For years, Kirk Herbstreit’s College GameDay antics and football analysis made him a familiar face, but his golden retriever, Ben, quietly became a star in his own right. From stealing the spotlight on broadcasts to earning the title of Chief Happiness Officer, Ben won over fans everywhere. His passing in 2024 left a void, but Peter has since stepped in, bringing back the smiles. Now, Herbstreit is turning that love into something special.

As the college football season kicked off, ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit introduced the official Peter Fan Club. And with Week 5 just around the corner, the club has revealed that it will give back by donating a portion of its proceeds to the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine!

“For Week 4, Peter Fan Club is proud to support the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine! From educating future veterinarians to developing new treatments, their work helps animals big and small live healthier lives. Thank you to everyone who shopped with us and made this donation possible. Your support helps us give back to the people caring for the animals we love,” shared Peter Fan Club’s Instagram handle.

This marks the second donation from the ESPN analyst after he clarified that his Peter Fan Club merchandise line, launched during the LSU-Clemson clash, would donate a portion of Baton Rouge shop sales to support local veterinary students at institutions like LSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine, along with animal welfare groups in cities visited during the college football season. The charitable initiative was part of the dog-themed brand’s launch from the very beginning.

According to Jake Herbstreit, Kirk’s son, the Peter Fan Club will take its merchandise to college campuses nationwide through pop-up shops this fall, while products remain available online. He and his brother, Tye, oversee the brand’s creative direction, design, and production.

So far, the fan club has held pop-up events at each of College GameDay locations this season. They were spotted at Austin when Texas hosted Ohio State. A week later, a pop-up event was held at Oxford, and last week, Knoxville became the destination. It is likely that Iowa City will see a similar event in Week 5.

Even the Instagram account has taken on a life of its own. Peter Fan Club currently has 68k followers on the platforms. However, not everyone supported the initiative when it began last month.

Kirk Herbstreit’s Week 1 merchandise launch at Baton Rouge sparked backlash, with fans questioning the ESPN analyst for turning his dog, initially introduced as a service dog, into a brand.

While some accused him of cashing in on his popularity, Herbstreit defended the decision, insisting it was years in the making and that much of the proceeds would support charitable causes.

Peter’s rise to fame began after he stepped into the spotlight following the passing of Herbstreit’s beloved dog, Ben. The two-year-old golden retriever has since become a familiar face on broadcast sidelines, building a following of his own.

Peter’s growing fame soon attracted the attention of Hertz, earning him a sponsorship deal with the brand’s “Gold Squad” campaign. He is now taking his on-screen presence a step further with a new segment, “Peter’s Golden Picks,” where he will predict one of the week’s marquee matchups.

While the entire fuss surrounding his dog-inspired merchandise brand initially raised eyebrows among fans, Kirk Herbstreit has stayed true to his promise of donating a portion of the proceeds to charitable causes.