The Auburn/Alabama rivalry has meant many things to many people over the years, from bar fights to massive advertising campaigns to multicolored Jell-O in elementary school cafeterias across the Southeast.
However, the schools' bickering may soon lead to more worthy causes than bragging rights, namely money for scholarship funds and several charities.
Bands4life.com is an organization dedicated to serving charities through the sale of promotional wristbands.
The percentage of donation depends upon the cause that the bands endorse.
Over the coming months, the site will sponsor its "Rivalry Kickoff Challenge," which pits the Tigers and Tide, the Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma Sooners, the Ohio State Buckeyes and Michigan Wolverines and the Florida Gators and Georgia Bulldogs against one another in sales of wristbands.
"Bands 4 life is focused on supporting 4 (hence the "4" in our name) types of charities: helping children, fighting cancer, helping animals and helping veterans," said the official Web site. "Standings are updated weekly on Sunday. Whichever team is winning each matchup will have the leader arrow pointed towards their side of the page for the week, while their respective fight song will play on the page. Tired of hearing the other team's fight song? Support yours!"
The winner of each rivalry receives $1 for each band sold that supports that school, while the loser receives 50 cents per band sold in its color.
What's more, the rivalry that sells the most bands will double its earnings when the contest ends on Dec. 30. Winners will be announced on Jan. 1, 2010.
"This is a great cause, both for Auburn to endorse and the Web site to create," said Ashley Keiffer, a sophomore in elementary education. "If the students get behind it and spread the word we can raise some serious money for the charities and for underprivileged students who need help with scholarships."
Bracelets are bought in packages of two, each costing $6 and each in one of two of the school's colors.
Each wristband has a slogan corresponding to its school, such as "War Eagle," "Chomp Chomp" and "Boomer Sooner" on one band, with "bands4life.org" on the other."
Meredith Bennett, a sophomore in communication disorders, believes using Bands 4 Life is always a mutually beneficial situation.
"When people order these bracelets their team colors are on them, and that spreads spirit and support for their teams," Bennett said. "[The bracelets] also have the Bands 4 Life name on them, which means something more. Where some people could use a cheap Web site to make rubber bracelets for around 50 cents, this helps so many people. It helps the school, it helps the team and it helps the charities."
For more information, or to order a team package, visit bands4life.org.
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