SIRIUS XM Radio Delivers Bountiful Sports Buffet for Memorial Day Weekend
SIRIUS XM offers motorsports tripleheader on Sunday, May 24, with F1(TM) Monaco Grand Prix, Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR Coca-Cola 600
Throughout the weekend listeners nationwide get live play-by-play from the racetrack, diamond, ice, hardwood, golf course and soccer pitch
SIRIUS XM Radio announced that it will offer sports fans a full lineup of sports programming over Memorial Day Weekend, featuring live play-by-play action from IndyCar Series racing, Formula One(TM), NASCAR, Major League Baseball, the NBA and NHL playoffs, PGA TOUR, English Premier League soccer and college baseball.
MOTORSPORTS: On Sunday, May 24, SIRIUS XM will broadcast the ultimate auto racing trifecta, featuring three of the biggest events on the motorsports calendar: the Formula One(TM) Grand Prix de Monaco (8:00 am ET on SIRIUS channel 126 and XM channel 242), the Indianapolis 500 IndyCar Series race (1:00 pm ET, XM channel 145 and SIRIUS channel 211 (“Best of XM”)), and the Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race (5:45 pm ET, SIRIUS channel 128 and XM channel 128 (“Best of SIRIUS”)).
SIRIUS XM will also broadcast the Carquest Auto Parts 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race on Saturday, May 23 (7:30 pm ET, SIRIUS channel 128 and XM channel 128 (“Best of SIRIUS”)).
NBA: SIRIUS XM will broadcast every game of the NBA Eastern and Western Conference Finals, carrying the team radio broadcasts of the Cavaliers, Magic, Lakers and Nuggets. (XM channels 232 and 233, SIRIUS channels 219 and 220 (“Best of XM”)). Visit www.xmradio.com/nba and www.sirius.com/nba for listings.
NHL: SIRIUS XM will also broadcast every game of the Eastern and Western Conference Finals of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, carrying the team radio broadcasts of the Penguins, Hurricanes, Red Wings and Blackhawks (XM channels 204 and 205, SIRIUS channels 208, 211 and 212 (“Best of XM”)). Visit www.xmradio.com/nhl and www.sirius.com/nhl for listings.
MLB: XM listeners will get every Major League Baseball game from coast-to-coast throughout the weekend on XM channels 175 to 189. (Schedule available at www.xmradio.com/mlb). Fans can also tune in to MLB Home Plate, the only radio channel dedicated to covering MLB seven days a week, 365 days a year, for daily baseball talk and analysis (XM channel 175 and SIRIUS channel 210 (“Best of XM”)).
PGA: SIRIUS XM will offer live hole-by-hole coverage of the HP Byron Nelson Championship PGA TOUR event this Thursday, May 21, through Sunday, May 24, on The PGA TOUR Network (XM channel 146 and SIRIUS channel 209 (“Best of XM”)).
EPL: On Sunday, May 24, SIRIUS XM will broadcast two English Premier League soccer matches: Chelsea v. Sunderland (11:00 am ET, SIRIUS channel 125 and XM channel 102 (“Best of SIRIUS”)) and Newcastle United v. Aston Villa (11:00 am ET, SIRIUS channel 126 and XM channel 103 (“Best of SIRIUS”)).
NCAA Baseball: On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, XM subscribers and SIRIUS subscribers with the “Best of XM” can hear college baseball conference tournament games from the ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten and SEC. Visit www.sirius.com/collegesports and www.xmradio.com/collegesports for listings.
Mad Dog Radio: On Memorial Day, May 25, Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo, host of Mad Dog Unleashed on SIRIUS XM’s Mad Dog Radio channel (SIRIUS channel 123 and XM channel 144) will host a two-hour special examining baseball’s all-time greatest teams. The program, airing at 8:00 am ET, 1:00 pm ET, 6:00 pm ET and 11:00 pm ET, will determine the greatest all-time team from each of the 30 MLB franchises and will feature interviews with baseball historians and some of the game’s greatest players, including Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer, 9-time all-star catcher and 1971 NL MVP Joe Torre, 16-time Gold Glove-winner Jim Kaat and others. The 30 highlighted teams, plus two wild card teams, will be seeded into a tournament bracket posted at www.sirius.com/maddogbaseball and on Tuesday, May 26, fans can log on and begin casting their votes to determine the greatest baseball team of all-time.
