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Rumble in Paradise will bring benefits to V.I.
Dec. 8, 2003 – Senator Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg expressed his deepest gratitude Monday to all those that made the "Rumble in Paradise" possible.
"I feel truly blessed and proud to have been a part of what will be remembered as a historical event in the Virgin Islands," Donastorg said. "This was the first professional sports broadcast from the Virgin Islands and, hopefully, there will be many more events to come. We have shown the world that it can be done."
Donastorg, who has long advocated bringing sporting events to the Territory, sponsored the legislation that appropriated funding for Government sponsorship of Rumble in Paradise and was instrumental in its organization.
"I would like to thank my colleagues for sharing this vision, as well as the Governor and the Tourism Department, the University of the Virgin Islands, Sterling Promotions, Sugar Ray Boxing, the local sponsors, the fans, the media and all the people at ESPN," Donastorg said. "I think this event has proven that the Virgin Islands can host world class events – we have the facilities, we have the professional support and we have the desire."
The senator noted that the EPSN broadcasters took special care to discuss the history of the Virgin Islands, to display footage of its natural beauty and to mention athletes from the territory.
"The publicity we got out of this was invaluable and far exceeds the cost we expended," Donastorg said. "The timing couldn't have been better as Northeastern viewers got to see our sunshine and beaches on the eve of the season's first major snowstorm. It was a great advertisement for the Virgin Islands."
It costs more than $150,000 for an average 30-second on network television with cable television commanding more than $50,000 for a 30-second spot. ESPN and ESPN2 reach over 80 million American households and Friday night's event was broadcast for two hours in prime time.
But Donastorg said he believes the impact of the Rumble in Paradise will go far beyond this year's tourist season.
"This is something the territory can permanently put on its resume, so to speak," Donastorg said. "We can go after other major events and conventions and point to this as a solid success for many years to come."
