AMERICAN CENTURY CHAMPIONSHIP

July 12, 2025

John Stark

Gary Quinn

Jerry Bendel

Erik Schneberger

Edgewood Tahoe

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We have a special press conference that we'd like to do right now. I'd like to introduce our special guests up in front. This is about the Tim Wakefield Award. I think those who were here last year, we're going to give you a little recap on what happened.

But left to right, Mr. Gary Quinn, VP of programming and general manager, owned properties for NBC Sports.

Next to him, Erik Schneberger, chief marketing officer, American Century Investments. I think you've seen Erik up here a couple times this week.

John Stark, director of park and recreations, city of South Lake Tahoe.

And Mr. Jerry Bendel, South Tahoe Recreation & Aquatic Center.

Gary, last year we had a moving tribute and an award in the memory of Tim and Stacy Wakefield.

GARY QUINN: Thank you, my boss, Jon Miller, is here today. He doesn't usually get to attend this, so I'm really happy he's here. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him. He founded this event in 1990.

I want to thank all of you. I see so many familiar faces and all the work you do to amplify the tournament during event week. We really appreciate it.

This is probably my favorite moment of the week in that this community has meant so much to us. Jon and I talk about always the building blocks of success and not taking things for granted, but the community has embraced us since day one. And it's very important for us to reciprocate.

We want to try to make the event a part of the fabric of the community in every step that we take. This came to be just because Tim and Stacy, and I know Erik feels the same way, were just truly wonderful people. Tim played here for 11 years.

If you went up to everybody who plays in event, they would say how great he was. He was always so quick to give back. He and Stacy through so much through the Red Sox foundation that they have. Down in Florida, they have another charitable initiative.

Two years ago I was going up to my room to go to bed. And I saw Tim sitting there at the bar by himself. I went up to him and you could see the strain in his face because he knew Stacy was very ill. He was talking about Trevor and Brianna and how concerned he was for them, not knowing at the time that he had a brain tumor.

We were really floored to learn a few months later, when Tim passed. And so it's an easy decision for us to figure out a way to celebrate their legacy, to honor their legacy because they were so philanthropic. And, as I said, to give back to the community and keep their main and their memory alive through this community center that John and Jerry are working on, it's special to us.

This guy next to me here (referring to Erik), he comes from a company that's so philanthropic. He can speak to that. We wouldn't be here without the community and without American Century over the last 27 years.

We look forward to doing this as long as we can. If we can help -- it's funny, after this was announced last year, I had multiple locals come up to me saying how great this is because in the wintertime they really don't have a lot of places to go and work out and exercise and stuff. It was really nice to see it was so well received when it was first announced. We look forward to continue to doing it as long as we can.

Q. Erik, we talked the last couple of days about the different initiatives that American Century Investments is involved in. Here's just another one, working cooperatively with NBC to make this a donation from the tournament as we move forward. Tell us some of the things as far as the different initiatives that ACI is involved with this week?

ERIK SCHNEBERGER: I want to start and echo your comments, Gary. NBC has been such a wonderful partner over these last 27 years. This tournament embodies the charitable-giving aspect.

South Lake Tahoe as well, great partners, very gracious to have us here.

Tim and Stacy, honestly, embody this tournament. They exemplified charitable giving and giving back all the time throughout their whole lives. Just to be able to honor them with this ongoing award is very special for us at American Century Investments. And I know, Gary, very special to you.

I had an opportunity for a very short period of time to meet Tim and Stacy. I just can't tell you how wonderful they are, were, and how deeply integrated they were into this tournament and for American Century Investments.

It's just great that we're able to do this for the South Lake Tahoe community.

Q. Erik, I think you're being a little modest. I know we talked before, but as far as American Century's outlook and what they do. Tell us a bit about the profit scenario and how much that goes to the Stowers Institute, too.

ERIK SCHNEBERGER: So the Stowers Institute for Medical Research is our controlling owner at American Century Investments. So 40 percent of our profits go to find cures for cancer and other gene-based diseases.

And in this case, in particular, with Tim and Stacy, my hope is that one day we're able to discover cures to prevent this from ever happening again and find ways to honor Tim and Stacy. And others that have those same afflictions will be with us and remain with us because the cures that the Stowers Institute can find.

GARY QUINN: One more thing, Erik, we work with their team on the charitable prize pool that we have after the event. And they're great in that we can also look to help local service organizations and buy tangible things.

It's not just donating money. We want to try to get targeted for these service organizations and buy tangible things to help.

Again, we're not here without this community. And we're always going to reciprocate.

Q. John, provide an update about the project. What's going on, where it is today and when are we cutting that ribbon?

JOHN STARK: First, for the city of South Lake Tahoe, I want to express our thanks to NBC Sports and American Century for this donation. It means a lot to us. The new recreation & aquatics center will be a new fantastic asset for the community.

Here in South Lake Tahoe, wintertime can be half the year, so having a facility for our youth, for our seniors, for the community as a whole to come and exercise and stay fit together is just so important.

So the new recreation & aquatic center is set to open in 2026. Construction well underway. The project is looking to be on track right now. We're just so excited to get people inside the new building.

It's going to have two full-length basketball courts, an elevated running track, a lazy river and activities pool, and a lap swim pool.

And in South Lake Tahoe, we love baseball. One of the things we heard from community members is we need a place to keep playing during the winter months. So we've added batting cages to our gym. This donation is going to help to support the purchase of pitching machines and some of the things that go along with that. Just a really perfect fit for us. Want to say thanks so much.

GARY QUINN: Just make sure the pitching machines throw knuckleballs.

Q. Jerry, you're the money. You're part of the foundation. Tell us how people can help out.

JERRY BENDEL: Echoing what John said. We're so thrilled to have you guys and the support. It's beyond words.

I'm the chair of the South Tahoe Parks Foundation, a nonprofit that's associated with providing funding not only for some of the equipment, as John said, some of the batting cages as well as some other FF&E, but we're doing scholarships for those in need of and want to get annual passes to our new recreation center that might not have the financial means to do that. So a lot of what we donate goes towards that as well. So it's really a community-based approach.

As far as donations go, we have a bricks wall that is about half full right now and you can donate to that wall, which is right out front of the rec center.

That's going to really be a nice community-based approach to fundraising. We also have naming rights for all of the rooms that are in the new facility. Obviously those are a little higher on the price, but they go a long way towards getting us to our goal.

Q. As far as memorializing Tim and Stacy, I think there's been talk about naming something under their name. Is that right, on the wall outside?

JERRY BENDEL: Absolutely. On the wall outside in front and the plaque with the pitching machines with the knuckleball.