PGA Village Breaks Ground for $200M Project on Cat Island in The Bahamas
The PGA of America and the partners of Cat Island Partners Ltd. broke ground on Friday, April 24th for the first-ever PGA Village(R) to be developed outside of the United States.
The official groundbreaking took place on Cat Island in The Bahamas and was attended by a large delegation of Government Officials including the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, Hon. Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace, Minister of Tourism and Aviation along with an audience of over 400 local residents and supporters.
Prime Minister Ingraham called the development “A new and never before experienced economic shot-in-the-arm” for one of The Bahamas most underdeveloped islands. Mr. Ingraham congratulated the Cat Island Partnership for keeping their commitment to the government and to the people of Cat Island during these economic challenging times saying he was not one that normally attends these types of ceremonies but has come to know the partners well and they are people who “say what they mean and mean what they say” and is confident the project will be a great thing for Cat Islanders and The Bahamas. The PGA Village(R) is expected to create over 200 construction jobs and more then 900 permanent positions within the project allowing many native Cat Islander’s who have left in search of meaningful employment to return to their native island.
At a press conference following the Groundbreaking, Cat Island partner, David Southworth, President and CEO of Southworth Development said, “We truly believe that in two to three years, as Phase I of this great project is completed, we will no longer be in a world-wide recession — we actually feel the timing of this development could not be better. We know that in this day and age, customers will not buy until developers have built the amenities and facilities. Because of this, the partnership is committed to the funding and completion of Phase I. Today is the first big step of many to come.”
PGA of America President Jim Remy added, “The PGA of America is excited to be here in partnership with Southworth Development, as we create the first PGA Village(R) outside the United States, and the first golf course ever on Cat Island. We believe that PGA Village The Bahamas(R) will soon spur global awareness to the world-class golf opportunities in a nation that is already known for its world-class boating and beaches, as it will become a destination for people to come to play, stay, live and learn the wonderful sport of golf.”
PGA Village(R) The Bahamas will feature a Rees Jones-designed championship golf course, PGA branded Golf Cottages, a Golf Clubhouse, a PGA Learning and Performance Center, PGA Historical Center and the first phase of the village. Construction of the PGA Village(R) The Bahamas has begun and is expected to take 24-36 months.
The waterfront property sits on 1,906 acres of pristine Bahamian land and includes over two miles of beachfront. Located 325 miles southeast of Miami and 130 miles southeast of Nassau/Paradise Island, Cat Island is the sixth-largest island in The Bahamas and features the highest elevations in all of The Bahamas, resulting in unmatched views of the ocean and surrounding islands.
Additionally, the residential community will consist of low-density, single-family residential home sites averaging over an acre each; village town homes; PGA-branded golf cottages; a Casino; Tennis Center; and a full-service Beach Club with multiple oceanfront swimming pools, a beach cafe and cabanas.
Source: Southworth Development LLC
2nd Annual Stater Bros. Charities Dave Stockton Heroes Challenge to Include 9 Golf Professionals and 5 Congressional Medal of Honor Recipients
Stater Bros. Charities’ largest charity event of the year will take place at the prestigious Victoria Club in Riverside, California
Last year, Stater Bros. Supermarket’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Jack H. Brown partnered with long-time friend and PGA Champions Tour Pro Dave Stockton to launch one of the largest charity golf tournaments in the region, the Stater Bros. Charities Dave Stockton Heroes Challenge, which generated more than $427,000 for local charities. This year, the legacy continues with the 2nd Annual Stater Bros. Charities Dave Stockton Heroes Challenge taking place on Monday, March 2, 2009 at the Victoria Club in Riverside, California and will include a line up that reaches far beyond the realm of the Inland Empire.
