High School Blows Whistle on Phony Sponsorships

A high school in North Carolina is receiving some unexpected and unwanted attention from a company in Texas.

Hough High in Cornelius, N.C., is alerting local businesses that a company called Boost Sport, operating out of Texas, is calling businesses in the town of Lake Norman, where Hough is located, and asking if they want to buy things like Hough High t-shirts, banners and sponsorships.

Hough High Athletic Club President Richard Colven said Boost claims it is working with Hough High but that isn’t the case. “They are taking advantage of that because people want to help out,” Colven said. “People want to get their names involved with local schools and people want to help the students.”

According to a report from wsoctv.com, Boost Sports isn’t even using the correct husky mascot on the printed items it’s selling.

Boost Sports gets an “F” rating from the Better Business Bureau for a similar complaint from Spain Park High School in Hoover, Ala. According to that review, Boost Sports sold a promotion to a local insurance agency without school permission, telling the insurance agency that the money would go to t-shirts and donations for the school.

Colven is warning local businesses to check with athletic directors before buying anything from any company suggesting they are working in partnership with Hough High School.