The562.org is pleased to announce our latest school-specific sponsor. Wilson alum and Cleveland Brown Pro Bowler Joel Bitonio has stepped up to sponsor all of The562’s coverage of Wilson High School from now through the 2022-23 school year.
Bitonio played football, basketball, and competed in track and field while a student at Wilson, and said his experience there was why he wanted to help make sure that the562’s coverage continues.
“When I was in high school everyone wanted to wake up the day after a game and see that article or video,” said Bitonio. “I’m happy to help make sure Mike and JJ and the rest of the 562 team can do that for the next generation of Long Beach kids.”
It’s a special sponsorship for the 562, coming from an athlete that we covered in our first years as sportswriters, and whose Pro Bowl NFL career we’ve enjoyed following season by season.
“I know Joel is one of Mike and JJ’s favorite Wilson athletes they’ve ever covered, and this means a lot to us as an organization to see a player from Long Beach give back to the kids this way,” said the562’s publisher, Andy Kerr. “We’re grateful to Joel and happy to be able to keep up with our mission of providing a spotlight for the kids in this city.”
Wilson has an unparalleled sports tradition and has been nationally-recognized for its prowess in turning out Olympians in a variety of sports. Nobody covers the Bruins more than the 562, as we’ve posted almost 2,000 articles, videos, and photo galleries of Wilson teams in our four years of existence.
Joel Bitonio is the latest sponsor to help to support The562’s award-winning local sports coverage. Previous sponsors include Naples Car Wash sponsoring Long Beach State volleyball coverage, P2S, Inc sponsoring our Dirtbags coverage, Bryson Financial sponsoring this year’s cross country coverage and Aqualand sponsoring water polo.
As a non-profit news outlet, The562 depends on reader support and sponsorships in order to cover the Long Beach community. If you’re interested in sponsoring The562’s coverage, or coverage of a specific school or sport, email Tyler@The562.org or visit our Support page to get involved. Any donation made to The562 is fully tax-deductible.
