The New Orleans Saints and Easy Day Sports announced today that online registration for the 2019 SAINTS KICKOFF RUN 5K presented by Chevron is now open at http://saints5k.com. The eighth annual 5K (3.1 miles) race will take place on Saturday, September 7, two days before the Saints open the regular season on Monday night, hosting the Houston Texans. The SAINTS KICKOFF RUN 5K is an extremely popular event, with over 5,000 people participating annually. The beneficiaries of the Saints Kickoff Run 5K presented by Chevron will be the New Orleans Mission (NOM) and Young Leadership Council (YLC). New Orleans Mission is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) Christian Humanitarian organization dedicated to relieving human suffering. NOM combats poverty, hunger, homelessness, exploitation and oppression with the provision of food, clothing, shelter, medical care and other basic necessities of life. Young Leadership Council (YLC) is a 501(c)(3) New Orleans-based nonprofit organization that, through volunteer-led community projects, develops young professionals into leaders and positively impacts quality of life in the region.

The SAINTS KICKOFF RUN 5K begins at 7:30 am, with a half mile Kids Fun Run sponsored by Raising Cane's following at 9:30 am. Gumbo and Sir Saint, the club's mascots will be in attendance to cheer on runners. This year, the SAINTS KICKOFF RUN 5K will have a new and very noticeable change. SMG, the venue and facilities management company, established a policy that requires all events to prescreen their attendees prior to entering the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Since it is not practical to have runners race through metal detectors, it necessitated the need to change the route. Instead of finishing on the field, the race will now start on the field so all runners can go through security screening prior to the race starting.  Following the race, participants can enjoy live entertainment, products provided by Coca-Cola, Community Coffee and Gatorade, a beer garden and jambalaya in Champions Square. All participants will receive an official race shirt presented by Entergy and a finisher's medal.

"Once again in 2019, SAINTS KICKOFF RUN 5K presented by Chevron is an amazing opportunity for our fans to come together in a positive and healthy way, all while benefiting two deserving organizations in the New Orleans Mission and Young Leadership Council," said Saints Owner Gayle Benson. "We are proud to host this dynamic running experience that celebrates the start of the 2019 season and illustrates our team's commitment to the health and wellness of our fans."

Fans and local businesses will have the opportunity to compete for the event's Corporate Cup, which will be awarded to a group of participants that registers as a team and best shows its "Black and Gold" spirit by bringing the largest number of runners. Team members are encouraged to make an additional donation when they register to continue the giving tradition of the SAINTS KICKOFF RUN 5K.

The SAINTS KICKOFF RUN 5K presented by Chevron, now in its eighth year, has quickly evolved into a citywide tradition as fans welcome the start of the Saints' regular season. Runners take to the streets of New Orleans to celebrate football and engage in a healthy and positive charitable activity.

The half mile Kids Fun Run also finishes in Champions Square. This untimed fun run welcomes kids of all ages to enjoy a day of celebration and football while also making a positive choice to get moving and promote living an active lifestyle. Each participant will receive a Raising Cane's Jr. Achievement award and will be greeted by Jr. Gumbo at the finish line!

"The SAINTS KICKOFF RUN 5K is one of the NFL's most popular fan events and is part of Chevron's commitment to investing in the local community," said Chevron Gulf of Mexico Vice President Mark Hatfield. "By sponsoring the run, we're promoting healthy lifestyles among football fans of all ages, as well as supporting the Young Leadership Council and the New Orleans Mission. After Drew Brees' record-breaking year and an incredible performance by the team, we're looking forward to the run - and an exciting 2019 New Orleans Saints season."

"The Mercedes-Benz Superdome continues to implement enhanced security practices as required by the Department of Homeland Security and its Safety Act program. A critical component of the Safety Act is a screening process for everyone who enters the stadium; the same process as enacted at airports around the country," said SMG General Manager Alan Freeman. "A racecourse that is primarily outdoors but concludes with runners racing toward an indoor finish line is not compliant with DHS best practices. Consequently, it was determined that the Saints Kickoff Run 5K should begin inside the Superdome where everyone, runners included, could go through a screening process and then conclude outdoors at Champions Square."  

To register for the 2019 SAINTS KICKOFF RUN 5K or for more information visit **saints5k.com**.

About Easy Day Sports
Easy Day Sports is a boutique event production agency whose emphasis is creating memorable life experiences through premier, professionally managed endurance sports events. The company's name is deeply inspired by the Navy SEAL motto "The only easy day was yesterday." This is embodied through superior event production and a tireless commitment to excellence. Contact information for Easy Day Sports can be found at easydaysports.com.