Darius Rucker‘s awkward appearance as the East Tennessee State University football game over the weekend has transformed into a donation to the school’s NIL (Name, Image and Likeness) Fund.

The country singer has pledged $2,980, and there’s a reason behind that very specific dollar amount.

“Wanted to let y’all know I’m donating $2,980 to the
@ETSU NIL fund, $10 for every second I stood at midfield during ‘Wagon Wheel’ thinking it was as awkward as y’all did,” he says on social media.

“Really just wanted to be there to bring attention to this great program and say thank you for singing our song at the top of your lungs every weekend.”

“I love you JOHNSON CITY, TENNESSEE!” he concludes.

If our math serves us correctly, he stood out on the field for 298 seconds, which is just under five minutes.

What Happened With Darius Rucker’s Appearance at the ETSU Game?

Rucker’s donation stems from his appearance at the Bucs football game on Saturday (Nov. 9). Fans assumed that his presence meant that he would be performing for the crowd, but that couldn’t have been further from the truth.

Instead, the country hitmaker was dropped off in the middle of the field to simply pump up the stadium. He paced the field while his song “Wagon Wheel” rang out and the fans sang along.

Essentially, he watched other people sing the song to him.

The university had promoted his appearance at the game inviting fans to “sing along” with Rucker. They were quick to tell fans that there was never a plan to have the “Alright” perform, and that they did not pay him to be there. They say now Rucker was “kind enough to make a free appearance.”

Watch the viral moment below: