Fournette and friends developed the acronym during his star-studded prep career at St. Augustine High in New Orleans.
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Well, it has come out now that LSU has reportedly launched an investigation into whether a short-lived website built around Fournette’s catchphrase, BUGA Nation, constituted an NCAA violation.
According to the report, LSU is investigating a matter stemming from Fournette’s family arranging an operation to build a website that would sell hats, shirts and merchandise with the running back’s catchphrase “BUGA Nation” on them.
Of course, whether the NCAA should have any right to stop the players off of which they make millions of dollars in revenue from also profiting from their own likeness and/or the sales of their jerseys and other merchandise, is another issue entirely. A few people say that it looked like Fournette had something on his mind that game, that his focus was slightly off (besides the fact that Alabama’s defense shut down anything and everything LSU had).
Fournette has said “BUGA” refers to his philosophy, “Being United Generates Attitude”. The family made a decision to close the site just a day after it opened to prevent possible NCAA violations.
According to USA Today’s report, the website launched in 2014, the week of LSU’s season opener. As of now, it seems this is at the LSU level and not the NCAA level. Fournette’s family manager provided payments for the website’s construction. His mother does not believe that her son will challenge the National Football League and attempt to turn professional after his sophomore year, according to USA Today.
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The Fournette family’s manager, Paul Price, reportedly paid $10,000 to create the website along with the merchandise.
