Rohrman offers student cash or free car lease after Purdue football competition debacle

Posted by Admin September 11, 2024 Football

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LAFAYETTE, Ind. — After backlash from Purdue football fans resulting from reneging of a free two-year lease for a student who won a halftime contest during Purdue’s home opener, Rohrman Automotive Group has announced it intends to make things right.

The Rohrman Automotive Group said in a news release Thursday night it intends to offer Zachary Spangler, the Purdue junior who successfully kicked 20-, 30- and 40-yard field goals, the option of a two-year car lease or $5,000 cash.

In addition to Spangler’s award, Rohrman Automotive will also donate $5,000 to Ross-Ade Brigade, the student section at Purdue football home games, which will help student fans traveling to away games to cheer on the Boilermakers.

“Our goal with this challenge is to have fun, and our intention with these new guidelines should ensure just that,” Trey Rohrman, director of operations for Rohrman Automotive Group, said in the release. “We acknowledge that the process to determine whether or not Zach qualified for the grand prize took too long and his incredible kick should be rewarded. We are committed to an improved and more transparent contest for future games, and we appreciate the public’s scrutiny of the process to help us evolve and make this challenge even better and more fun than ever before.”

After the public debacle of the Cash for Kicks contest, new rules will also be implemented for future contestants, the release said. Moving forward, the contest will not feature a running 30-second timer, part of an agreement between Rohrman and Purdue Athletics, focusing the promotion only on the kicks.

Each kick attempt will also feature its own prize, the release said. At the 10-yard line, the kicker will have the chance to win a $100 Visa gift card for the first goal. At the 20-yard line, the kicker will have the chance to win a $150 Visa gift card. And at the 30-yard line, the kicker may win either a free two-year lease on a new Honda Civic from Bob Rohrman Honda in Lafayette or $5,000 in cash.

Rohrman Automotive said in the release it has reached out to Spangler to confirm the car lease or cash. Purdue University Athletics will join Rohrman in awarding Spangler his prize on the field during Saturday’s home football game against Notre Dame.

After Rohrman emailed Spangler on Thursday to tell him the prize would not be awarded after all because his last kick was five-hundredths of a second past the timer, other dealerships contacted the student this week to make good on the prize.

Ken Halpin, deputy athletics director and chief operating officer for Purdue Athletics, said in the release the organization is committed to working alongside Rohrman Automotive to ensure a situation like this is not repeated in the future.

“We applaud the Rohrman Auto Group for honoring the spirit of the promotion and doing right by Zach,” Halpin said. “Our students, as well as the rest of our fans, are essential to the electric environment inside Ross-Ade Stadium, and we share Rohrman’s commitment to providing a fun and exciting event from start to finish.”

Spangler could not be immediately reached for this story.

Jillian Ellison is a reporter for the Journal and Courier. She can be reached via email at jellison@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @ellison_writes.