GameAbove is a brand rooted in philanthropy, dedicated to inspiring greatness through sports, entertainment, and youth academies. Initially supported by a devoted group of alumni, focused on supporting Eastern Michigan University and its community through GameAbove Giving. Backed by our parent company, CapStone Holdings Inc., our ownership and for-profit ventures, GameAbove Sports and GameAbove Entertainment, continue to drive impact and innovation across the industries we serve.
Press ReleaseJanuary 13, 2025
GameAbove Sports Donates $20,000 to First Tee of Greater Detroit
Donation will support a variety of First Tee initiatives impacting youth in Metro Detroit
Detroit, MI (January 13, 2025) – FORE! Or should we say twenty thousand! That is GameAbove Sports's financial commitment to First Tee of Greater Detroit. This was made possible through a golf challenge event at the GameAbove Sports Bowl at Ford Field in Detroit, MI, on December 26th. The donation was raised as Kyle Rodes, a GameAbove Sports-sponsored golfer, completed four out of five challenge golf shots during a break at the bowl game.
GameAbove Sports is committed to providing opportunities for Detroit youth and athletes to excel on and off the course. "We are thrilled to support such an impactful organization like First Tee of Greater Detroit," said Chao Sun, Vice President of Investments and President of GameAbove Giving. "As part of our commitment to fostering youth development and wellness through sports, this donation represents just one of many ways we strive to positively impact our community. We are excited to see the opportunities this will provide for Metro Detroit youth and look forward to continuing our partnership with First Tee."
Carl Bentley, CEO of First Tee of Greater Detroit, expressed his gratitude, saying, “First Tee Greater Detroit would like to express its sincere gratitude for the partnership with GameAbove Sports. Their generous donation will provide increased opportunities for youth in the Detroit metropolitan area to learn the game of golf while gaining valuable life lessons. We’re excited to continue building a stronger future for our young golfers with this support.”
GameAbove Sports, an advocate for sports and wellness, has continued to strengthen its local and national ties to golf. In addition to supporting the First Tee, the organization has been associated with various initiatives that foster the growth of amateur, collegiate, and professional golf and mental and physical health.
In 2024, GameAbove opened the GameAbove Golf Performance Center at Eagle Crest Golf Club, one of the top 10 college golf courses according to the Golf Pass Golfers' Choice 2024. GameAbove also committed an additional $6.5 million to Eastern Michigan University’s Men’s and Women’s Golf Programs, bringing the total financial support to $17.5 million over three years to help restore championship golf at EMU. Four EMU golfers were also named GameAbove Sports brand ambassadors.
Beyond college sports, GameAbove proudly supported the 2024 Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit and the Corby Classic in Toronto. Additionally, it invested significantly in Sports Travel Group to grow its Golf Traveller operations across North America.
GameAbove Sports sponsors six professional golfers, including Josh Anderson, Michael Blair, Beau Breault, Cam Kellett, Kyle Rodes, and Brett White.
Through these actions, GameAbove strengthens its presence in the golf community and is dedicated to offering opportunities for youth, amateur, and professional golfers to succeed both on and off the course.
For the latest news and updates on GameAbove Sports investments and partnerships, visit GameAboveSports.com.
About
First Tee
First Tee is a youth development organization that enables kids to build the strength of character that empowers them through a lifetime of new challenges. By seamlessly integrating the game of golf with a life skills curriculum, we create active learning experiences that build inner strength, self-confidence, and resilience that kids can carry to everything they do. We’re Building Game Changers through our junior golf programs.
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