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JSU football generates $30 million impact for Jackson

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Jackson State football generates estimated $30 million impact for capital city

by Will Stribling, Mississippi Today
December 10, 2021

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

Ole Miss women get pair of double-doubles and roll to 83-65 March Madness win over Ball State

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www.wjtv.com – The Associated Press – 2025-03-22 09:03:00

SUMMARY: Mississippi coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin found solace in returning to a different arena in Waco, Texas, following a disappointing previous tournament experience. The No. 5 seed Ole Miss Rebels redeemed themselves with an 83-65 victory over 12th-seeded Ball State in the NCAA Tournament’s first round. Starr Jacobs led the Rebels with 18 points and 11 rebounds, while Kennedy Todd-Williams and Madison Scott each scored 15 points. Ole Miss dominated rebounding, leading 52-32, and will face fourth-seeded Baylor next. Coach McPhee-McCuin noted the team’s evolution since their last visit and the significance of playing in Texas, where Jacobs feels at home.

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Mississippi News

Events happening this weekend in Mississippi: March 21-23

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www.wjtv.com – Kaitlin Howell – 2025-03-21 08:59:00

SUMMARY: This weekend (March 21-23), Mississippi offers a range of exciting events. Highlights include Hal’s Marching MALfunction Second Line Stomp and Jessie Robinson’s blues performance in Jackson, as well as the Natchez Food & Wine Festival and the Natchez Little Theatre’s production of *This Side of Crazy*. There are also numerous exhibitions like *Of Salt and Spirit: Black Quilters in the American South* in Jackson and *Gold in the Hills* in Vicksburg. Other events include the 48th Annual Crawfish Classic Tennis Tournament in Hattiesburg, karaoke nights in Laurel, and a variety of family-friendly activities across the state.

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Mississippi News

Events happening this weekend in Mississippi: March 14-16

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www.wjtv.com – Kaitlin Howell – 2025-03-14 07:26:00

SUMMARY: This weekend (March 14-16) in Mississippi offers a variety of events. In Jackson, iconic saxophonist Boney James performs at the convention center, while the JXN Food & Wine festival showcases culinary talents. The LeFleur Museum District hosts a “Week of Wonder,” and several exhibitions, including “Of Salt and Spirit,” celebrate Black quilters. Natchez features the Spring Pilgrimage tours, a reenactment of Annie Stewart’s story, and a St. Patrick’s Day celebration. In Hattiesburg, comedian Rob Schneider performs, and various events like a St. Patrick’s Day pub crawl and a talent show will take place throughout the area.

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