Mississippi News
JSU football generates $30 million impact for Jackson
Jackson State football generates estimated $30 million impact for capital city
The financial impact of Jackson State University's hiring of football coach Deion Sanders — and his team's success — keeps rising.
Visit Jackson, the city's official marketing organization, calculated an economic impact of over $30 million dollars for the Tigers' 2021 fall football season. This is nearly double the sixteen million dollar impact of the 2019 season.
The number is attributed to a record-breaking Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) team average of 42,293 fans in attendance for the team's home games. More than 50,000 fans packed the stadium during last week's SWAC Championship game. Two weeks earlier, Jackson State's matchup with in-state rival Alcorn State drew more than 60,000 fans.
The clout brought in by Sanders' hiring and the team's successful season has provided a boon to the city and local businesses.
“I've had some good days and I've had some bad days but right now, we cannot keep enough of JSU apparel in supply,” Richard Shaw, a 1977 graduate of JSU and owner of Dynastics Screen Printing, told Sports Illustrated. “With Deion [Sanders] coming here, I wish I could keep up with everything. But, my business has doubled and I thank God for it.”
The Jackson State football team's fiscal impact on the city has been noted nationally.
“This program has to be, and is historically connected to the city,” C. Daryl Neely, a Jackson State graduate and donor, told the New York Times. “And when you get 60,000 people in the stands, that's when you know you're back to it being the program of the city.”
Over the nine days following the announcement of Sanders' hiring, the Tigers' athletic department's marketing and promotional value increased by an estimated $19 million, JSU communications and marketing representatives told the Clarion Ledger. That value has certainly gone up over JSU's successful season, where they won 11 games and their first SWAC championship since 2007.
Earlier this year, Sanders said that he hopes to expand the Tigers' success and leverage it to help the city.
”I wish we could get to the point where 53,000 (fans in attendance) is the expectation week in and week out, ” Sanders said. “That affects the economy, that affects so much. Hotels are all packed, restaurants all packed, the shopping plaza all packed. For the state and city makes so much more revenue. Now we can have a ‘say so' in where that's distributed. Now, our roads are paved much better. The inner-city is looking much better because of what we're bringing to the table… I just wish we can have consistency in these types of numbers, not just for Homecoming.”
This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Mississippi News
Starkville firefighters get creative with new training space
SUMMARY: Firefighters at Fire Station 2 in Starkville, Mississippi, have created a DIY training room in an underused storage space to improve their search and rescue skills. The space is set up with realistic obstacles and scenarios to help them prepare for different situations. The goal is to eventually build a larger-scale facility for more comprehensive training. The firefighters believe that continuous training is essential to ensure citizen safety and respond effectively in emergencies. By practicing in a realistic environment, they can improve their response time and better serve the community.
The post Starkville firefighters get creative with new training space appeared first on www.wcbi.com
Mississippi News
Changes how law enforcement handles mental illness
SUMMARY: Mississippi lawmakers passed House Bill 1640, limiting the time people can be held in jail awaiting mental health care. The law states that individuals awaiting civil commitment can only be held for 48 hours unless facing criminal charges. The aim is to provide timely mental health treatment rather than keeping individuals in jail. The law will go into effect on July 1. Clay County Sheriff Eddie Scott believes these changes are needed to address mental health issues in county jails. While it's a step in the right direction, more treatment facilities are needed to expedite the process and prevent unnecessary stays in jail.
The post Changes how law enforcement handles mental illness appeared first on www.wcbi.com
Mississippi News
SHS seniors take final stroll through elementary school halls
SUMMARY: The senior class at Starkville High School participated in an annual “Senior Walk” where they visited all schools in the district to see former teachers and receive well wishes from current students. They were cheered on by students as they walked through the halls, taking pictures along the way. This stop was at Henderson Ward Stewart, where students in grades two to four showed their support. The school's graduation is scheduled for May 24th. Follow for more news and updates on Facebook.
The post SHS seniors take final stroll through elementary school halls appeared first on www.wcbi.com
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