AMC Networks International

FSN Bay Area Celebrates 10th Anniversary Of The Stay In School Challenge

Since 1996 FSN Bay Area has Given Away Over 167,000
Athletics and Giants Tickets to Students with Perfect School Attendance

2005 Stay in School Challenge Kicks-Off February 14th – April 22nd

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – FSN Bay Area is proud to announce the ten-year anniversary of the Stay in School Challenge. The Stay in School Challenge is an incentive based program designed to reward students with perfect school attendance for 10 weeks. Since the program’s inception in 1996, FSN Bay Area has given away over 167,000 Athletics and Giants tickets to junior high school and high school students in Northern California and Northern Nevada. The announcement was made today by Jeff Krolik, Senior Vice President and General Manager of FSN Bay Area.

The way the challenge works is simple. This year, any student in grades 6-12 that sends a copy of their perfect attendance record (no unexcused absences) from February 14 – April 22 to FSN Bay Area wins a prize. For more information on the Stay In School Challenge, parents and students are encouraged to speak to their principals and superintendents and/or visit www.fsnbayarea.com.

Mail perfect attendance records to:

FSN Bay Area
ATTN: Stay in School Challenge
77 Geary Street, 5th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94108
or fax it to: 415/296-9198

Every student that qualifies is rewarded. Students in the East Bay win a limited edition Bobby Crosby baseball card, a FSN Bay Area visor and two free vouchers to any Oakland Athletics game (restrictions apply). In San Francisco, students receive a commemorative Kirk Rueter baseball card, a FSN Bay Area visor, as well as a chance to win two tickets to the Giants-Marlins game on July 24th at SBC Park.

“FSN Bay Area is committed to supporting youth and education in our community,” said Krolik. “We’re thrilled to offer the Stay in School Challenge for the tenth consecutive year. We hope that the Stay in School Challenge will reinforce the message that going to school is the best way to secure a successful future.”

School administrators, teachers, parents, and the students themselves enthusiastically praised the Stay in School Challenge. Many of them sent glowing letters of thanks to FSN Bay Area. Last year, one such letter was received from the Director of Development from Mater Dolorosa school and it stated in part, “I would like to thank you so very much for including us in your Stay in School Challenge… Thank you for going out of your way to order extra tickets for us. You don’t know how much I personally appreciate this extra effort. We look forward to next year’s Challenge.” The Student Services Facilitator from Salida Middle School thanked FSN Bay Area because, “…the whole community benefits when business and education work together to show our youth their importance.”

FSN Bay Area’s 2005 Stay in School Challenge is sponsored by the San Francisco Giants and KNBR Radio (San Francisco territory) and the Oakland Athletics, KFRC Radio and ANG Newspapers (East Bay territory).

Stay in School Challenge History:

In 1996 FSN Bay Area made a commitment, both to the community it serves and to educational institutions in the area, by creating an incentive program designed to reward students for perfect school attendance. Students who met these standards of academic excellence received free tickets to an Oakland Athletics or San Francisco Giants baseball game and other prizes. The Stay in School Challenge was developed in partnership with school principals and superintendents, who said their biggest challenge was reducing the significant level of absenteeism among their junior high school and high school students.

Since the program’s inception, FSN Bay Area has given away over 167,000 Athletics and Giants tickets. In 1997, FSN Bay Area was awarded a Beacon Award, which recognizes community outreach programs within the cable industry. Last year, the Stay in School Challenge rewarded over 13,520 students from 80 schools in Oakland Athletics territory, and reached an additional 5, 559 students from 38 San Francisco area schools.

FSN Bay Area reaches more than 3.6 million households in Northern California and Northern Nevada. FSN Bay Area’s programming includes Oakland Athletics and San Francisco Giants baseball, Golden State Warriors basketball, San Jose Sharks hockey, San Jose Earthquakes soccer, San Jose Stealth lacrosse, San Jose Saber Cats football, The Best Damn Sports Show Period, The Sports List, FSN Across America, and Beyond the Glory. FSN Bay Area is managed by Rainbow Sports Networks.

Rainbow Sports Networks is a division of Rainbow Media Holdings LLC, a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE:CVC). FSN reaches more than 81 million households nationwide and is a service of National Sports Partners, equally owned by Rainbow Media Holdings, Inc. and Fox Entertainment Group. Rainbow Sports Networks incorporates Rainbow’s 50% ownership of FSN and Fox Sports National Advertising and the ownership and management of FSN regional networks in five of the nation’s largest markets: Chicago, Florida, New England, Ohio and San Francisco.

Press Contacts

  • Jay dela Cruz
    415/296-8900
    jjdelacruz@fsnbayarea.com