The Heroes Challenge will be limited to 128 players who will compete for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th place and consist of seven of Stockton’s PGA Tour friends including but not limited to:
Donna Caponi-Byrnes - Byrnes is a Member of the World Golf Hall of Fame and is a 24-Time Winner on the LPGA Tour which includes four major championships: 1969 & 1970 U.S. Women’s Open and the 1979 & 1981 LPGA Championships. She is currently working as a color-analyst for The Golf Channel.
John Cook – Cook finished #5 on the Champions Tour Money List for 2008 after playing 26 events and 15 top 10 finishes. Cook has over 11 PGA Tour Victories and 2 wins on the Champions Tour, both at the AT&T Championship.
Hubert Green - Green is a Member of the World Golf Hall of Fame and is a 19-Time Winner on the PGA Tour including 2 major championships: 1977 U.S. Open Championship and 1985 PGA Championship.
Gary McCord – McCord was on the PGA Tour from 1974 to 1998 with two dozen top ten finishes and has been the official Golf Analyst for CBS Sports since 1986.
In addition, Brown and Stockton have invited five Congressional Medal of Honor Recipients to participate in a weekend of events including a visit to the ROTC Riverside Unit on Tuesday, March 3, 2009. Both Brown and Stockton were born and raised in San Bernardino, California and have been proud residents of the Inland Empire for most of their lives. Because of their close ties to the community, Brown and Stockton feel a great desire to give back to the Inland Empire. The proceeds from this Tournament will go directly to the critical needs facing the areas Stater Bros. is privileged to serve.
Dave Stockton, Honorary Tournament Chairman: Stockton’s resume in golf makes him one of the most accomplished PGA Golf Professionals, and his status as a local hero makes him the perfect Honorary Tournament Chairman for the new Stater Bros. charity golf event. Dave Stockton turned professional in 1964 and joined the PGA Champions Tour after serving as Captain for the victorious Ryder Cup team in 1991 at Kiawah. He accrued 14 Champions Tour victories, including the U.S. Senior Open and twice winning the Ford Senior Players Championship. Stockton also claims 10 PGA Tour victories (winning the PGA Championship in both 1970 & 1976). He became well known in the 1970′s and 80′s for doing up to 90 corporate outings a year and was crowned “King of Corporate Outings” as a result. Last year, Stockton served as the Assistant Captain to the 2008 Ryder Cup at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky.
Stater Bros. Charities: Since 1936, Stater Bros. Markets has been a pillar of support in the community. Last year, Stater Bros. established, Stater Bros. Charities, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The purpose of Stater Bros. Charities is to give back to the communities Stater Bros. Markets is privileged to serve. In 2008 Stater Bros. Charities donated $1.4 million to local causes. With an emphasis on programs that benefit hunger relief, children’s welfare, education for both youth and adults, services for the elderly and care for our Nation’s Veterans, Stater Bros. Charities will be able to help with some of the most critical needs facing this region.
Stater Bros. Markets: Stater Bros. Markets was founded in 1936 in Yucaipa, California, and has grown steadily through the years to become the largest privately owned Supermarket Chain in Southern California and the largest employer in both San Bernardino County and Riverside County, with annual sales in 2008 of $3.74 billion. The Company currently operates 165 Supermarkets, and there are over 19,000 members of the Stater Bros. “Family” of Employees.
STATER BROS. CHARITIES PROVIDES PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT TO APPROVED NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS IN COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
More than 1,500 Eagles – Each One with a Story
Eagles Made During PGA TOUR and LPGA Season Result in Record Donation to St. Jude
It is a cold December day in Memphis, Tennessee and FedExCup Champion Vijay Singh, FedExCup Runner-up Camilo Villegas and LPGA star Morgan Pressel have gathered here — but not to play golf. The impetus that has brought three of the biggest names in professional golf to Memphis is something much more important than any game of golf — children battling cancer.
Singh, Villegas and Pressel are in Memphis on the campus of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital(R) to help present a record-breaking donation to the hospital raised through the 2008 Eagles for St. Jude program. While it certainly would have been easier for each to simply mail a check, the trio wouldn’t have missed being here for the world. For them, this is not a typical charitable endeavor.
Eagles for St. Jude is a powerful program that has brought these three golfers, the PGA TOUR, LPGA, the Golf Channel and companies like Stanford Financial Group and FedEx Corp together with the sole purpose of increasing donations to St. Jude, one of the world’s premier pediatric cancer research centers.
The goal of the 2008 Eagles for St. Jude program was to raise $2 million for St. Jude during this year’s PGA TOUR and LPGA season — a goal that was shattered today when Stanford Financial Group presented a record-breaking $2.57 million donation from Eagles for St. Jude to the hospital. In addition to Stanford’s donation of $1,000 for each of the 1,118 eagles recorded on the PGA TOUR and the 469 eagles on the LPGA Tour, the donation included donations from Singh, Villegas, Pressel, the Stanford St. Jude Championship, the PGA TOUR, LPGA and FedEx, as well as those from the general public who supported the program throughout the year via the Eagles for St. Jude website and online auction.
Singh, better known as “The Big Fijian” by the children being treated for cancer and other deadly diseases at St. Jude, presented the hospital with a personal check for $300,000 — well above the $30,000 he was slated to donate for the six eagles he carded. Villegas, too, more than doubled the amount he pledged with a donation of $50,000.
Singh said, “When I started with Eagles last year I had no idea how much it would change my life. The more time I spend with these incredible kids, the more I experience their unbelievable courage, the more I want to help them. I find that every time I have a chance for an eagle, I can’t help but think about them.”
The FedExCup champion is probably referring to his first eagle of the year, made on the 11th hole at Spyglass Hill at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in February that he made for Tyler, a St. Jude patient he had visited during a recent trip to the hospital. What made Singh’s first eagle memorable — even bittersweet — was that Tyler had lost his battle with cancer just three weeks earlier.
“Just like Vijay’s eagle he made for Tyler at Spyglass Hill, every eagle has a story behind it,” said Sir Allen Stanford, Chairman of Stanford Financial Group. “It’s truly an inspiration — and further testament to the power of Eagles for St. Jude, which has grown exponentially since its inception two years ago,” he said. “We are so grateful to Vijay, Camilo and Morgan, the Golf Channel, the PGA TOUR, the LPGA, FedEx and everyone who has so enthusiastically supported it. I am delighted that Stanford can help St. Jude work its miracles. It is our sincere hope that others will join us in supporting Eagles for St. Jude so we can continue to increase awareness for this special place and encourage others to donate to St. Jude for many years to come,” Sir Allen added.
Other participants who helped the success of Eagles for St. Jude include the Golf Channel, which provides promotional support for the program, and FedEx, former sponsor of the Memphis PGA TOUR event and now sponsor of the FedExCup.
“Today is another proud moment for FedEx and our 23 year commitment of support to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital,” said Laurie Tucker, FedEx senior vice president of marketing. “With our donation today, and the continued support of hundreds of FedEx team members over the years, we carry on our close involvement with the Stanford St. Jude Championship and our commitment as a company to make an impact in the communities in which we live, work and play.”
Without a doubt, Eagles for St. Jude already has shown enormous impact and long-term staying power. The program, created during Stanford Financial Group’s inaugural sponsorship year of the Stanford St. Jude Championship out of the desire to provide a season-long fundraising component to the Memphis PGA TOUR event, began with Stanford’s commitment to donate $1,000 to St. Jude for every eagle made on the PGA TOUR in the name of the player that makes the eagle. What happened next was a snowball effect that continues to gather momentum.
In 2007, Singh signed on as Global Ambassador for Eagles for St. Jude, initially pledging $1,000 for each of his eagles. After his first visit to St. Jude and experiencing first-hand the incredible courage of the many young patients there, he quickly increased his donation. Singh, who made 12 eagles last year, donated $50,000 for the 2007 season, a $38,000 donation above his commitment. This, along with donations from Stanford Financial Group and the Stanford St. Jude Championship, brought in a record $1.76 million for the hospital.
Singh increased his pledge to $5,000 per every eagle carded during the 2008 season and then enlisted fellow Stanford Athlete Ambassador Camilo Villegas to join him in supporting the program. Not one to pass up a challenge, Villegas pledged to donate $3,000 this year for each of his eagles. When Stanford struck an endorsement deal with up- and-coming LPGA star Morgan Pressel, whose own life was affected by cancer when she lost her mother to the disease, she committed to donate $1,000 for each of her eagles.
Today, as he accepted the $2.57 million Eagles for St. Jude and Stanford St. Jude Championship donation, David L. McKee, Chief Operating Officer and interim CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising organization of St. Jude, said, “On behalf of our patients and their families, I want to thank Stanford Financial Group, FedEx and these wonderful golfers for this remarkable gift. Your compassion and support of our lifesaving work will make a lasting difference in the lives of our patients and children all over the world who know hope thanks to the research and care pioneered by St. Jude.”
Not surprisingly, as Singh, Villegas and Pressel gathered at St. Jude today, the three committed to continuing their support of Eagles for St. Jude during the 2009 PGA and LPGA seasons and discussed ways to get other professional golfers involved.
Singh said, “If every golfer spent just one minute with these remarkable kids, each and every one of them would commit to supporting Eagles for St. Jude. How could they not?”
Consider that a challenge, golfers.
Source: Stanford Financial Group; St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Travelers Championship Generates More Than $760,000 for Charity
The Travelers Championship, Connecticut’s PGA TOUR event, announced that the 2008 tournament generated more than $760,000 for charity and produced millions in economic development for the region. The charitable contributions will benefit more than 120 charities throughout the state of Connecticut and represent an increase of more than 15 percent over the tournament’s 2007 donation.
“As title sponsor, Travelers is proud to lead an event that has the resources to positively impact so many people and organizations in our community through financial contributions and increased awareness of these charities,” said Andy Bessette, executive vice president and chief administrative officer of Travelers. “We are pleased to have delivered a successful event for Connecticut again this year, and we look forward to growing the tournament and ultimately its charitable impact on the community each year.”
Primary beneficiaries of the $760,000 were the Travelers Championship co-charities, The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp and the Greater Hartford Jaycees. In addition, more than 120 Connecticut charitable organizations benefited from the event through a variety of fundraising programs and donations.
“We are immensely grateful for our partnership with the Travelers Championship. This donation provides vital support to The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, enabling us to offer children facing serious illness the chance to build self-esteem and restore joy,” said Ray Lamontagne, chairman of The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp. “In addition, through this event, we have been provided excellent media opportunities to increase awareness of the Camp’s remarkable programming.”
Located in Ashford, Conn., The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp is a residential summer camp and year-round center designed to serve children and families coping with cancer and other serious illnesses. At the Camp, youngsters with diagnoses including cancer, sickle cell anemia, HIV/AIDS and hemophilia have the time of their lives, while participating in boating, crafts, swimming, performing arts and more. The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp offers additional programs in the off-season for campers, their families and healthcare professionals. The Camp serves 15,000 children annually, all free of charge. In the words of one young camper, “I love it here. Sometimes you think being sick gives you limits, but the Camp helps you try anything.”
The Greater Hartford Jaycees is a membership organization for 21 – 41 year olds with a mission of leadership development through community service. Members of the Greater Hartford Jaycees are regularly seen in the community building playgrounds, delivering Thanksgiving turkeys to those in need, distributing Easter baskets to underprivileged children and facilitating youth leadership programs for high school students. In addition, the Greater Hartford Jaycees annually distributes thousands of dollars in scholarships and grants throughout the region.
