FROM THE FOUNDER, MICHAEL JACKSON

Football history is American history. For more than 10 years, I've interviewed over 150 former pro and college football players and coaches from the 1930s through the 1980s. Their stories and recollections contribute to the way American football came to be.

Each player and coach has a life story outside of football. Many overcame tremendous adversity in their younger years. Some experienced segregation, others survived an illness that provided little – if any – hope for an athletic career.

Honoring the contributions and experiences of these players and coaches preserves history and connects fans. Some of the players have passed away, but their stories are preserved in audio, video, books, and articles.

FUNDING NEEDS

To date, the breadth of work has been self-funded, with the exception of two small research grants from Humanities Texas that totaled about $15,000.

Fundraising is my next big step. The primary focus is to keep the websites online. Without donations, the sites can only remain online for only two or three months – less than the rest of the football season.

The Game Before the Money main site averages over 1,000 page views per week, with well over 95% of those page views coming from the United States.

Fundraising efforts will also be put towards podcast production and the first phase of documentary film production. In addition to fundraising from donors, we'll raise money through corporate sponsorships and grants.

BOOKS, PODCAST, DOCUMENTARY

Much like Ken Burns' epic documentary series, Baseball or the way baseball has been documented, I've built a significant library for American football. My published and in production books, podcast, and film documentary include:

The Game Before the Money: Voices of the Men Who Built the NFL (published book by the University of Nebraska Press)

The Game Before the Money (ongoing podcast)

We Were the Oilers - The Luv Ya Blue Era (documentary aired on RootSports SW)

Red, White, and Columbia Blue: Chasing the Dream with the 1979 Houston Oilers (published book)

Their Game, Their Times - HBCU Football History (in research and production phase -documentary, book, podcast)

DONOR CREDITS

Donors can opt to see their name as contributors to one or both projects on the website and on the documentary's closing credits. They will also have the option to have their names recognized at the end of a podcast episode.

About the two projects:

The Game Before the Money - Ongoing podcast series reaching 99 episodes as of August 2024. The podcast features players, coaches, and executives recounting their memories of the game, culture, and more. A book containing 40 interviews was published by the University of Nebraska Press in 2014.
Their Game, Their Times - Future film documentary, podcast docu-series, and book focusing on the history of HBCU football. The research and players reveal incredible stories of personal triumphs and obstacles. The story of HBCU football is one that hasn't been well documented, despite the fact that many of the game’s greatest players such as Walter Payton and Jerry Rice played HBCU football. Currently, over 25 players have been interviewed, including several Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees. Their stories are preserved in audio recordings. A grant from Humanities Texas provided initial support for the research portion. The libraries at Prairie View A&M University and Texas Southern University have greatly helped through access to their historical archives. The Joyce Sports Research Collection at the University of Notre Dame has graciously contributed research materials.

Thank you for your contribution to this exciting and important work!

Michael

Game Before the Money Oral History Foundation

Preserving American football history through research and story.