ESPN and its personalities regularly do a lot to promote The V Foundation and its mission of raising money for cancer research, but it’s particularly cool to see what college basketball analyst Dick Vitale (who signed an extension with the network through 2021 last year) is doing with his new book. Vitale promised to donate his entire percentage of the proceeds from his “Mount Rushmores of College Basketball” book to The V Foundation, and he put out a video Thursday talking about sending them a check for $24,600, what he’s made from the book so far:
Sent a check today from my profits of my new book Dick Vitale’s Mount Rushmores of College Basketball to @TheVFoundation for $24,650 all to benefit kids battling cancer / HELP US get more / order autographed copy @ https://t.co/6H89eJtBpk @raycoletv @jksports @Mike_Shiffman pic.twitter.com/TOHZwRPkl8
— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) January 10, 2019
“I’m really so proud and I want to thank all of you. Unbelievably, because of you, we sent today a check to the V Foundation based on my book. Remember what I told you about where the profits are going? Well, from early sales, and we hope to get a lot more, but right now, I just sent them a check for $24,600. That’s profit from the book that I would make that’s going to the V Foundation for kids battling cancer. Thank you, thank you, thank you, love all you people, man. And remember, you can get my book at dickvitaleonline.com, and every dollar I make is going directly to the V Foundation. You’re awesome, baby, with a capital A!”
The book is currently sold out through Vitale’s store, but pre-orders for the second printing (set to get to them around January 27 and be shipped after that) are available, and Vitale will autograph copies sold there. It’s neat to see him not only donating his proceeds from this book, but also taking the time to promote it and the V Foundation to his fans. And this has had a significant impact so far, and one that’s only going to grow once that second printing comes out.
About Andrew Bucholtz
Andrew Bucholtz has been covering sports media for Awful Announcing since 2012. He is also a staff writer for The Comeback. His previous work includes time at Yahoo! Sports Canada and Black Press.