Oct. 28, 2004 – Fox College Sports will nationally broadcast the Paradise Jam Basketball Tournament, featuring men's and women's NCAA Division I basketball games, according to Peter Sauer, University of the Virgin Islands athletic director.
"Elite teams, the beautiful University of the Virgin Islands Arena, a history of intense competition, a beautiful tropical location and enthusiastic and knowledgeable fans are the foundation that make this a excellent partnership" is how Fox's Max Casanova., director of programming, characterized the decision.
The men's championship game as well as the third-place game will be televised on Nov. 22. Potential teams include Arkansas, St. Louis, Eastern Michigan, Troy, Winthrop and Austin Peay.
Women's televised tournament action, slated for the Nov. 27 broadcast, will include Rutgers vs. Kentucky, and also the championship game between potential teams North Carolina State, Nebraska, Louisville and Hampton.
Since its inception five years ago, the Paradise Jam Tournament has been one of the premiere early season collegiate basketball tournaments in the nation, Sauer said. Tournament champions have never failed to earn berths to the NCAA post-season tournament, with several teams making it as far as the Final Four.
The 2004 Paradise Jam once again is full of talent and competition, and, with the partnership of Fox College Sports, fans from all over the nation can now watch great college basketball action from the Virgin Islands, Sauer said.
Fox College Sports covers 500 NCAA basketball match-ups each season, broadcasting to 40 million homes nationally.
"We are thrilled to announce the partnership with Fox College Sports. With a tournament as successful and competitive as Paradise Jam, it was time to secure a national broadcast partner," Sauer said, in a joint release with Nels Hawkinson, CEO of Basketball Travelers Inc., the organizer of Paradise Jam.
Fox joins other major local and national Paradise Jam tournament sponsors, including: Nike, Home Depot, Marriott Frenchman's Reef and Morning Star Resort, Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort, Atlantis Adventures and Avis.
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