$200,000 Donation Presented to Community College Group

PowerBurst has donated $200,000 to the California Community College Commission on Athletics, the company announced Friday.

The money will go toward state championship events.

PowerBurst, a sports energy drink, is also giving two cents for each case sold in California over the next year toward a community college scholarship fund.

“We think this is the beginning of a long-term relationship,” said Joe Thompson, the president of PowerBurst. “This (money) is for the people that really need it.”

The money will not go to baseball and basketball championships right away because both have sponsors, according to Walt Rilliet, the state commissioner of athletics.

Major League Baseball donates $20,000 toward the baseball championships and Converse gives $16,000 toward the men’s and women’s basketball championships.

“There was a time a few years ago,” Rilliet said, “that we were looking at the possibility of not having state championships because we couldn’t afford them. Now we will be able to reimburse the colleges more when they travel.”

PowerBurst is owned by Edward DeBartolo Jr., who also owns the San Francisco 49ers.