How Much Money Texas Spent During Arch Manning’s Recruitment Visit is Unbelievable
Football reigns supreme in Texas. Here in the Lone Star State Friday nights are revered and our young men in football pads exalted to legends in their hometowns. In fact as of last year, Texas is only second to Florida (by two players) as the state with the most players in the NFL.
But we're also not afraid to recruit, and when your last name is Manning there's no price tag too big on landing you.
The Texas Longhorns obviously wanted Arch, the nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning will be the biggest recruit for UT since Vince Young, and the school called out all the stops to land the No. 1 overall recruit.
During his official recruitment visit back in June, UT Austin spent close to $280,000, according to The Athletic, "which obtained receipts and expense invoices with open records requests. Texas rolled out the red carpet for Manning and eight other recruits that included airfare, 5-star hotels, food, desserts, entertainment and an open bar for parents."
And while that is a hefty price tag, it wasn't just spent just on Manning. According to MSN, the university is allowed to "provide lodging, meals and entertainment for up to four family members per recruit. Nine recruits multiplied by four family members each equals 36 guests to host. That's before including school coaches and staff as well. The tab will run up quickly for any school with that many guests."
Here is The Athletics' breakdown:
$21,000 on travel for the recruits and their families that included airfare for those out of state.
$46,696 on 34 hotel rooms at the Four Seasons Austin.
$17,319.71 on a lunch buffet on Friday.
$1,813.74 on custom cakes and other snacks in each recruit's hotel room.
$3,359.12 on speaker rentals for photo shoots at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium and the Moncrief-Neuhaus Athletic Center.
$29,129.40 on a dinner buffet at DKR that included flatware rental, drinks and an an ice sculpture.
$11,880 on an open bar for the recruits' parents.
Another hotel buffet at 2 a.m.
$10,226 on a breakfast buffet on Saturday.
$9,497.72 on a trip to Top Golf for 75 total guests that included food and drinks.
$36,900 on dinner at III Forks Steakhouse that included 46 7-ounce lobsters, 34 bone-in ribeyes, 26 8-ounce filets, 17 New York strips, sea bass, chicken fried lobster, lobster mac and cheese, and more.
$2,357.50 for an hour-long boat cruise on Lady Bird Lake that included dessert from Amy’s Ice Cream.
$31,628.75 bar tab for the parents at the W Austin hotel.