By Marty Gordon
NRVsports@ourvalley.org
The Big South Conference announced Tuesday that new corporate partner First Citizens Bank will donate $1 for every 3-point shot made during the 2020-21 men’s and women’s basketball regular-season and conference championships, which will benefit league-wide student-athlete diversity, inclusion and equity programming.
Through games of January 18, the amount donated is $1, and First Citizens Bank will present a donation check for the final total at the conclusion of the women’s basketball championship on March 14.
The Big South’s multi-year partnership with North Carolina-based First Citizens Bank was announced on Dec. 9 when First Citizens was introduced as the “Official Bank and Wealth Management Partner” of the conference. As a conference partner, First Citizens will work alongside the Big South to provide valuable resources to benefit all Big South student-athletes and their pursuit of excellence on campus, in competition and in life.
“While our partnership with First Citizens Bank is in its infancy, we are already seeing tremendous results through this promotion for supporting some of the Big South’s most important core values: diversity, equity and inclusion,” said Big South Commissioner Kyle Kallander. “We are so grateful for First Citizens Bank’s support for these important initiatives and the benefits Big South student-athletes will realize because of it.”
“We’re pleased to sponsor this three-point donation drive as part of our partnership with the Big South Conference,” said Barbara Thompson, Director of Brand Management, Marketing and Corporate Communications for First Citizens. “First Citizens Bank places a priority on inclusion, equity and diversity, which is essential to everyone’s success. That’s why we’re glad to join and support the Big South’s initiatives in these areas. It’s another reason to cheer on the student-athletes through the end of the season.”
Also, the Big South Conference has announced the return of the annual Big South Sweepstakes, presented by Hercules Tires, Pepsi and Sunbelt Rentals. One lucky fan will receive a prize package at the conclusion of the conference basketball championships.
Eleven finalists will be randomly-selected on February 15, and each will receive an exclusive prize package. At the championships, one of the finalists will be awarded the grand prize of a set of Hercules Tires, two mini-helmets autographed by a professional football player and a new Apple Watch 6.
To determine the grand-prize winner, each of the 11 Big South Conference men’s basketball teams competing for the conference championship will be randomly assigned to represent one of the 11 finalists. The grand-prize winner will be the finalist paired with the Big South institution that wins the nationally televised 2021 Men’s Basketball Championship game on Sunday, March 7.
The Rail Yard Dawgs, Roanoke’s minor league hockey team, are now selling season tickets to new accounts and are accepting seating change requests from existing season accounts.
As in the past, the team will require a $100 non-refundable deposit to reserve seats and a parking pass. Season-ticket holders from the 2019-2020 season will have their seats and parking passes reserved without a deposit until June 1, 2021. If no deposit is received before this deadline, seats and parking passes will be released and will not guaranteed in the future.
Season tickets start at $330 for adults and $275 for children. Payments can be made monthly through Oct. 15, 2021.
New half-season ticket sales and requests for seating changes will begin Feb. 1, 2021.
Corporate partner seats are reserved until their renewal meetings.
