College Sports Funding Just Got a New Playbook with Hoot it Forward

What Is Hoot It Forward?

Hoot It Forward is a technology buyback initiative from Phobio and Kennesaw State University Athletics (KSU Athletics) that converts the value of used devices into direct support for KSU student-athletes.

The goal is simple: turn $1 million in used technology value into funding for KSU Athletics.

For Phobio, the partnership is also close to home. We're headquartered in Kennesaw, Georgia, just outside Atlanta and right down the road from Kennesaw State University. When the opportunity arose to support our hometown university using the same technology recovery model we've built our business around, it was a natural fit.

Why Are College Athletic Programs Exploring New Funding Models?

The college sports funding landscape is changing.

Ticket sales, boosters, annual funds, alumni contributions, and traditional fundraising remain important. At the same time, NIL, revenue sharing, and rising operating costs are creating new financial demands for athletic departments.

That means universities are exploring additional ways to generate resources for their athletic programs and student-athletes.

Hoot It Forward introduces used technology as another potential source of value.

Instead of asking supporters to write another check, the program asks them to look in a drawer, storage room, or IT closet for technology they no longer use.

How Does Hoot It Forward Work?

Hoot It Forward uses Phobio's technology buyback process to recover value from eligible used devices and direct the proceeds to KSU Athletics.

The process is straightforward:

1. Get a quote for eligible used phones, tablets, laptops, smartwatches, and other technology.
2. Ship the devices using free, prepaid packaging.
3. Phobio processes the technology and recovers its remaining value.
4. The proceeds support KSU Athletics.

Technology that might otherwise sit unused can instead generate real financial value for KSU student-athletes.

How Can Businesses Participate in Hoot It Forward?

Hoot It Forward is open to fans and individuals, but businesses have an especially significant opportunity to participate.

Organizations regularly replace employee phones, laptops, tablets, and other corporate technology. Those retired devices can retain meaningful residual value even after they are no longer needed by the business.

Through Hoot It Forward, businesses can incorporate that technology into a structured device recovery and buyback process rather than allowing it to accumulate in storage.

Potential contributors include:

• Local businesses
• Alumni-owned companies
• Corporate partners
• Organizations refreshing employee device fleets
• KSU alumni and fans
• Members of the surrounding community

The model is designed to make participation simple: take technology you're already replacing and put its remaining value to work.

How Does Phobio Protect Data on Contributed Devices?

Data security is a critical part of any business device recovery program.

Phobio securely processes contributed devices using data-erasure procedures aligned with NIST 800-88 and HMG Infosec standards. This gives businesses and individual contributors confidence that devices are handled through a secure, structured process before they move into their next stage of use.

Secure device processing also helps organizations manage technology recovery while supporting broader recommerce and circular economy goals.

How Does Technology Buyback Create a New Funding Channel?

Used technology is an asset with residual value.

A phone, tablet, laptop, or smartwatch may have reached the end of its useful life for one owner without reaching the end of its economic life. A structured technology buyback and recommerce program can recover that value and give the device a productive next step.

Hoot It Forward applies that model to college athletics.

Instead of allowing retired technology to sit unused, the program connects device recovery, recommerce, sustainability, and college sports funding in a single process.

How Can KSU Fans and Businesses Participate?

Businesses can donate online today, while fans can donate their devices here.

Supporters can also participate in person at select KSU football games, including:

• October 22: KSU vs. Liberty
• November 22: KSU Homecoming

At Phobio, we've built our business around a simple idea: used technology still has value.

Hoot It Forward puts that idea to work in our own community by giving businesses and fans a new way to turn devices they no longer need into support for the student-athletes we get to call our neighbors.