT. IT IS DISAPPOINTING FOR BOTH SIDES SO WE WILL MOVE ON AND LOOK FORWARD TO HOSTING THE WOLF PACK NEXT SEPTEMBER.