Practice Facility Construction Leads to Fallout Between USC and Trojans Donor

USC Trojans donor Brian Kennedy’s relationship with the university has reached a breaking point as he files lawsuit over construction of practice field that bears his name.

Nov 2, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches pregame warmups against the Washington Huskies at Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

On July 22, former USC donor Brian Kennedy filed a lawsuit over the removal of the practice field – the Brian Kennedy Field – due to the construction of the new Bloom Football Performance Center. Kennedy, who owns Regency Outdoor Advertising, claims that USC has breached their contract and caused him “reputational harm,” “embarrassment” and “humiliation,” according to the complaint.

The university had yet to comment on the matter, but Kennedy and the athletic department’s history has shown that the relationship was bound for a breaking point.

Oct 11, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans run out of the tunnel and on to the field for the game against the Michigan Wolverines at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Start of USC and Brian Kennedy’s Relationship

The relationship started through fandom since Kennedy grew up a Trojans fan and had attended football games since 1949, per The Los Angeles Times' Ryan Kartje. 

Then in 1998, the university came to Kennedy in need of a new practice field for the football program. At the time, he had already made small contributions to the athletic department, primarily to the hockey and golf teams. 

The lawsuit revealed that Kennedy agreed to pay $400,000 for the construction of the turf field under the condition that he “controls all aspects of the field.” In addition to the agreement, the name rights to the field, as well as any expansions to it, are to remain in “for the life of the field.” Later on, Kennedy added turf and an electronic scoreboard to the practice field.

Another act on behalf of the football program took place in 2023. The former donor used his business to champion former running back Reggie Bush. Two years prior, the NCAA changed their lifetime disassociation ban rules which allowed Bush back on the USC campus. With the return of Bush and the rise of NIL, Kennedy put up 15 billboards demanding the NCAA and Heisman Trust reinstate Bush’s Heisman season, per The Times.

In total, Kennedy and his wife Susan have donated between $1 million and $5 million dollars to the university, per USC’s public records.

Brian Kennedy's Fallout with the Football Program

Oct 19, 2013; South Bend, IN, USA; USC Trojans interim head coach Ed Orgeron celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the first quarter against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Kennedy had developed a close friendship with former defensive line coach and recruiter Ed Orgeron.

During the 2013 season, former head coach Lane Kiffin was fired. Orgeron was elevated to interim head coach and went 6-2 to close out the season which included an upset win over No. 5 Stanford but losses to Notre Dame and UCLA. Kennedy went to bat for Orgeron and claimed that former USC athletic director Pat Haden “promised to heavily consider” him, according to Kartje.

Instead Steve Sarkisian was hired as USC's next coach. 

Fast forward to 2026, the Trojans are led by coach Lincoln Riley and general manager Chad Bowden in a college football world that has changed greatly. Name, image, and likeness (NIL) rules and the transfer portal have changed the game, and USC's investment in the Bloom Football Performance Center is the Trojans' latest sign of building a program that compete in the new era.

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