A University alumna created a new way for Tiger fans to sell their tickets and make it count.
When tailgating takes its toll and making it to the game isn’t a reality, Charity Blip — a new company based in Baton Rouge — can put unwanted tickets to good use. 
The website allows people to sell their seats to sporting events, performances and more, but there’s a catch: 80 percent of revenue from the ticket sales go to the charity of the seller’s choice. The other 20 percent is collected by the company to maintain the website. 
Donations can include zoo passes, vacation packages, charity dinners, wine tasting events and admission passes to adventure attractions. 
The donation is made in the seller’s name so the charity can send a receipt for a tax write-off. If the ticket doesn’t sell, it will be donated to Cancer Services of Greater Baton Rouge in the donor’s name. 
“What makes Charity Blip unique is that the seller of the tickets gets to choose which charity group receives the proceeds of the sales,” said Leslie Denino, co-founder of Charity Blip. “People have so many charities that are close to their heart, so it doesn’t have to be a medical non profit. It could even be the local animal shelter, or a group trying to go on a trip.”
Denino, a 1993 graduate of the University, and her cousin, co-founder Lauren Johnson, were first inspired to create Charity Blip when Denino’s son was diagnosed with cancer. The family would spend weeks at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, often taking advantage of free tickets left at the front desk. 
While attending an LSU baseball game with tickets donated to Cancer Services of Greater Baton Rouge, Denino and Johnson noticed empty seats behind home plate. Those tickets were not on sale at the gate, so they assumed the seats belonged to season ticket holders who did not attend the game. 
“Baton Rouge is a big city with a lot to offer, so I thought, why not try to get something going here,” Denino said. 
The project may appeal to a wider audience, as Johnson is leading a North Carolina branch of Charity Blip. 
Charity Blip works with Cancer Services, which is just one of many groups people can donate their extra tickets to. Upon receiving a ticket donation, Cancer Services can find a local family battling cancer and give it the opportunity to utilize the tickets. 
Charity Blip also partners with Dreams Come True of Louisiana, Cookin’ for Charity, the Central Louisiana chapter of Iron Warriors Motorcycle Club, Dream Day Foundation, the American Red Cross and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
“The Deninos have been a long-time family here with us, and we are just real excited that she thought of us to be one of the charities that can receive donations,” said Cancer Services Marketing Coordinator Connie Boudreaux. “It’s so neat she was inspired by one of our events. It’s just a neat, new way to fundraise and of course give back to the community.”
Although the University is not directly affiliated with Charity Blip, students can put their student section tickets on Charity Blip’s website, and other LSU students can purchase them.