The passion surrounding American college sports is arguably unmatched around the world, except perhaps in European soccer stadiums. One NCAA program that has seen a massive boost in fandom over the last few years has been the Colorado Buffaloes football team.
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The arrival of football icon Deion Sanders in Boulder to serve as the head coach was a massive coup for the program. Not to mention the elite athletes—such as presumptive top 10 picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, Shedeur Sanders (his son) and Travis Hunter—that he brought along with him.
While Coach Prime loves flair—his most famous quote is “look good, feel good, play good”—he also understands and respects history and tradition. And long before the Sanders family arrived in Boulder, they had a superfan named Peggy Coppom.
Peggy has been CU’s most famous fan (along with her twin, Betty, who passed away in 2020) for as long as anyone at the program can remember. It was only fitting that on the week of her 100th birthday (which is on November 19), she was treated to a special Colorado Buffaloes centennial birthday celebration, courtesy of the folks at Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff on Saturday afternoon.
She was serenaded with “Happy Birthday” by the cast, including Mark Ingram, Rob Stone, and Brady Quinn. Colorado’s athletic director, Rick George, even gave her a shoutout on his social media accounts.
“Cheers to Peggy!” he wrote.
Cheers to Peggy! https://t.co/fvFHL8a4pq
— Rick George (@RickGeorgeCU) November 16, 2024
This isn’t the first time Peggy has received recognition for her dedication and passion for the Colorado Buffaloes football program.
Colorado superfan Peggy became the first fan to receive an NIL deal
Peggy Coppom (nee Fitzgerald) and her sister, Betty, moved to Boulder with their family in 1940, when the pair were just 16 years old. They both earned a spot on the high school’s cheerleading team. Eventually, Peggy graduated and attended CU. She only stayed for a year, departing to start a family with a pilot named John Coppom.
Her sister also married a pilot, Harry Hoover, and both of their husbands fought in World War II. Lucky for Peggy and Betty, both men returned home safe and sound.
The sisters first fell in love with the Colorado Buffaloes football team during the 1940s, when they listened to them on the radio regularly and caught a few live games now and then.
In 1966, Peggy really started her journey to superfandom. Discounting the COVID 2020 season, Peggy has missed just three Colorado Buffaloes home games since 1966, a streak of 58 years. In estimation, that’s about 335 trips for Peggy to ol’ Folsom Field. That mark is likely only matched by her sister Betty, whose number is purported to be over 400.
In recognition of her devout dedication to the Buffs, Peggy was honored with the first-ever NIL deal for a fan back in August. The deal was set up by Deion Sanders in partnership with Blenders Eyewear.
Honoring Peggy Coppom: A Historic NIL Deal
With the help of @deionsanders we’re proud to introduce the Peggy Sleeve, a tribute to 99-year-old Colorado Buffaloes superfan Miss Peggy Coppom. For over 80 years, Miss Peggy’s unwavering support has embodied true fandom.
In a… pic.twitter.com/VT0D8Pw4iw
— Blenders // (@BlendersEyewear) August 20, 2024
The company released a unique “Peggy Sleeve” for their glasses, which includes a picture of the superfan. One dollar from every purchase will go right into Peggy’s pocket.
Peggy surely doesn’t care too much about the money. But it’s clear from the video of her deal with Blenders and her appearance on Big Noon that the recognition from the Buffaloes faithful and the NCAAF community at large has warmed her heart considerably.
