Oct. 8, 2010

NORCROSS, Ga. - The Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC), which grew to sixteen member institutions on July 1, will add a new dimension in 2010, as the SSAC unveils its feature-based television show debuting on Wednesday, Oct. 20 on SportSouth at 6 p.m.

The "Southern States Showcase" will feature 18 thirty-minute weekly episodes on SportSouth (Fox regional sports network) reaching more than 10 million households. The show will air three times weekly across six southeastern states (Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee) beginning the week of Oct. 18. At least one of the weekly shows will also be run in the state of Louisiana each week.

The "Southern States Showcase", hosted each week by Jon Nelson and Maria Taylor, will focus on the uniqueness and accomplishments of student-athletes, coaches, and other SSAC constituents from what has become one of the NAIA’s stronger conferences. Other aspects of the show include sports highlights and features on the member institutions. The Showcase’s 18 episodes will run through the beginning of April, taking a five weeklong break during the December holiday season. The weekly airtimes are Wednesdays at 6:00 P.M., Fridays at 3:30 P.M. and Sundays at 11:00 A.M. (all Eastern Standard Times). The complete schedule is listed on the Conference’s website, SSACsports.com.

The SSAC is also announcing webcasts of twenty plus (20) SSAC league contests. These webcasts, produced by the SSAC league offices, with the guidance of PlayOn! Sports based out of Atlanta, Georgia, will utilize live audio and multi-camera production. A schedule of the events will be released later this month. Also available, through the assistance of PlayOn! Sports will be an archive that will allow those interested to gain access to any of the produced television shows and webcasts. These productions and the archive will be available at no charge to the viewers.

Commissioner Kurt Patberg has a successful history of producing similar television productions while working as the commissioner of several athletic conferences, stated, “There is no question that the production and airing of these events will be great exposure to the SSAC and its 16 member institutions. As important, is that these media opportunities expose the great character, uniqueness, and talent level of the student-athletes within the SSAC.”

The SSAC Showcase is made possible in large part due to the support of the conference’s “Primary and Founding” sponsors; Mississippi Gulf Coast, Musco Lighting, National Management Resources Corporation, and OnePath Systems. The SSAC is working in conjunction with Complete Game Broadcasting, based out of Atlanta for the production of these 18 shows. The SSAC is also partnering with Complete Game Broadcasting and The Connecticut School of Broadcasting to utilize and showcase local talent in the production and development of these shows.

Please visit www.ssacsports.com for more information or contact Commissioner Kurt Patberg at 404-434-5146.