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SL1 Jackson Generals

Faith nights come back to Jackson

June 7, 2006 - Southern League (SL1)
Jackson Generals News Release


NASHVILLE, Tenn. - One year after Third Coast Sports introduced the nation to Faith Nights at minor-league baseball stadiums from coast-to-coast, the young company is traveling back to West Tennessee to do three Faith Nights with the Diamond Jaxx during the 2006 season.

On Friday, June 9, Mainstay, who recently released their debut album "Well Meaning Fiction," will appear in a pre-game concert outside of Pringles Park. On that date, Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber from the hit animation series VeggieTales will be in attendance. Before the Friday, July 21 game, singer/song writer Matthew West, who was nominated in 2005 for New Artist of the Year by the Gospel Music Association, will perform the pre-game show. Finally, national recording artist Warren Barfield will give the last concert on Saturday, August 19 outside of Pringles Park. In addition to the concert on each date, a Diamond Jaxx player will give his personal faith testimony before the game.

Last week, Third Coast Sports graced the cover of the New York Times with the announcement that Faith Night would debut in Major League Baseball in 2006. In addition, Third Coast has received national press for its Biblical-themed jersey promotion with the af2's Birmingham Steeldogs. For the first time in sports history, a professional franchise wore Bible-themed jerseys. During pre-game and post-game on May 5th, Birmingham players donned jerseys with the name of Bible hero "SAMSON" embroidered on the front. Specific Bible chapter and verse references were created by combining the names and numerals on the backs of each player.

Because of the jersey promotional and Third Coast launching Faith Nights into Major League Baseball with the Atlanta Braves and Florida Marlins this summer, the media has covered Faith Nights in four continents and hundreds of papers around the country. Last year, Third Coast Sports went on the road for the first time with their Faith Nights and grabbed the front page of the USA Today, a feature on ABC World News Tonight and countless features in local papers. Prior to last season, Third Coast gained national attention with the Nashville Sounds' Faith Night series.

Teams that partnered with Third Coast in 2005 saw an average increase in attendance of 22% on Faith Nights as opposed to their season average. In 2004 and 2005, five of the top 10 attended Nashville Sounds games of the entire season were Faith Nights. The Sounds gave away bobble head dolls of Biblical figures Moses, Samson and Noah at three events and gave away 4,000 copies of the New Testament during the 2004 season. In 2005, Third Coast teamed with Big Idea, Inc. to provide the first 2,000 fans at each event with a baseball honoring Bob the Tomato from VeggieTales.

Before Third Coast went national, Faith Nights were featured by ESPN's Outside the Lines, The 700 Club, ESPN2's Cold Pizza, USA Today, Sports Illustrated, ESPN the Magazine, The New York Times, The Chicago Sun-Times, The Dallas Morning News, Baseball America and dozens of other media outlets.

Third Coast Sports is the athletic division of Third Coast Artists, a booking agency that represents big name Christian recording artists such as MercyMe, Audio Adrenaline, and Jeremy Camp. The sports division will stop at many sports cities across the nation from Buffalo, New York to Fresno, California in 2006.

Third Coast Sports has partnered with Big Idea, Inc. and World Vision International, a Christian world-relief agency. For the Jackson event, Union University, Golden Circle Ford L/M Suzuki, The Dove 94 FM, Chick-Fil-A on Vann Drive and Brook Shaw and Son's Old Country Store, have teamed up with Third Coast to provide the Faith Nights for the Jackson community.

Tickets for any Faith Night event can be purchased from Third Coast Sports by calling 1-888-456-0451. For more information, check out www.thirdcoastsports.com.

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Southern League Stories from June 7, 2006


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