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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

Events happening this weekend in Mississippi: April 25-27

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www.wjtv.com – Kaitlin Howell – 2025-04-25 09:48:00

SUMMARY: This weekend in Mississippi (April 25-27) features a variety of events across Central and Pine Belt regions. Highlights include MiraGotSoul at Vibe Studio in Jackson, a community Dinner and Movie in Clinton, and the Natchez Kite Festival. Enjoy live performances with Sweet Lizzy Project in Natchez and the New Bourbon Street Jazz Band in Clinton. Family-friendly activities include the Native Plant Fest and Community Farmers Market in Jackson. In Hattiesburg, catch the Henry Cho tour and the Downtown Crawfish Jam Music Festival. Overall, it’s a weekend full of entertainment, culture, and fun activities for all ages.

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Mississippi News

Events happening this weekend in Mississippi: April 18-20

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www.wjtv.com – Kaitlin Howell – 2025-04-18 07:36:00

SUMMARY: This weekend (April 18-20), Mississippi offers a variety of events for all ages. In Jackson, enjoy Food Truck Friday, a jazz concert, free outdoor movie screenings, and multiple exhibitions including “Of Salt and Spirit” and “Hurricane Katrina: Mississippi Remembers.” For family fun, there’s an Easter Egg Hunt at the Ag Museum and “Bunnies & Butterflies” at MCM. Natchez features the Spring Pilgrimage, Lafayette’s 200th anniversary celebration, and a farmers market. In the Pine Belt, highlights include Live at Five, a Spring Candle-Making Workshop, and Easter events at the Hattiesburg Zoo. Don’t miss the Bluff City Block Party and more!

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Events happening this weekend in Mississippi: April 11-13

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www.wjtv.com – Kaitlin Howell – 2025-04-11 07:37:00

SUMMARY: This weekend in Mississippi (April 11-13), enjoy a variety of events across the state. Highlights include the Eudora Welty Birthday Bash in Jackson, Trivia Night at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, and Boots & Bling Fundraiser in Natchez. For family fun, check out the Bunny Bonanza in Jackson or the Easter Egg Hunt in Clinton. The Natchez Concours d’Elegance Car Show and Stranger Than Fiction Film Festival offer cultural experiences, while the 12th Annual Dragon Boat Regatta in Ridgeland and the Hub City Classic Car Show in Hattiesburg provide exciting activities for all ages.

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