P.J. Fleck Reaches Agreement with Western Michigan on ‘Row the Boat’ Slogan
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Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck and his former school, Western Michigan, have reached an agreement that will allow the head coach to use the “Row the Boat” slogan, according to Cory Olsen of MLive.com.
The coach has continued to use the phrase at his new school, per Olsen, despite the fact that Western Michigan previously owned its rights. But Western Michigan athletic director Kathy Beauregard announced on Wednesday that Harlan Sports, founded by Fleck’s agent, Bryan Harlan, now owns the slogan:
We really wanted to come out with a win-win regarding the Row the Boat mantra. That has been completed. There are no restrictions on us still being able to use it, so when we talk about using it in conjunction with our historical season, bringing the community together, the rally cry behind it, the story behind it is always going to be there. And we definitely will celebrate it as we celebrate what we’ve gone through during coach Fleck’s tenure.
The price? Fleck will donate $10,000 a year over the next five years for “football scholarship allocations,” along with honoring a former pledge…