Hilarious Sports Stuff People Have Tried to Crowdfund

Cleveland Cavaliers fans are probably regretting that whole Kevin Love GoFundMe page, huh? 

Love grabbed 14 rebounds in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. So it would seem attempting (however cheekily) to incentivize him to sit out any games for money was obviously ill-advised. It was still funny though. 

It wasn't the first time sports fans have attempted to use crowdfunding to their advantage with hilarious results. Serious or not, the following campaigns were definitely humorous—some a little, some a lot.

It should be noted, crowdfunding is a useful way to raise money for everything from a new business idea to a charitable cause. This collection of sports humor is not intended to cheapen the legitimacy of such campaigns, but instead merely point out a few clever and/or ridiculous sports fans out there. 

In addition, a few of the following campaigns ended up donating funds raised to charity. Humor and philanthropy together? Sounds like a win.  

Patriots' Deflategate Fine

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Whether the New England Patriots deserved a fine for Deflategate is up for debate. Whether the team could afford the $1 million fine imposed by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell? Seems likely.

It certainly doesn't seem like a team valued at $3.2 billion by Forbes in 2015 would need a GoFundMe page to help cover its financial penalty. But it got one. 

For Pats fans, the crowdfunding attempt was really more about principle. According to Bernie Augustine of the New York Daily News, fan Michael J. Whitman wrote on the page: "We obviously know we won't reach $1 million, however we do believe the fine is bulls--t and want to help anyway we can. So whatever is donated will be donated to the New England Patriots [to] help with the fine!"

He added: "As we venture with this, we will do frequent updates to show progression of this! If enough is made to make the travel, we will fly down there (on our own expenses) and deliver a check in person!" 

How generous.

Pro-49ers Billboard in Seattle

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Crowdfunding as a means to troll a rival is funny stuff. In the case of the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers, the story became heartwarming as well as humorous.   

In 2013, a group of Seattle Seahawks fans paid for a "Go Hawks" banner to fly over the old Candlestick Park in San Francisco during a game between the two teams.   

In retaliation, 49ers fans launched a campaign to raise $7,000 for a pro-San Francisco billboard in Seattle.  

The group raised a lot more than $7,000 and ended up donating the remainder to Seattle Children's Hospital.

For its part, Seattle set up a fund for UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital. All told, tens of thousands of dollars were raised.

Lionel Messi's Salary

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This one is one part comedy, two parts intrigue.

In November, rumors swirled that Barcelona forward Lionel Messi might be willing to leave Camp Nou and join Arsenal in the event Arsenal could pay an additional £600,000 (about $900,000) a week over what Barca offered.

Jack Moore of GQ (NSFW language) relayed the rumors and reported on an interesting campaign launched by one savvy Arsenal fan.

Said fan, @matt_clarky, tweeted, "I'm pretty sure I could find another 599,999 other #Arsenal fans willing to set up a £1/week direct debit. #messi #afc #justdoit #thedream."

So, it's actually not a terrible idea. Would Washington Wizards fans give up a buck a week to have Kevin Durant sign with the team? Maybe.

A Hitter for the Mets

In July, the New York Mets were in need of some offensive assistance. At the time, Mike Axisa of CBS Sports said the team had "one of the worst offenses in baseball."

One fan, Etan Bednarsh, started a GoFundMe campaign—and even made a handy video—in an attempt to raise $3 million for the Mets to spend on hitting. Etan wrote, "Their owners lost all their money in a Ponzi scheme and reports now say the Mets won't pay $2 million to $3 million to acquire a hitter before the trade deadline."

Bednarsh's effort only attracted $12,001 in pledges (not bad), but the Mets still got outfielder Yoenis Cespedes—who hit .293 in the season's first half with the Detroit Tigers—ahead of the trade deadline. 

The team ended up winning 90 games and the National League East.

Tom Crean's Buyout

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The Indiana men's basketball team won the 2015-16 regular-season Big Ten championship and made it to the Sweet 16, but that was after fans tried to crowdfund a buyout for coach Tom Crean's contract. 

A campaign was launched on fundrazr.com to attempt to raise the $4 million needed to buy Crean out in 2016. Over $1,200 has been pledged, and it's still going.  

