CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — After the Orange Krush faced a devastating financial loss, a local campus bar has stepped in to offer their support.

Every year Krush budgets and arranges for students to attend one road game per year since 2002. This year’s trip was scheduled for the Iowa game on Saturday. However, Krush found out on Wednesday that the Iowa Athletic Department had invalidated all 200 of the tickets Krush purchased in October.  

Because they were notified about the tickets so late in relation to the trip, Krush leaders said they were unable to cancel the charter buses that had been arranged to transport the 200 students to Iowa City. This would cost Krush $6,000 of its yearly $30,000 budget. This in turn meant Krush could not afford to pivot to another road game this season.

This is where a local Illini fan-favorite bar stepped in. On their Facebook, KAMS announced that they were going to donate $6,000 to the Orange Krush to cover their losses. In their statement they said in part, “We are proud of our student fan base that arrives early to every home game to support our teams while too raising thousands of dollars for charities every year.”

Orange Krush took to Instragram to thank the owners for their “extreme generosity”, and said that KAMS will be hosting them for Saturday’s game.

“All students scheduled to go on the road trip will enter first, will not pay a cover fee, and will receive a free T-shirt!”

Krush Vice President Kilton Rauman said they are trying to focus on the positive moving forward.

“We just thought this is an opportunity to turn a negative into a positive and really push forth the philanthropy side of Orange Krush. And the more our name is out there, maybe that inspires a few more people to donate,” Raumen said.