Texas Tech's Sweetheart Deal

It turns out that Texas Tech has not one, but two rigs — one for the football team, above, and one for the band, below. How much did this cost? Absolutely nothing.

James Kinsey, owner of a Western Star dealership in Lubbock, loans two brand new trucks each year to Texas Tech. Willis, a former Red Raider player, drives the rigs to road games and provides the fuel, insurance, an additional driver and all of the necessary paperwork and authority needed to haul 40,000 pounds of football equipment and 30,000 pounds of band equipment to road games. All at no cost to the university.

Willis, owner of Willis Moving and Storage in Lubbock, has been driving the gear to games for nearly 10 years. Willis started the practice in a mismatched green cab and black trailer. Then he contacted Kinsey, an avid Texas Tech fan, and he set Willis up with the Western Star trucks with eye-catching graphics and matching trailers.

The inside of the cabs contain top of the line features such as a dinette sleeper seating package, burl Elm wood dash and cabinets, leather seats, a full gauge package and factory-installed CD radios.

Kinsey resells the trucks at season's end, then orders two more. The Texas Tech team and the band keep the trailers.

We would like to thank reader Clint for this.