Forty-four years after his last season playing football at Bates, when his team’s major accolade was taking home the CBB Championship Trophy, Jeff Price ’87 is headed back to the field, and this time, he’s bringing the Heisman Trophy with him. In his role as the first CEO of the Heisman Trophy Trust he will travel with the iconic trophy for Back to Bates this weekend in what he calls a “full circle” moment. The Heisman Trophy will be on display in the Bobcat Fan Zone on Bardwell Field Saturday, 4:30-6:30 p.m., prior to the 7 p.m. kick-off against Tufts.
Price has spent 35 years as a leader in the sports industry, most recently having served as chief commercial and philanthropy officer for the Professional Golfers’ Association. His work with the PGA paved his path toward the Heisman Trophy Trust who named him CEO in 2025 to support the organization’s evolving focus on philanthropy.
The Heisman Trophy was originally a “prestige asset” of the Downtown Athletic Club in New York City, which began awarding it in 1935, Price said. The Heisman Trophy, given to a college football player to celebrate excellence on the field, grew in fame over the 20th century as an iconic award. In 2001, when the club went bankrupt, a group of members of the Downtown Athletic Club created the Heisman Trophy Trust to protect the legacy of the asset. This allowed a revisioning of the Heisman, a shift Price calls a “move from protectionism to one of purpose, growth, and development.”
Rebuilding as a 501(c)(3) private foundation, the Heisman Trophy Trust has given $30 million in grants over the last decade in support of youth sports development programs. Price’s experience in philanthropy aligns well with the new focus of the Heisman Trophy Trust.
“What we’re attempting to do is take that representation of excellence, combine it with empowerment to really enable the next generation to become leaders,” Price said. “You may not win the Heisman Trophy, but the idea of excellence and empowerment creating an enduring impact is something that we think can be a net positive good for society.”
The idea of bringing the trophy to Bates came out of a conversation that Price had with Director of Athletics Stacey Bunting. Seeing the response to the Heisman as he has traveled with the trophy this year, they began discussing a visit to Bates.
“Having the Heisman Trophy at Bates is a really special opportunity for our campus and community,” Bunting said. “I’m so appreciative of his enthusiasm and his willingness to help make something like this possible. He is a tremendous supporter of Bates and Bates Athletics, and I think this is a great way to bring people together and create a memorable experience here on campus as part of an already special weekend.”
The Heisman trophy will be the center of the Bobcat Fan Zone activities, which include inflatables, face painting, music, and a food truck. Visitors can interact with Bates athletes, grab a bite to eat, and take a picture with the Heisman Trophy.
As Price prepared to travel back to Bates with the Heisman this weekend, he reflected on the ways that Bates helped him along his path. Football was a key part of it, even though Price spent some time in a cast and on the bench after blowing out his knee as a junior year. “I think both my time on the field, off the field, and in the classroom and the overall liberal arts experience at Bates really did help to shape my trajectory and has certainly given me the opportunity to have this wonderful privilege of being the first CEO for Heisman.”
