Rapid City jersey auction article... Options

[puck]

The bids climbed higher and higher.

$1,000.

$1,100.

$1,200.

And on and on until only two buyers were left, the murmurs of the gathered crowd growing louder by the bid.

$3,300.

$3,400.

$3,500.

The crowd erupted into cheers.

Kevin O’Brien of Rapid City stood victorious, the proud new owner of the St. Patrick’s Day jersey worn by Rapid City Rush forward Shawn Limpright.

“I’m a Rush fan,” O’Brien said after the March 17 auction. “I grew up in New York. When I moved here in 1994, there was nothing. To see them come here, it’s a great thing for the community.”

Since professional hockey came to Rapid City nearly four years ago, Rush fans have shelled out hundreds of thousands of dollars in post-game auctions for specialty jerseys worn by players during games.

The money raised from the auctions is split 50-50, with half going to the team that is earmarked to defray the cost of travel around the far-flung Central Hockey League.

The rest goes to the Rapid City Rush Foundation, a non-profit organization whose roots go back to the team’s first season in 2008.

In four seasons of hockey, the foundation has donated nearly $358,000, all with the goal of finding causes that benefit the entire community, board president Jodi Anderson said.

Now, the charitable arm of the Rush is trying to raise its profile in the community even more, starting with its largest one-time donation to date — $71,743 to the Light the Night project to install solar lights along the city’s bike path.

“The community has been so good in supporting the team,” Anderson said. “We wanted to have a way to give back to the community.”

Big totals

$5,800.

That’s the record for a single Rush jersey at auction to date, Anderson said. The buyers were a couple from Colorado. The prize: a sweater worn by Colt King, a fan favorite who now plays in Europe.


Read more: http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/rush-fans...l#ixzz1q9omHayj

[mapanggulo]

Damn...the lowest bid was on Collin Circelli's jersey @ $1,000

There must be a hell of a lot of disposable income up there. Here in ICT, you can get a jersey at an auction for $75, even though the minimum bid was $100.

[bigtalker]

wow that is crazy 3,500 for a jersey! Most of our jersey's go for what 250 or 300 usually.

Do the Thunder split the money raised 50/50 as well or where does the money go?

[mapanggulo]

wow that is crazy 3,500 for a jersey! Most of our jersey's go for what 250 or 300 usually.

Yep unless its RG Flath...then they go for between $700-1000....at least for the last two auctions. lol

[shaffer88]

Yep unless its RG Flath...then they go for between $700-1000....at least for the last two auctions. lol

Thats only bc we ran it up both times bc that lady kept saying ill go 9000 out she would have got them for around 500.

[mapanggulo]

Thats only bc we ran it up both times bc that lady kept saying ill go 9000 out she would have got them for around 500.

LoL...yeah that's what I heard. Might pay for her to keep her mouth shut next time huh?

[tornadowarning33]

Damn...the lowest bid was on Collin Circelli's jersey @ $1,000

There must be a hell of a lot of disposable income up there. Here in ICT, you can get a jersey at an auction for $75, even though the minimum bid was $100.

Yeah. Might as well let that Chris Tarkir jersey collect dust in someone's closet.