Nearly the entire population of Madison, Wisconsin, stood in support of the Wisconsin Badgers before they left to take on the Miami Hurricanes in the Orange Bowl.
I stress that-nearly-the entire population did that, because one section of the UW campus most assuredly did not.
Just before the Badgers and Hurricanes clashed on Saturday, a campus group called the Student Coalition for Progress, released a statement ripping the Badgers for choosing to stay at the Trump National Doral, in Miami.
The statement read:
“It is absolutely disgusting that the very same people of color who contributed to lead their teams to a bowl game are being rewarded with a stay in accommodations owned by a man who is one of the biggest oppressors of people of color in this country.”
The group further argued that the school’s decision to seek accommodations at the Trump hotel, amounted to a “a massive violation of the emoluments clause.” As a result, the student organization asked the Orange Bowl and Wisconsin’s alumni association to provide a “detailed explanation” as to why that particular hotel was chosen.
The student group would have been well-advised to be careful what they wish for, because the reply they got made it clear that they had not done their homework.
Larry Wahl, Vice President of Communications for the Orange Bowl, told the Wisconsin State Journal, “We are in the fourth year of a multi-year agreement for Trump National Doral to host the team from the Big Ten/SEC/Notre Dame side of our game, or in the case of a semifinal, one of the two teams.”
Brian Mason, spokesman for the Wisconsin Athletics Department, said, “I have spent quite a bit of time around the players this week and have not heard it brought up as an issue.”
Tod Pritchard, director of media and public relations for the Wisconsin alumni association said, “[t]he vast majority of interested travelers voiced no concerns about the hotel selection,” he also noted that rooms “sold out within hours.”
According to the Washington Examiner, “A representative from the Student Coalition for Progress conceded the group wasn’t aware the contract had been established four years ago when it issued the press release, according to the Badger Herald.”
As for the football team, the Badgers beat the Hurricanes 34-24. Given that result, the players and alumni probably wouldn’t mind staying at the Trump Doral again.
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