One notable change from Netflix documentary Last Chance U‘s first two seasons focusing on perennial powerhouse junior college program Eastern Mississippi Community College to its third focusing on less-prominent Independence Community College was how the Independence team often had to deal with last-minute issues around food, travel, uniforms and more. With their team not yet as well-established as a consistent winner, the Pirates have had to scrape by a bit more. But they’re looking to capitalize on some of the attention they received from Last Chance U, creating a GoFundMe with the goal of raising $250,000 for a new full-size practice field and heavily mentioning their Last Chance U connections in the campaign. That campaign’s raised only $1,380 from 11 people since it was launched on June 19, but it may get a boost from Pirates’ head coach Jason Brown (seen above, and heavily featured in the third season) sharing the link on Twitter Wednesday:
— Coach Jason Brown (@TheRealCoach_JB) August 1, 2018
Here’s how the campaign describes itself:
We’re the smallest community college in Kansas, yet we’re the Jayhawk Conference Football Champions, the Midwest Classic Bowl Champions, and the team featured on Season 3 of Netflix’s Last Chance U! We have no full-sized practice field – help us keep the Pirate Revolution going by supporting us today! Any amount helps – $5, $10, or $100 – all going to help our student-athletes. Be a part of Season 4 – all donors names will be permanently displayed at the entry to the field!
The “Be a part of Season 4” is particularly interesting. Netflix hasn’t officially announced a fourth season yet, but the filmmakers told the Wichita Eagle Friday they’re planning to do another season focused on the Pirates, and they were already shooting some material this past week. And Brown has some notable quotes in that piece about what being on the show has meant for him:
Brown said he has yet to see every episode, but he’s certainly felt the impact. The day after the show was released, Brown said he received 4,000 e-mails. He’s already been approached by numerous book publishers and reality television shows. He had to delete Twitter on his phone because it was getting so bogged down from all of the notifications.
“It’s crazy, I didn’t think it was this big,” Brown said. “On the way here, we stopped at two stores and people wanted autographs and pictures. I’m just like, ‘Wow, I’m not a rock star. I’m just a coach.’ This is just me being me.
“I do want to thank the ladies out there because they’re blowing me up too. I guess I said I was single on the show. That’s been interesting to say the least.”
Will all that attention lead to Independence getting enough money for a practice field? Maybe, maybe not. But it’s certainly notable to see the school embrace its time in the spotlight this way. And they might as well try and capitalize on it while they have the chance.
[GoFundMe]
