Stingrays, Airport Donate $3,000 to Local Non-Profit
The donation follows a successful auction of game-worn jerseys, offering a model for repurposing inventory for local charity.
Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in Philanthropy
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The South Carolina Stingrays and Charleston International Airport have donated $3,000 to support Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Lowcountry. The funds were raised through an auction of game-worn jerseys from the 2025-26 season.
Why it matters
Local sports teams and corporate partners often leverage fan engagement to drive charitable outcomes, providing operators with a model for converting specialized inventory into community support.
The partnership resulted in a $3,000 donation to Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Lowcountry, derived from proceeds of an auction featuring game-worn jerseys. This marks a specific community investment following the 2025-26 hockey season.
The players
South Carolina Stingrays
A professional hockey team that competes in the ECHL and maintains a regional fan base in the Lowcountry.
Charleston International Airport
A major transportation hub serving the South Carolina Lowcountry that engages in regional corporate sponsorship.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Lowcountry
A non-profit organization focused on mentoring children starting at age seven.
The details
The funds were sourced from the sale of autographed, game-worn white jerseys utilized by the South Carolina Stingrays throughout their 2025-26 season. By auctioning team-specific equipment, the organization converted dormant physical assets into liquid capital for the mentoring non-profit.
Timeline
The jerseys were worn during the 2025-26 hockey season.
The donation check was presented on October 15, 2026.
Market Landscape
This initiative follows the standard industry pattern of corporate-led charitable giving derived from auction proceeds. It aligns with broader trends in sports marketing where professional teams utilize equipment auctions to fulfill charitable objectives under IRS guidelines for asset disposal.
Operators looking to deepen community ties should evaluate whether underutilized physical inventory can be repurposed through auctions to support local non-profits. The key is ensuring that the valuation and donation process meets current transparency standards for corporate tax reporting.
The takeaway
Using sports memorabilia as a vehicle for charity can drive localized brand visibility and community support. Businesses should track the return on engagement for similar charity-led auctions to determine if these initiatives effectively align with their long-term CSR goals.
Further reading
For more on how local firms engage in charitable giving, see Philanthropy.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WCBD 2 - Charleston.
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