New video series and jersey fundraiser spotlight the communities and workforce behind North Dakota’s coal industry ahead of Friday’s rivalry games in Beulah and Turtle Lake
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – September 16, 2026
Bismarck, N.D. — The Lignite Energy Council today announced it has outfitted all four teams competing in this year’s Coal Bowl and Coal Classic Showdown with brand-new uniforms, and is auctioning a signed jersey from each team to benefit that school’s football program, as part of a week-long campaign celebrating two of North Dakota’s coal country football rivalries.
The Coal Bowl, a rivalry between Hazen and Beulah that dates back nearly 50 years, and the Coal Classic Showdown, a second-year rivalry between Central McLean and Southern McLean, both kick off Friday, September 18, at 7 p.m. Central Time. The Coal Bowl will be played in Beulah; the Coal Classic Showdown in Turtle Lake.
Both matchups are rooted in communities built around North Dakota’s lignite coal industry, home to several coal mines and coal-fueled power plants. The winner of the Coal Bowl takes home a traveling trophy carved from coal and engraved with the winning team’s name, and can claim the phrase “We Got Coal” until the two teams meet again. The Coal Classic Showdown, now in its second year, pairs players from several McLean County communities into two combined rosters, Central McLean and Southern McLean, competing for a trophy shaped like a football field and sponsored by Rainbow Energy Center.
Ahead of kickoff, the Lignite Energy Council produced a series of short videos for both matchups, including 5-, 10-, and 15-second teasers, a 30-second hype video, and a mini-documentary featuring local voices on what the coal industry means to their communities. Retha Mattern, Executive Director of Public Engagement for the Lignite Energy Council, collaborated with Mark Pierce of Faces of North Dakota Coal on the concept for the series, and the group is helping promote the videos and jersey auction as they roll out on Facebook and Instagram pages throughout the week.
The Lignite Energy Council also purchased new uniforms for all four teams playing in this year’s games. To mark the 2026 season, one jersey from each team, numbered “26” and signed by the entire roster, is being auctioned online, with every dollar raised going directly back into that school’s football program. Bidding is open at zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/
“Coal has powered North Dakota for generations, and it’s powered these two rivalries for just as long,” said Jonathan Fortner, President and CEO of the Lignite Energy Council. “The Coal Bowl and the Coal Classic Showdown are about more than football. They reflect the pride and the work ethic these communities have built around this industry, and we wanted to celebrate that in a bigger way this year, while giving something back to the programs that make it possible.”
“These are the communities that keep the lights on across our state,” said Retha Mattern, Executive Director of Public Engagement for the Lignite Energy Council, who led the campaign. “We wanted to give people a reason to celebrate that, whether it’s watching the videos, bidding on a jersey, or just showing up on Friday night.”
The Lignite Energy Council encourages members of the media and public to attend either game Friday night, follow the video series on the Lignite Energy Council’s and Faces of North Dakota Coal’s Facebook and Instagram pages throughout the week, and place a bid on one of the four signed jerseys before the auction closes.
About the Lignite Energy Council
The Lignite Energy Council, the voice for North Dakota’s coal industry, is a regional trade association representing lignite producers, electric utilities, and more than 150 businesses that supply goods and services to the mines and plants. The Council plays a vital role in supporting an industry that generates approximately $5.5 billion in gross business volume annually and contributes $100 million in state and local tax revenues. The lignite industry also facilitates 12,000 direct and indirect jobs across the state, strengthening North Dakota’s economy and energy landscape.