Tony Dungy is out of Life Surge’s Tampa event.
The Hall of Fame coach told the Tampa Bay Times he will no longer appear at the Christian wealth seminar company’s stop at Benchmark International Arena next month. Dungy did not say why.
His decision comes after Life Surge drew scrutiny in September from a Mother Jones investigation and the “Pablo Torre Finds Out” podcast. That reporting centered on complaints from customers who said they were pushed into pricey courses that left some tens of thousands of dollars in debt, while also examining Tim Tebow’s role with the company.
Tebow moved quickly after the report became public. The day after the investigation ran, he said he was “pausing” his relationship with Life Surge.
“I think the allegations are extremely serious, and it’s something that we take very serious,” Tebow told reporters on campus the day before the Sept. 26 Mississippi-Florida game in Gainesville. “For us, we are having our team do an investigation but also pausing our relationship until we can learn more about the facts to be able to understand more.”
Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla and megachurch pastor Craig Groeschel also stepped back, issuing similar statements. Dungy, who coached the Bucs and later led the Indianapolis Colts to a Super Bowl championship following the 2006 season, has been among the names to quietly distance themselves since then. Magic Johnson and David Ortiz, both Hall of Famers in their sports, are also included in that group.
Life Surge responded to the reporting by saying, in part, “a few experiences, selected because they fit a narrative, do not describe the typical experience at Life Surge.”
“The evidence that does describe it was available to the reporters, and it was either left out or mentioned just long enough to claim balance without being given any weight.”
The Tampa event is still on the books for Dec. 5.
Life Surge is selling tickets starting at $15, while its priciest package, listed as sold out, is nearly $400. The day is scheduled to run from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and will feature speakers, musical acts and guidance on “how to create and multiply financial resources for Kingdom impact.”
As of Friday, Dungy was still shown on a promotional image on the arena’s event page, though he no longer appears on Life Surge’s Tampa promotions. Candace Cameron Bure and former NHL player Val Bure were also still on that arena image but not on Life Surge’s newer promotional material.
Of the six speakers originally advertised, only Marcus Lemonis and John C. Maxwell remain on the updated billing. Robert Herjavec, who was on the earlier flyer with Dungy, is not on that version anymore but does appear in the newer advertising.
Life Surge did not respond to an email or phone call seeking comment on Dungy’s decision. Vinik Sports Group, which runs Benchmark International Arena, declined to comment. A disclaimer on the company’s event page says the speaker lineup is subject to change.
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