Throughout the 2019 Monster Energy Supercross season, the “This Shirt Saves Lives” movement started by Ryan Dungey through his partnership with St. Jude, along with Feld Entertainment, the parent company for Supercross, grew too new levels thanks to several season long activations.
From an online auction of memorabilia, text messages to donate and shirts that brought awareness to the movement, “This Shirt Saves Lives” made a huge difference. A $200,000 difference.
Starting with the launch party in Minneapolis which kicked off the #THISSHIRTSAVESLIVES movement, to a tour of St. Jude in Memphis, an inaugural namesake race in Nashville, and an online auction that raised $201,564 to support the St. Jude mission: Finding cures. Saving children, you made a difference as fans.
More than 100 members of the Supercross community participated in the THIS SHIRT SAVES LIVES movement raising $121,800 and garnering more than 40 million media impressions across both social and traditional channels.
Over 30 Supercross athletes, including champions Ryan Dungey and Jason Anderson participated in a private hospital tour in Memphis and then attended a special St. Jude patient and family reception that included hanging out with the kids and playing Monster Energy Supercross – the Official Video Game while also providing instruction for those brave enough to jump on the Supercross Virtual Reality Experience (SXVR). The athletes signed autographs, gave of their time and left the patient families with bags of swag, a welcomed reprieve and smiles to last a lifetime.
“The Supercross community united in record numbers this season to stand behind Ryan Dungey in the fight to end childhood cancer,” said Richard Shadyac Jr., President and CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. “We are proud to name Ryan as the St. Jude Ambassador of the Year. His selfless commitment to the hospital inspired an army of supporters who are helping to ensure families never receive a bill from St. Jude for anything – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live.”
The inaugural race for St. Jude in Nashville provided the backdrop for fans to see their favorite athletes competing in customized gear or on bikes sporting specially-produced graphics inspired by St. Jude patient artwork. The multi-week online auction created a frenzied two days of bidding wars in the final hours where 345 auction-goers made bids on 240 individualized pieces creating 120 winners while raising an impressive $79,764 in total.
Prior to the final round of Monster Energy Supercross at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, it was announced at the pre-race press conference that Ryan Dungey was named the 2019 St. Jude Ambassador of the year. Dungey is the first Supercross athlete to receive this distinguished honor, which puts him in great company with other celebrity ambassadors, including NFL Hall of Fame member Michael Strahan to country music superstar Jake Owen and mega-celebrity Jennifer Aniston.
Dungey has raised over $1 million for St. Jude since 2012 through his incredible efforts with his hometown cycling event – the St. Jude Ride & 5K Run and from the support of his fellow riders and Supercross fans who participate in the THIS SHIRT SAVES LIVES movement.