FOIAball: Football. For the People.

Welcome to FOIAball, a new publication covering college football programs using this country’s robust Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) laws.

(It’s pronounced FOY-uh.)

As you can see from our first stories, we are big, wild, and weird. And we promise to take college football coverage to where it’s never gone before.

Those pieces, as part of our launch, are all free to read.

But we need your help going forward. By becoming a paid subscriber now, as part of our early bird launch, you’ll be locked into a 33% discount for the next 12 months, absolutely guaranteed.

What will that get you, you may ask?

Every week, starting in September, we’ll publish incisive reporting and bizarre oddities, which promise to resonate around the college football world. Collectives, consultants, cops, contracts, communications. All of it. 

But we can’t do it all on our own.

Your paid subscription will help cover our records requests, document collection, and supplemental reporting, all in the service of great and fun journalism about college football. With your support, we will utilize all 50 states’ records laws to report on the nearly 200 public universities in Division I football, opening a window into a multi-billion-dollar world that promises to always be entertaining.

Because these records are yours.

Every state pledges that the people, who grant the government its power, have the right to the documents it produces. As American college football fans, these laws imbue you with the authority to know just how many filet mignon trios UTSA’s coaching staff bought at a Ruth Chris’ during a bowl game in Myrtle Beach (21). Or how much UNLV spends on acai bowls in a week (like… two grand).

FOIA offers us an opportunity for insight, accountability, and yes, a little absurdity. But, hey, when have you ever gotten anything fun from the government?

We are here to give that to you.

You can help ensure we have the resources and ability to dig up anything and everything. Again, at 33% off our normal subscription price, you can support an inventive new publication that’s going to bring you sharp, top-tier public records reporting.

So upgrade now, before our official launch in September, when this deal won’t be around anymore. 

We’ll do the work. You’ll get the dirt. 

You’ll also get a free Sleuthy sticker.

So click that dang seal.

Who is FOIAball? 

FOIAball is just one man. 

I’m David Covucci, a longtime journalist who has spent years prying records loose from some of the nation’s most difficult offices, successfully suing states and government agencies to cough up documents. 

I’ve broken stories about cops lying about ODing on fentanyl; police departments secretly hiring rapists and murderers; the U.S. nuclear arsenal lacking proper security; public universities contracting cheap prison labor, and, most importantly, the race to save Fat Bear Week from a vote hacking campaign.

I spent eight years teaching college students how to obtain and report on public records. I’m also the author of the most famous FOIA request of all time.

Now, I’m thrilled to let these skills loose on the college football world.

Okay, but what’s up with the seal?

FOIAball’s mascot, Sleuthy the Seal, was birthed from a fortuitous misunderstanding. While discussing a logo for the site, a designer suggested a “retro watchdog seal,” which I immediately said yes to.

When they returned a circular, government agency-style badge, the crushing disappointment I felt proved that FOIAball needed a real seal. A righteous, muckraking mascot.

Sleuthy feeds on scoops (and salmon). So help Sluethy eat. Subscribe now.

Editorial Policy

FOIAball takes concerns over accuracy seriously and strives to correct any errors. If you believe a story merits a correction or additional information, please contact us at [email protected].

If you have feedback on stories unrelated to errors or corrections, please reach out to [email protected].

If you have any tips on material you’d like to see FOIAed, don’t hesitate to hit us up at [email protected].  

FOIAball, all content and stories, and social media posts by employees are the sole property of FOIAball, LLC.