Mobile to Host First Mobile Bay Gridiron Challenge

Mobile will play host to the first-ever Mobile Bay Gridiron Challenge Presented by the Mobile Sports Authority and the Mobile Leadership Series on Saturday, August 27, 2016 at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. The season-opening event for high school football will feature four out-of-town teams with some of the nation's top talent competing. 

Saturday's line-up starts with a 1 p.m. battle between Amos P. Godby High School of Tallahassee, Florida and Thompson High School of Alabaster, Alabama.  As a point of interest, Thompson is coached by former Spanish Fort High School coach, Mark Freeman, who won two 5A Alabama state football championships while at Spanish Fort. The second game of the day, which kicks off at 6 p.m., will feature Paul W. Bryant High School of Tuscaloosa, Alabama as they take on Tampa, Florida's Henry B. Plant High School.

"We're very excited to be co-hosting, with the Mobile Leadership Series, four fine high school football programs in our first Mobile Bay Gridiron Challenge. Our hope is that we can grow this event over the next few years to include both local and out-of-town teams as we continue to see the popularity of high school football soar," said Danny Corte of the Mobile Sports Authority. 

Mark Erwin, Mobile Leadership Series Executive Committee Member, added, "The Mobile Leadership Series is excited to be part of launching this event and our hope is that it grows into the premier high school football season kickoff showcase.  We want to show the coaches, players, and fans traveling from the participating schools a wonderful time in our city.  We are fortunate that schedules allowed the four great teams we have lined up this year to play and our plan for the future is to add additional games to include some local teams matched up with notable programs from around the southeast.  We are grateful for our partnership with the Mobile Sports Authority, the Mobile County Marketing Fund Board, and our corporate sponsors who are helping make this a reality for Mobile."

For more information, or to reserve your tickets to this first-time event, please visit www.mobileleadershipseries.com.

About the Mobile Leadership Series: The Mobile Leadership Series recognizes that strong families and strong education are critical to the community and seeks to highlight these critical needs by inviting to Mobile high profile speakers to inspire, motivate, and challenge our local business and civic leaders to look within and without for opportunities to improve area families and schools.  For more information, call 251.661.1649 or visit www.mobileleadershipseries.com.

About The Mobile Sports Authority: The Mobile Sports Authority (MSA) is a non-profit sports commission formed in 2008 by the Mobile County Commission. The main mission is to create a positive economic and public relations impact for Mobile County, the City of Mobile, and the region through attracting, hosting, managing and supporting sporting events. MSA is the main point of contact for sports and sports-related activities for the Mobile County area. For more information on MSA, please visit www.mobilesportsauthority.com.