Drew Boe's Faith-Based Mission Continues With 'Uncommon Sports'
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Drew Boe started Managers on a Mission, a nonprofit that takes discounted sportswear from college and professional teams and re-sells it to help people in sports administration careers with a faith-based foundation.
The name has changed, and the need has grown.
Tubby Smith help launch Boe's endeavor when he donated his Gopher gear. Boe sold it on eBay and helped fund a mission trip. He realized he was onto something. His nonprofit is now called Uncommon Sports Group, and it's grown from just him seven years ago.
"There really hasn't been a year that has went by where at least one component of the organization hasn't doubled in size," Boe said.
In a day and age where shoes bring money as a wearable and a collectable, Uncommon Sports is in demand. And he has online commerce and second-hand merchandise and prices.
Donated from college and pro teams across the country, and in difficult economic times, it's a 2020 hit.
"The number of people that are shopping retail and secondhand is going up considerably during this time because of economic circumstances," Boe said.
That includes his own industry. Sports are being cut, jobs eliminated, so they've added a nearly $100,000 COVID-19 relief fund for those in the industry in need.
"And then all of a sudden, you know, a health issue comes up, or the unexpected happens in regards to anything related to their income," he said.
Just last week, they had days where they sold 1,000 items a day -- and all in the nonprofit name of helping people in sports keep a perspective.
"Our mission is not to send people on mission trips," Boe said. Our mission trip again is developing Christ-centered leaders in the sports industry. And so trying to pivot and help people understand from a branding standpoint of who we are as an organization."