Franchione Admits To Selling Insider Knowledge To Boosters In Newsletter

By: Associated Press

Updated: Fri 7:02 PM, Sep 28, 2007

COLLEGE STATION -- Texas A&M coach Dennis Franchione says he's stopped selling inside team information to Aggie boosters.

Franchione charged boosters $1,200 per year for subscriptions to an e-mail newsletter called "VIP Connection."

About one dozen elite boosters subscribed.

The newsletter had Franchione's candid assessments of players and specific injury information the coach declined to discuss publicly.

Franchione tells the San Antonio Express-News that he made subscribers sign a confidentiality agreement -- and he doesn't believe the info was used for gambling.

The newsletter was written by Franchione personal assistant Mike McKenzie.

The proceeds were used to underwrite his personal Web site, coachfran.com. McKenzie says the coach has offered refunds to subscribers.

A&M athletic director Bill Byrne couldn't immediately be reached
for comment.

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