The Drake Group emerged from a two-day meeting in 1999 that was called by Jon Ericson, a former professor and provost at Drake University. Ericson had invited a distinguished group of college faculty, authors, and activists to a twenty-four hour think tank on how to end the academic corruption in college sport. Included in the conference were members of faculty senates, journalists, athletic directors, and members of organizations such as the NCAA and the Knight Foundation Commission on College Sport.

Ericson’s goal was to produce “a ringing manifesto” for change and send it out to every faculty senate in the country for action. Allen Sack, a professor from the University of New Haven, made a motion that the participants at the Drake meeting create a national organization founded on the principles discussed and debated at the Drake conference.  The motion was passed unanimously. Ericson called the national activist organization The Drake Group. Sack and Ericson are co-founders of The Drake Group.

The archives of The Drake Group will reside at the University of South Carolina’s College Sports Research Institute (CSRI) and are being assembled under the direction of Andrew McGregor, Professor of History at Dallas College – Mountain View. Serving as Drake historian, Dr. McGregor is working with Allen Sack, Dave Ridpath and other current and former Drake members to collect the paper and electronic files of the co-founders, past leaders (committee chairs, members of the Board of Directors, officers), and others involved in any capacity. If former members have files they would like to donate, please forward them to Dr. McGregor at AndrewMcGregor@dcccd.edu. In the process of reviewing archival materials, Allen Sack, Co-founder and current Director Emeritus of The Drake Group, wrote a first person account of his 21 years of service with The Drake Group – read full article here

Corporate History

The Drake Group, Inc. was incorporated on 9/16/13 as a Connecticut Nonstock Corporation via a 9/6/13 certificate of incorporation (the “C/I)” which was filed with the Connecticut Secretary of State on 9/6/13. The governing statute for the corporation is the Connecticut Revised Nonstock Corporation Act (the “Act”) Connecticut General Statutes (“C.G.S.”). 33-1000.et seq. The Drake Group received its 501 (c) (4) tax-exempt status on 6/23/14. Simply put, no portion of any monies contributed by any person to a (c) (4) org, whether as membership dues, as a donation/contribution/gift, or otherwise, can be claimed as a tax deduction by said person. The 501 (c ) (4) status allows the Drake Group to engage in political lobbying and other advocacy behavior, but not to engage in campaigning on behalf of political candidates. 501 (c) 3 organizations are far more restricted when it comes to lobbying and advocacy.

Presidents of The Drake Group