“The Greater Hartford Jaycees is grateful to the thousands of fans, sponsors and volunteers who were part of the 2008 Travelers Championship, all of whom played a direct role in generating this donation,” said Joseph Pompei, president of the Greater Hartford Jaycees. “Through our involvement with the Travelers Championship, members of the Jaycees are able to develop leadership skills by organizing volunteers. With this donation, the organization will positively impact the community through scholarships for young people, grants for various charitable organizations and important community programming, such as Thanksgiving food baskets for those in need.”
More than 120 additional Connecticut charities were beneficiaries of the 2008 Travelers Championship through thousands of dollars raised in the Birdies for Charity pledge-based fundraiser and the Chip In for Charity ticket sales fundraiser. Additionally, the Travelers Championship made contributions to the World Golf Hall of Fame, as well as numerous product donations to regional fundraisers.
New this year, Haggett Longobardi, A Division of J.H. Cohn partnered in the tournament’s charitable giving mission as presenting sponsor of Birdies for Charity, by supporting administration of the program and generously providing a bonus fund for the charities that raised the most money.
“Haggett Longobardi, A Division of J.H. Cohn is proud to be a partner in this important community event. The Travelers Championship’s mission of giving back to Connecticut is complementary to our firm’s values, and we were pleased to find a way that we could support so many charities in our community,” said Frank Longobardi, managing partner. “Our Firm is committed to supporting Birdies for Charity by providing all administrative support and Birdies Bonus Bucks again in 2009. We urge all Connecticut nonprofits to explore this program and hope to see the funds raised continue to grow each year.”
This year’s donation included the tournament’s most successful Birdies for Charity campaign since the program was launched in 2004. The 2008 tournament included more than double the amount of charities participating in the program as compared to 2007.
“The program was so easy. In our first year participating in Birdies for Charity, we raised more than $11,000, plus we earned an additional $2,500 bonus. The funds we raised are going to help us provide our students with updated software needed so each child may continue to improve academically and socially,” said Sally McClure, director of development for the Intensive Education Academy.
Planning is well underway for the 2009 Travelers Championship, which will be held June 22 – 28, 2009 at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn. In addition to generating major charitable contributions, the tournament is a noteworthy economic driver for the state of Connecticut, annually attracting more than 220,000 fans and featuring four days of national television broadcast. Hosting an event of this magnitude results in extensive utilization of area hotels, airports and transportation providers; increased spending in local restaurants and stores; and significant operational expenses invested with a variety of local business to build the Travelers Championship site.
“Based on our investment in the local economy and the funds we raised for charity, the Travelers Championship is truly an event that Connecticut residents can be proud to have in their community. We are grateful for the many companies who supported us as sponsors and the thousands of fans who witnessed the tournament, making it possible for us to generate more then $760,000 for charity,” said Travelers Championship Tournament Director Nathan Grube. “We look forward to another successful tournament in 2009, and encourage everyone to consider how they can play a role in this event. Be it a new charity participating in a tournament fundraiser, new sponsors utilizing the tournament to grow their business, or fans and volunteers coming out to be part of the excitement, this event is truly a community partnership and offers a role for everyone to be involved.
Travelers Championship
The Travelers Championship will be held June 22 – 28, 2009, at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn. As the only PGA TOUR event in the Northeast in early summer, the Travelers Championship is one of the region’s premier sporting events. Primary beneficiaries of the Travelers Championship are The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, serving children facing serious illness, and the Greater Hartford Jaycees, a leadership development and community service organization. The event is sponsored by Travelers, a leading provider of property casualty insurance for home, auto and business. Travelers has been doing business in the community for nearly a century and a half, and today has more than 6,000 employees in the Greater Hartford area. The Official Property Casualty Insurer of the PGA TOUR, Travelers has been a sponsor of this event each year since its inception in 1952, becoming title sponsor in 2007. Complete details are available on www.TravelersChampionship.com.