Salem State University says no public funds were used to pay for Tom Brady’s $170,000 fee for a speech at the school last month according to the AP.
I would assume some public outcry led to the university disclosing how much they paid for the exclusive to the quarterback’s first public appearance after the NFL concluded he was guilty of something in the deflategate drama.
A spokeswoman for the university north of Boston says the speech, scheduled well before the deflated footballs controversy, was paid for by the nonprofit Salem State University Foundation through ticket sales and corporate sponsorships. A largely supportive crowd of 4,000 people attended, some paying about $100 for a ticket. Students paid $15.
The foundation has been bringing distinguished speakers to campus for more than 30 years.
The NFL fined the team $1 million, and Brady was suspended for four games.