Don’t you wish there were more fans like Bob and Carol Baker? The couple attended 571 games for Maryland from 1976 until the pandemic. They saw it all through rain, blowouts, and rebuilds. Their support, however, extends beyond that. Maryland is very fortunate to receive financial support from this superfan duo. 

The couple pledged a $2.5 million estate gift to Maryland Athletics, pushing their total estate commitment to the university to $10 million. And their support goes even further, with an additional $250,000 lifetime contribution earmarked for the Terrapin Club Impact Fund and the Athletics Facilities Fund, as per the university’s statement.

The Bakers’ $10 million total estate commitment funds the Bob and Carol Baker Endowed Scholarship for Athletics and an endowed scholarship supporting students from Allegany and Garrett counties. Their gesture goes beyond football, as it’s about making sure Maryland can compete without cutting corners. This is a program that eliminated seven sports back in 2012 before bolting from the ACC. And the Bakers have lived through that. 

In terms of football, it would give Maryland more resources to prepare for border rival Penn State, which leads the all-time series 44-3-1. The Nittany Lions dropped a 51-15 blow in 2023 and followed it with a 44-7 win in 2024 to hurt the Terrapins’ feelings. But that needs to stop. And that brings us back to the Bakers. While the scoreboard hasn’t been kind, their loyalty hasn’t wavered. 

“We love Maryland, and we want fans to be able to experience the same joy we’ve had for more than half a century,” they said. “Our philanthropic support is just one of the ways we’re able to pay it forward and ensure Maryland Athletics is successful both now and in the decades to come.”

News served to you like never before!

Prefer us on Google, To get latest news on feed

Prefer Us on Google

It goes without saying that the university appreciates the Bakers’ efforts.

“Bob and Carol are the epitome of Terps – they are all-in spiritually, emotionally, and financially,” said Jim Smith, Barry P. Gossett Director of Athletics. “They donate their time, treasure, and talent and are truly partners in our collective effort to elevate Maryland Athletics. Their generosity, both through this recent gift and their lifetime of support, is vital in helping us continue to elevate our championship culture.”

Bob’s story is an old-school college football romance. He stepped inside then-Byrd Stadium as an undergrad in the 1960s and got hooked. 

“I wanted the full college experience, and that started with the football games,” he previously said. 

He played baseball for Maryland from 1960 to 63 and credits scholarship support for earning his degree. Carol’s turn into a diehard came later. It happened on a rainy day when Bob went to a game with classmates and left her home alone. 

“I just got so bored sitting there all day,” she said. “Sitting there, staring at the rain, it doesn’t seem like the kind of weather that makes you want to go sit outside for hours, but that’s what I wanted to do.” 

From then on, she was all in. And together, the Bakers built one of the most absurd attendance streaks in college football history. But here’s the cold splash of reality for Maryland. The Terrapins aren’t exactly rolling in surplus cash.

Big Ten money is saving Maryland, but not football

Maryland joined the Big Ten Conference in 2014, chasing financial stability. So why the financial strain? You see, conference money is flowing, but traditional revenue, ticket sales, and sponsorships are struggling. The athletic department has run a $4-5 million shortfall in each of the last two fiscal years.

Ten years of financial documents show Maryland’s operating revenue spiked from $92.7 million in 2015 to $124 million in 2025. 

Conference distributions alone went from $35.1 million to $59 million, nearly 48% of total revenue. That comes from the Big Ten TV, especially after the league’s $1.1 billion-per-year media deal with CBS, FOX, NBC, and Peacock kicked in. But Maryland still doesn’t spend like the heavyweights: Penn State, Ohio State, and Michigan. 

So when lifelong Terps step up with big monetary commitments, it’s a blessing from above. Maryland may be financially afloat because of Big Ten money. But culturally, it’s afloat because of people like Bob and Carol.