Donor

1. Person or organization who orders and pays for a gift, such as a magazine subscription or book. Donors can be divided into types, such as recipient donors, who themselves subscribe to the magazine being given, or nonrecipient donors, who do not subscribe to the magazine being given. Donors are sent promotions asking them to renew gift subscriptions they have given and are a good source of new business as well. See also contributor list; donee; donor control; donor promotion.

2. Benefactor of a charity.

(Barron's Marketing Dictionary)

One of the biggest donors to sports is Nike, specifically Phil Knight, co-founder of Nike, who gives back ALOT to his university, University of Oregon

University of Oregon and Nike

UO track and field coach Bill Bowerman revolutionized the athletic shoe by pouring melted rubber into a waffle iron, creating a prototype rubber soled shoe famously known as the "Oregon waffle." Bowerman went on to co-found Nike corporation with UO alumnus Phil Knight. Nike has maintained a close relationship with UO ever since, manufacturing all university logo clothing and uniforms for the football team, including research prototypes for high-tech "smart clothes", such as jerseys with cooling systems.

Controversy surrounding Nike's labor practice precipitated protests in 2000 led by a group of students calling themselves The Human Rights Alliance. The protests included a 10-day tent city occupation of the lawns in front of Johnson Hall, the main administration building. Protesting students demanded and initially received independent oversight by the Worker Rights Consortium (WRC) of Nike's overseas factories. The University of Oregon joined the WRC but was quickly admonished by Phil Knight in a scathing letter resulting in the rescinding of a US$30 million dollar contribution to renovate Autzen Stadium, and a pledge for no more future donations should the University continue its membership in the WRC. The University eventually terminated the relationship with the WRC within a year of joining, citing "legal complications." Phil Knight later reinstated the donation and increased the money to over US$50 million dollars. [3]

Further controversy ensued in March 2005 with the resignation of track coach Martin Smith. Smith was ousted by the “Lame Ducks”, a group of former Oregon track athletes employed at Nike that raises funds to support the Oregon track program, and by Phil Knight who stated that he would quit donating to the track team as long as Smith was coach. The primary point of contention was that Smith did not focus enough on long distance running events which was a traditional strength for Oregon and Nike shoe sales. Smith was replaced by former Stanford coach Vin Lananna in July 2005.

On August 20, 2007 the University announced a $100 million pledge from Phil and Penny Knight to create the Oregon Athletics Legacy Fund. The donation will cover the majority of the $150 million goal to make the athletics program self sufficient. (http://www.uoregon.edu/~crwrweb/faq.htm) 

Here's an article from the New York Times about the substantial donation T. Boone Pickens made to Oklahoma State University:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/11/education/11Oklahoma.html?_r=1&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fOrganizations%2fO%2fOklahoma%20State%20University&oref=slogin

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