Mckinney Courier-gazette > News
Merchants upset about North football T-shirt scam
Jesse McGowen and Assistant Principal Holly Rogers stand with the gift presented to McGowen and his family. Carolyn Corbin (center) recalls fond memories of mentor, Naomi Press, at the dedication of Naomi Press Elementary School. Also pictured, from left, are Wade Johnson, Lynn Sperry, Michael Puhl, James W. Press and Jane Press. These photos and others are available through MyCapture at www.scntx.com. Stefanie White/McKinney Courier-Gazette
By Stefanie White, McKinney Courier-Gazette
Business managers who were contacted by a company trying, without authorization, to sell advertising space on back of a McKinney North football T-shirt were upset to learn they were investing in a scam.
Officials of the McKinney North Gridiron Booster Club identified the Texas Roadhouse restaurant and the Marble Slab Creamery ice cream parlor as two of the businesses affected by the rogue sales effort. In fact, the company selling the T-shirt space promised Texas Roadhouse management that the Bulldogs would eat their night-before-game meal there.
The booster club is the only organization authorized to use the McKinney North athletic symbols for commercial purposes, which in the club’s case means fund-raising. And the boosters do not sell advertising on T-shirts, except for the 7-on-7 summer football program.
“No. 1 fund-raiser for us is the program; it’s an all-sports program for the year,” said Richard Beasley, McKinney North Gridiron Booster Club president. “Most of our funds are sold through the sale of program ads.”
It was discovered last week that a company has been soliciting local businesses to put their logo on the back of a McKinney North High School football T-shirt. The company is not affiliated with the McKinney North athletic department.
Beasley said McKinney North head football coach Shawn Pratt called him a few days before the first football game to inform about the incidents.
“Texas Roadhouse called Coach Pratt and said, ‘Hey, when are we going to get our T-shirts?’” Beasley said.
Megan Bean, Texas Roadhouse marketing coordinator, said it was about a month ago when a company called FanFare contacted the restaurant and claimed to be a sponsor finder for the McKinney North football team.
“They told me they’d [football team] have dinners with us at Texas Roadhouse on Thursday nights, that the coach would get in contact with us,” Bean said. “Then, they said if we paid $500, we’d be the team’s sponsor. We did all that.”
Beasley said the Bulldogs do not eat in restaurants the night before a football game.
“Our tradition is we have team dinners at people’s houses,” Beasley said.
Bean said she eventually contacted Pratt just as she was about to send the check, and he informed her that the team was not affiliated with this company.
“He called me back right away,” Bean said. “At that point, I canceled the check.”
Marble Slab Creamery in McKinney also was contacted by a pseudo-company, Beasley said.
Rachael McDermott, Marble Slab Creamery owner, said she doesn’t know if the company who contacted her, ASG, is the same company that contacted Texas Roadhouse.
“We don’t know if the people who did our shirts are phony,” McDermott said. “I supposedly bought two dozen shirts, and it cost me $500. They’re going to be given away at the game [Friday night].”
McDermott did receive two T-shirts from the company exactly when she was supposed to receive them.
“My logo is on the back of the T-shirt,” McDermott said.
If the company does not hand out the T-shirts at the game, McDermott said she will pursue legal action.
McKinney police Capt. Randy Roland said businesses and people should take caution when approached by fund-raising groups.
“It really depends on how they’re approached,” Roland said. “If it’s through the Internet, you want to be skeptical of all requests. The phone, the same way. You don’t know who you’re talking to.”
Roland said people should also be weary of anyone walking up and asking for money for a specific cause. All legitimate groups should have some kind of tax ID number or other form of identification when soliciting businesses.
“Even Girl Scouts walking up to the door, they need to wear identification,” Roland said.
Beasley said the McKinney North Gridiron Booster Club brings last year’s programs when trying to sell ads for the new football season. The ads are usually sold from April through July.
“Anyone comes through with a program ad right now, they’re smoking through the rope,” Beasley said.
Though Bean was able to stop the check in time, the former McKinney ISD student said she is angry with the company for taking advantage of the restaurant.
“I thought it was going to be a really good deal,” she said.
Contact staff writer Stefanie White at swhite@acnpapers.com. To post comments online, access this story at www.scntx.com.
Officials of the McKinney North Gridiron Booster Club identified the Texas Roadhouse restaurant and the Marble Slab Creamery ice cream parlor as two of the businesses affected by the rogue sales effort. In fact, the company selling the T-shirt space promised Texas Roadhouse management that the Bulldogs would eat their night-before-game meal there.
The booster club is the only organization authorized to use the McKinney North athletic symbols for commercial purposes, which in the club’s case means fund-raising. And the boosters do not sell advertising on T-shirts, except for the 7-on-7 summer football program.
“No. 1 fund-raiser for us is the program; it’s an all-sports program for the year,” said Richard Beasley, McKinney North Gridiron Booster Club president. “Most of our funds are sold through the sale of program ads.”
It was discovered last week that a company has been soliciting local businesses to put their logo on the back of a McKinney North High School football T-shirt. The company is not affiliated with the McKinney North athletic department.
Beasley said McKinney North head football coach Shawn Pratt called him a few days before the first football game to inform about the incidents.
“Texas Roadhouse called Coach Pratt and said, ‘Hey, when are we going to get our T-shirts?’” Beasley said.
Megan Bean, Texas Roadhouse marketing coordinator, said it was about a month ago when a company called FanFare contacted the restaurant and claimed to be a sponsor finder for the McKinney North football team.
“They told me they’d [football team] have dinners with us at Texas Roadhouse on Thursday nights, that the coach would get in contact with us,” Bean said. “Then, they said if we paid $500, we’d be the team’s sponsor. We did all that.”
Beasley said the Bulldogs do not eat in restaurants the night before a football game.
“Our tradition is we have team dinners at people’s houses,” Beasley said.
Bean said she eventually contacted Pratt just as she was about to send the check, and he informed her that the team was not affiliated with this company.
“He called me back right away,” Bean said. “At that point, I canceled the check.”
Marble Slab Creamery in McKinney also was contacted by a pseudo-company, Beasley said.
Rachael McDermott, Marble Slab Creamery owner, said she doesn’t know if the company who contacted her, ASG, is the same company that contacted Texas Roadhouse.
“We don’t know if the people who did our shirts are phony,” McDermott said. “I supposedly bought two dozen shirts, and it cost me $500. They’re going to be given away at the game [Friday night].”
McDermott did receive two T-shirts from the company exactly when she was supposed to receive them.
“My logo is on the back of the T-shirt,” McDermott said.
If the company does not hand out the T-shirts at the game, McDermott said she will pursue legal action.
McKinney police Capt. Randy Roland said businesses and people should take caution when approached by fund-raising groups.
“It really depends on how they’re approached,” Roland said. “If it’s through the Internet, you want to be skeptical of all requests. The phone, the same way. You don’t know who you’re talking to.”
Roland said people should also be weary of anyone walking up and asking for money for a specific cause. All legitimate groups should have some kind of tax ID number or other form of identification when soliciting businesses.
“Even Girl Scouts walking up to the door, they need to wear identification,” Roland said.
Beasley said the McKinney North Gridiron Booster Club brings last year’s programs when trying to sell ads for the new football season. The ads are usually sold from April through July.
“Anyone comes through with a program ad right now, they’re smoking through the rope,” Beasley said.
Though Bean was able to stop the check in time, the former McKinney ISD student said she is angry with the company for taking advantage of the restaurant.
“I thought it was going to be a really good deal,” she said.
Contact staff writer Stefanie White at swhite@acnpapers.com. To post comments online, access this story at www.scntx.com.
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