Palm Beach Gardens, FL (PRWEB) April 12, 2006 -- Entertainment & Sports International (ESI) is pleased to announce an expanded itinerary for the third year of the successful Principal Family Fun Fest -- the world's largest traveling fan festival celebrating minor league baseball.
The free, family-oriented event will visit 50 minor league ball teams across the United States with more than 51 separate events. The tour kicks off with the Clearwater Threshers in Clearwater, Fla., on April 6.
The 2006 tour will include several new attractions and will return with improved versions of fan favorites. The Xbox Home Run Derby arcade trailer has been completely redesigned with the addition of Xbox 360 video game system and high definition screens provided by tour marketing partner Best Buy. Also this year, in addition to the latest baseball video game from Microsoft, the trailer will feature Kameo and Project Gotham Racing, two exciting new titles for the Xbox 360, which was the hottest new video game system of the 2005 holiday season.
Also new for 2006 is the "Rookie Zone", a separate area on the Midway dedicated to kids 7 and under and featuring attractions specially designed for little sluggers.
The fan favorite "Speed Pitch" attraction has been expanded to include regulation pitcher's mounds, professional radar guns and safety fencing to create the "Family Fun Fest Bull Pen" where would-be hurlers can test their skills in a real pro environment.
LIFE Magazine has joined the tour for 2006 with what is certain to be a fan favorite. Future stars will have the opportunity to have their photo appear on a souvenir LIFE Magazine cover joining such baseball legends as Joe DiMaggio and Roy Campanella. The LIFE display will also include an exhibit of classic LIFE covers and photographs from the 1920's to today including baseball luminaries as well as rare photos of Presidents Truman, Eisenhower and Kennedy on opening day, Jackie Robinson's debut in the big leagues and even a picture of gangster Al Capone getting an autograph at a Chicago ball game.
Another new addition for 2006 is a visit to the National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum in Cooperstown, N.Y., on May 15 for the Hall of Fame Day Game celebration. In 2005, the Baseball Hall of Fame produced a video presentation for use in the tour's Traveling Museum and the visit is a continuation of the relationship. The Hall of Fame has also produced a special video presentation for the 2006 tour.
ESI is also pleased to announce that title sponsor, the Principal Financial Group has renewed its sponsorship through 2009. "We've hit a home run with this sponsorship. The teams love it, the communities love it and our clients and employees love it. So we decided to go for a triple play and extend this sponsorship through 2009," said Dan Houston, senior vice president, The Principal Financial Group. "The Principal Family Fun Fest is a great way to bring wholesome, family-oriented entertainment to the communities where our clients and employees live."
A list of all cities scheduled for 2006 is attached. To learn more about the tour visit www.principal.com/funfest.
About Principal Financial Group
The Principal Financial Group (The Principal ®) is a leader in offering businesses, individuals and institutional clients a wide range of financial products and services, including retirement and investment services, life and health insurance and banking through its diverse family of financial services companies. A member of the Fortune 500, the Principal Financial Group has $195.2 billion in assets under management and serves some 15.6 million customers worldwide from offices in Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America and the United States. Principal Financial Group, Inc. is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol PFG. For more information, visit www.principal.com.
About Entertainment & Sports International
Entertainment & Sports International (ESI) is a partnership of two experienced sports and entertainment executives who have worked with some of the best-known entertainment brands of the past two decades. From offices in the New York area and West Palm Beach, Fla., the company creates and produces distinctive and proprietary sports and entertainment properties and events. www.esimarketing.com
2006 Principal Family Fun Fest Schedule
* Teams and locations new for 2006
4/6 Clearwater Threshers
4/8 Jupiter Hammerheads/Palm Beach Cardinals*
4/11 Savannah Sand Gnats
4/14 Columbus Catfish
4/16 Birmingham Barons
4/19 Mobile BayBears
4/21 Huntsville Stars*
4/23 Rome Braves
4/29 Carolina Mudcats*
5/5 Winston-Salem Warthogs
5/6 Durham Bulls
5/9 Harrisburg Senators*
5/12 Altoona Curve*
5/14 Reading Phillies*
5/16 Frederick Keys*
5/18 Wilmington Blue Rocks
5/19 Lakewood Blue Claws*
5/28 Syracuse Sky Chiefs
5/29 National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Cooperstown, NY*
6/2 Rochester Red Wings
6/4 Lake County Captains
6/9 Akron Aeros
6/13 Rockford Riverhawks*
6/16 Iowa Cubs
6/18 Cedar Rapids Kernels
6/20 Midwest League All-Star Game, Swing of the Quad Cities, Davenport
6/23 Joliet Jackhammers*
6/25 Beloit Snappers
6/29 South Bend Silver Hawks
7/3 Washington Wild Things*
7/7 Fort Wayne Wizards*
7/10-12 Triple-A All-Star Game Celebration, Toledo Mudhens*
7/16 Wisconsin Timber Rattlers*
7/20 Saint Paul Saints
7/22 Omaha Royals
7/26 Round Rock Express
7/28 Midland RockHounds
7/30 Tucson Sidewinders
8/1 San Diego Surf Dawgs*
8/10 Inland Empire 66ers*
8/13 Fresno Grizzlies*
8/16 Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
8/18 Las Vegas 51s
8/20 San Jose Giants
8/21 Modesto Nuts*
8/24 Spokane Indians*
8/29 Tacoma Rainiers*
9/1 Salt Lake Bees
9/3 Colorado Springs Sky Sox
Press Contact: Joe Owens
Company Name: ESI
Email: jowens@esimarketing.com
Phone: 561 799 9599
AndhraNews.net News for April 12, 2006
