FRISCO – The Southland Conference announced today that long-term partner
Hercules Tires will donate $1 for every 3-point shot made during the 2022-23 men’s and women’s basketball conference regular-season, which will benefit league-wide student-athlete program to support mental health. Hercules Tires will present a donation check for the final total during the Jersey Mikes Southland Basketball Championships presented by LouisianaTravel.com in March at the Legacy Center in Lake Charles, La.
“We are excited to continue promoting mental health awareness as we partner with Hercules Tire for this initiative during our basketball season,” said Deputy Commissioner John Sullivan. “With the donation from Hercules Tire that will go back to mental health resources for our member institutions, as well as the stories from our student-athletes, coaches, and faculty, we hope to shine a light on an issue many individuals experience around the world.”
Hercules Tires has been a Southland corporate partner and the league’s “Official Tire Partner” since 2020, and its multi-year support of the conference has provided valuable resources to benefit all Southland student-athletes and their pursuit of excellence on campus, in competition and in life.
“At Hercules, we’re driven by our principles to lead by example with respect for all, in pursuit of excellence,” said
Josh Simpson, President of Hercules Tires. “That’s why this mental health initiative perfectly aligns with the values that guide our business. As a Southland partner, we’re proud to support programs that enhance the well-being of student-athletes, and it is our sincere hope that the outcome of our efforts, today, will positively impact these young men and women for years to come.”
In addition to the donation drive, Hercules Tires and the conference will showcase “Mental Health Moments” throughout the year to help increase awareness and provide ongoing guidance and support.
Van Wagner, the multi-media rights and sponsorship partner of the Southland Conference, facilitated the development and execution of this partnership.
ABOUT HERCULES TIRE (www.herculestire.com)
Hercules Tires is one of three distinct brands owned by Hercules Tire and Rubber Company. The brand is widely recognized as the industry's premier value brand with a comprehensive selection of passenger, UHP, UTV, light truck, medium truck, agriculture, and specialty tires.. Since 1952, independent tire dealers and distributors have trusted the Hercules brand to deliver outstanding quality, exceptional support, and unsurpassed value. The Hercules Tires brand is available at more than 4000 retail locations across North America.
Hercules Tire and Rubber company is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Tire Distributors, Inc. American Tire Distributors is one of the largest independent suppliers of tires in the North American replacement tire market. The company offers an unsurpassed breadth and depth of inventory, frequent delivery and value-added services via more than 115 distribution centers to approximately 80,000 customers across the U.S. and Canada.
ABOUT THE SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE
Founded in Dallas in 1963 and now in its 60th competitive season, the Southland Conference celebrates the academic and competitive achievements of its member institutions and their student-athletes. Based in Frisco, Texas, the league now includes 10 members in Louisiana and Texas and sponsors 19 NCAA Division I sports, with NCAA Championships automatic berths in 13 applicable team sports. The Southland Conference has won numerous national championships, including the 2021 NCAA Division I FCS title, and wins regularly in other sports in NCAA postseason play, including the 2021 Division I Men's Basketball Championship. The Conference also features a newly expanded agreement with ESPN Networks, broadcasting hundreds of competitions each year, and is represented in the national corporate sales marketplace by Van Wagner Sports and Entertainment. The Southland has also served as the host conference for the successful NCAA Division I FCS Championship Game in Frisco since 2011.
ABOUT VAN WAGNER (www.vanwagner.com)
Van Wagner, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Van Wagner Group LLC, creates, advises, and sells on behalf of world-class teams, leagues, brands, properties, and colleges. An innovator in the sports and media business, Van Wagner is a global leader in high-impact broadcast visible signage throughout the MLB, NBA, NCAA, and the highest levels of international soccer, sponsorships sales, premium ticketing, college multi-media rights, and in-venue content production at the world’s biggest sporting events.