(SUNRISE, FL) – Fox Sports Net Florida and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays today announced the launch of a new community-based event, HOME RUNS FOR HOPE CHALLENGE, benefiting the Rays of Hope Foundation.
The Home Runs For Hope Challenge will be held on Thursday, March 14 at Tropicana Field. Businesses and media companies from Tampa Bay, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, and surrounding area are invited to participate in the event, which pits five-member teams against each other in a battle for points. Each member of participating corporate teams will receive 20 pitches from a pitching machine. Points are awarded based on the distance of each hit. The corporate team earning the most cumulative points receives prizes, including the HOME RUNS FOR HOPE CHALLENGE traveling trophy. The winning corporate team will retain the Home Runs For Hope Challenge trophy until the 2003 competition.
"The HOME RUNS FOR HOPE CHALLENGE was created with the goal of enabling people to realize a dream," noted Jeff Genthner, Fox Sports Net Florida's Senior Vice President and General Manager. "For competitors in the event, their dream may be to hit a home run in a major league ballpark. For those in the community who are less fortunate, our hope is their dreams may be realized through the Rays of Hope Foundation."
In exchange for an entry fee of $500.00, local companies receive a five-member batting team, the opportunity to meet members of the 2002 Tampa Bay Devil Rays team, and the chance to step into the batter's box at Tropicana Field. All net proceeds will be donated to the Rays of Hope Foundation, dedicated to the education and welfare of children in the Tampa Bay community.
Fox Sports Net's veteran telecast team, Dewayne Staats, Joe Magrane, and Todd Kalas, will also participate in the HOME RUNS FOR HOPE CHALLENGE, which takes place from 9:00am to 3:00pm on March 14. Corporate teams can call 727-825-3202 to register or for more information.
Fox Sports Net Florida reaches more than 3.9 million households in Florida. Fox Sports Net Florida is managed by Rainbow Sports Networks, a division of Cablevision's Rainbow Media Holdings, Inc. Fox Sports Net Florida's programming includes Major League Baseball's Florida Marlins and Tampa Bay Devil Rays; the National Hockey League's Florida Panthers; the University of Miami, and the University of South Florida, along with select NASCAR and PGA Tour coverage.
Fox Sports Net reaches more than 78 million households nationwide and is a service of National Sports Partners, equally owned by Cablevision's Rainbow Media Holdings, Inc. and Fox. Rainbow Sports Networks incorporates Rainbow's 50% ownership of Fox Sports Net and Fox Sports National Advertising, and the ownership and management of Fox Sports Net regional networks in five of the nation's largest markets: Chicago, Florida, Ohio, New England and San Francisco.