(SUNRISE, FL) – Fox Sports Net and the Florida Marlins have teamed up for South Florida's inaugural Fox Sports Net Home Run Challenge on Thursday, July 31 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM at Pro Player Stadium to benefit the Florida Marlins Community Foundation.
This special event will bring together Marlins players, South Florida business sponsors and the local media for an unforgettable time on the field while raising funds for the local community. All net proceeds benefit the Florida Marlins Community Foundation, which is dedicated to building a brighter future through education, the arts and baseball.
"The Fox Sports Net Home Run 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 those competing, their dream may be to step into the batters box in a major league ballpark. For those in the community who are less fortunate, our hope is that their dreams may be realized through our collective efforts."
The Fox Sports Net Home Run Challenge will pit corporate teams against each other as they step up to the plate. Each team member will receive 15 swings from a pitching machine and points will be tallied based upon the distance of each hit. The team earning the most cumulative points will win a catered suite at a Marlins game, along with bragging rights and a traveling trophy until the 2004 competition.
"The Marlins are thrilled to partner with Fox Sports Net for the Home Run Challenge," said P.J. Loyello, Vice President of Communications and Broadcasting for the Marlins. "We are very thankful to all the local businesses and organizations that are coming out to show their skills. I'm sure they will all have an unforgettable experience as we begin a new tradition for the local community."
The purpose of the Florida Marlins Community Foundation (FMCF) is to promote educational, athletic, health, social and community service programs with a particular focus on South Florida's youth. The not-for-profit organization holds many events throughout the year to support local efforts and Marlins Community programs. Since its inception in 1999, the FMCF has given back over 1.5 million dollars to the community!
Fox Sports Net Florida reaches more than 4.5 million households in Florida. 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, The Best Damn Sports Show Period, NASCAR, and 54321. Fox Sports Net Florida is managed by Rainbow Sports Networks.
Rainbow Sports Networks is a division of Rainbow Media Holdings, Inc., a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE:CVC). Fox Sports Net reaches more than 82 million households nationwide and is a service of National Sports Partners, equally owned by Rainbow Media Holdings, Inc., and Fox Entertainment Group. Rainbow Sports Networks incorporates Rainbow's 50% ownership in 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, San Francisco, New England, Ohio and Florida.