Charity Says Tom Brady Donated Salem State Speaking Fee

Football star Tom Brady gave his $170,000 fee for an appearance at Salem State University to charity, The Boston Globe reports, citing one of the groups backed by the New England Patriots quarterback.

Disability nonprofit Best Buddies, one of Mr. Brady’s signature causes, said it received $50,000 from the fee, with other charities splitting the remainder.

The payment, reported last week by the Globe, sparked criticism that college foundations spend too much on luxuries at the expense of needy students. Salem State said the fee for Mr. Brady’s one-hour lecture last month came from ticket sales and sponsors, not from public funds or money set aside for scholarships, and that the northeastern Massachusetts university’s foundation turned a profit on the event.