White Sox conveniently change 46 game times to 7:11 p.m.

CHICAGO -- The White Sox will start weeknight home games at 7:11 p.m. as part of a sponsorship deal with the 7-Eleven convenience store chain.

White Sox spokesman Scott Reifert would not disclose the value of the three-year deal with the Dallas company Wednesday, but said the revenue probably will be reinvested in the team or ballpark.

The new 7:11 p.m. start time does not represent a drastic change since many weeknight games at U.S. Cellular Field currently start at 7:07 p.m., Reifert said.

"We're just talking about four minutes, so it's not much of an inconvenience for the fans," he said.

The White Sox played 55 weekday games at home this year, 46 of them at night.

Margaret Chabris, a 7-Eleven spokeswoman, said the deal is a chance to promote the company to fans, and will sometimes give out coupons and other promotional items. She said a recent study conducted by the company showed that many of its customers are sports fans.

The Chicago area was targeted for such a deal because of its high concentration of 7-Eleven stores, she said.

"Every time the media announces the game's start time it will be a gentle reminder of our sponsorship," Chabris said.