The concept is humorous, of course, but the page itself seems at least semi-serious (which, in a way, makes the whole thing even funnier).

One line reads, "Yes, he pulled our program up out of the ashes, and for that we are forever grateful. But after seven years it is clear he will not and cannot get Indiana basketball back to the elite level to which it belongs."

That's one way to express frustration.

Josh Smith's Family

Carlos Osorio/Associated Press

No, Josh Smith's family isn't hilarious. Just wait. 

In July, the NBA forward signed a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Clippers that—in addition to the $5.4 million he would receive from the Detroit Pistons—would bring his 2015-16 total salary to $6.9 million.   

Per David Whitley of the Orlando Sentinel, Smith said: "At the end of the day, you know, I do have a family. So it is going to be a little harder on me this year. But I'm going to push through it, you know."

Cue the internet mockery. 

In one brilliant stroke of hilarity, someone started a GoFundMe campaign to help support Smith's family. According to David Astramskas of Ballislife.com, the site shut it down fairly quickly, but the comedic value endured.  

Kevin Love Sitting Game 6

Eric Risberg/Associated Press

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love scored a total of 35 points in the first four games he played of the NBA Finals. He missed Game 3 entirely due to a concussion, and his Cavs walloped the Golden State Warriors, 120-90. 

Love's lack of effectiveness—and perhaps even the belief that his team was better off without him—prompted someone on the internet to start this GoFundMe page (NSFW comments). The goal? To raise $10 million to incentivize Love not to play in Game 6. 

Part of the pleading read: "Kevin Love is playing like a bum and just taking up room on the court. Pay this man to take a seat and let the Cavs win these Finals!!"

The ridiculous campaign raised only $75, and (spoiler!) Love played anyway. Dig the creativity, though.

'Carson Palmer Thrust Fund'

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All right, this one involves some adolescent humor, but that doesn't make it unfunny.

In November, Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer was fined $11,576 for a celebratory gesture involving what can only be described as a pelvic thrust.

Fans immediately raced to his assistance, donating to a GoFundMe page (NSFW comments) titled the "Carson Palmer Thrust Fund," set up by an Arizona radio station.

Over $2,000 was raised, but according to the page funds were set to be donated to charity if they totaled less than the fine. Also, players must pay their own fines, but you know, A for effort. 

Adam LaRoche's Salary

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Former Chicago White Sox first baseman Adam LaRoche brought his teenage son Drake to the ballpark quite a bit, apparently. In March, club president Ken Williams asked LaRoche to "dial it back," according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.  

Instead, LaRoche retired, leaving one year and $13 million on his contract.

A sarcastic GoFundMe page (NSFW comments) was set up to support LaRoche's family in the wake of his sudden loss of income.

Not only is the page funny in concept, but the execution was clever as well. It was set up by "Chris Sale" (the name of a White Sox pitcher who was particularly upset on LaRoche's behalf).

In addition, comments include such gems as this from "Steve Bartman": "Don't sweat getting kicked out of the clubhouse kid. To make you feel better I'd like to extend an invitation to come up to Wrigley and catch some foul balls with me anytime!"

The Pittsburgh Penguins

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Now this is priceless.

In September, Chris Peters of CBS Sports relayed reports that Pittsburgh Penguins co-owners Mario Lemieux and Ron Burkle were looking to sell the team for a cool $750 million.

One fan of the rival Philadelphia Flyers took that as his cue to drum up some funds for a bid. 

Jeromy Spencer's GoFundMe page (NSFW comments) reads, in part, "We figure since the Flyers already figuratively own the Penguins, their fans might as well literally own them."

Also: 

"

Please help us purchase the worst franchise in the NHL so we can try to make it better by doing things like:

- Painting the entire inside of the arena Orange and Black

- Putting a giant photo of Claude Giroux on the outside of the building, facing the highway

- Repainting the parking lots stripes orange, with a Flyers logo in each spot

- Using colored thread to impose a beach ball in the net behind Fleury

- Make a wall of fame in the concourse with photos of our top donators

"

Spencer donated the $2,000-plus raised to charity. Good stuff.