(SUNRISE, FL) – Fox Sports Net and the Florida Marlins have teamed up for South Florida's second annual Fox Sports Net Home Run Challenge on Thursday, July 8 from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM at Pro Player Stadium to benefit the Florida Marlins Community Foundation.
This special event brings Marlins players, fans, business sponsors and the local media together for an unforgettable time on the home field of the defending 2003 World Series Champions while raising funds for the local community. The 2004 Fox Sports Net Home Run Challenge, which is sold out, is expected to raise over $11,000, 50% more funds than last year's event. All proceeds will benefit the Florida Marlins Community Foundation, which is dedicated to building a brighter future through education, the arts and baseball.
"There are so many amazing memories from the 2003 World Championship season on this field; it's where Miguel Cabrera hit a walk-off home run in his major league debut, where Dontrelle Willis became the "D-Train", where the Marlins clinched the NL Wildcard berth, and where Jeff Conine threw J.T. Snow out at home plate to win the NLDS title," said Jeff Genthner, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Fox Sports Net Florida. "Through the Home Run Challenge, Fox Sports Net and the Marlins are making the stadium available for fans to create their own great moments in baseball, and raise money so that those who are less fortunate within our community may also realize their own dreams too."
The 2004 Fox Sports Net Home Run Challenge will pit 17 teams of five players against each other. Each team member will receive 30 pitches from a pitching machine and score points based upon the distance from the top 20 hits. 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 2005 competition.
"The Marlins are thrilled to partner with Fox Sports Net in our second Home Run Challenge," said P.J. Loyello, Vice President of Communications and Broadcasting, Florida Marlins. "We are thankful for the tremendous support from our returning and new team sponsors. Their efforts have a significant impact on our 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 local events throughout the year to support the efforts of the 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 over 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 and NASCAR. Fox Sports Net Florida is managed by Rainbow Sports Networks.
Rainbow Sports Networks is a division of Rainbow Media Holdings LLC, a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE:CVC). Fox Sports Net reaches more than 80 million households nationwide and is a service of National Sports Partners, equally owned by Rainbow Media Holdings LLC 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.