The Syracuse University Sport Management Club hosted its fifth annual Charity Sports Auction Saturday in the Carrier Dome with a record amount of attendees,.

The Sport Management Club held the auction in conjunction with the men’s basketball game against Maine University, said Joey Persoff, club president and a senior sport management major.

The auction benefited the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central New York. The majority of the money earned at the auction will go toward building a new house for the organization. The club won’t know how much was raised at the auction until all the final prices are tallied.

‘In this economic climate, we appreciate that we were part of it,’ said Jennifer Sarcani, development director of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central New York. ‘It’s really students helping kids, and we appreciate that. We got to work with a really awesome group. We’re just excited to be involved in an event like this.’

The money will go toward helping underprivileged children in the Central New York region. Past auctions have raised an average of $20,000 for the Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital in Syracuse, the American Diabetes Association and the Boys & Girls Club of Syracuse.

The backcourt of the Carrier Dome was already packed at 6 p.m., an hour before game time. Bidding began at 5 p.m. and finished at the end of halftime, with most of the items successfully auctioned off.

This year’s auction did not include a keynote speaker like previous auctions, which have featured Jim Abbott, Donovan McNabb, Bill Walton and David Falk. Instead, there will be a dinner hosted by the Sport Management Club in the spring featuring a speaker.

This year, a speaker was not necessary to bring in people to the auction because of the basketball game Saturday, Persoff said.

Some of the items sold included a Donovan McNabb signed photograph, a Hank Aaron rookie card and a framed Derek Jeter photograph. Autographed Paul Pierce and Gilbert Arenas jerseys were among the higher priced items that sold.

Among the Syracuse items that sold were game worn football jerseys and a signed Jim Boeheim poster commemorating his 800 wins. Framed posters of Carmelo Anthony, Gerry McNamara and the Carrier Dome were also sold. There was also a Syracuse bowling ball up for bid.

At the end of the game, very few items remained.

‘It went better than it ever has,’ said Kate Futrell, the 2010 auction chair and manager of the career center and event planning for the sport management department.

Many non-sports items were auctioned off, as well. Jewelry, electronics, gift certificates and a Vera Wang mattress were all bid on. Some of the more unique items included mustard bottles, sausages and a tropical drink party mix.

‘We sold items we’ve never sold before,’ said Persoff, head of the Sport Management Club.

rnmarcus@syr.edu

Published on December 6, 2009 at 12:00 pm

Contact Rachel: rnmarcus@syr.edu