NFL LEGENDS BLITZ BOWLING PINS FOR CHARITY AT FIFTH ANNUAL NFL SUPER BOWL CELEBRITY BOWLING CLASSIC

Four-Time Super Bowl Champion and “Dual-Sport” Hall of Famer Lynn Swann to Return as Event Host; Proceeds to Benefit the NFL’s Youth Education Town Initiative

MIAMI, FL, January 14, 2010 – For the fifth year in a row, more than 30 NFL legends will hit the lanes at the NFL Super Bowl Celebrity Bowling Classic, presented by NFL Charities and Strike Ten Entertainment (STE), the marketing arm of the bowling industry. Super Bowl legend, MVP of Super Bowl X and “dual-sport” Hall of Famer (both football and bowling), Lynn Swann, will return for a third straight year to serve as event host. This year’s event, which is open to the public, will be held at 7pm on Thursday, February 4 at SpareZ Lanes, located in Davie, FL, just minutes from Dolphin Stadium, the site of Super Bowl XLIV.

“I’m excited and honored to once again host a great Super Bowl tradition, the NFL Super Bowl Celebrity Bowling Classic.  I’m also feeling good about my bowling team’s chances of winning this year’s tournament trophy, the third time will be the charm in 2010,” said Swann. “What is particularly special about this event is that players and fans of all bowling skill levels get to play together, side-by-side, all in the name of a great cause.”

Proceeds from the tournament will help fund the NFL’s Youth Education Town (YET) initiative in South Florida. NFL Youth Education Towns (YETs) are education and recreation centers constructed in Super Bowl host cities that serve as a lasting legacy of each game. With each Super Bowl, the NFL donates $1 million towards YET development in an underserved area of that city. Presently, there are 15 YETs in 12 cities across the United States. As its legacy to the cities that host Super Bowls, the NFL establishes these learning and recreational centers.

Prior to the Celebrity Bowling Classic, the NFL greats will team with professional bowlers to lead a private bowling clinic for local South Florida elementary school children on Wednesday, February 3, from 11am to 1pm, also to be held at SpareZ Lanes (private clinic will be open to the media only).

“In addition to being an exceptionally fun time for our participants, this event helps to promote a wonderful cause and make a real difference, positively impacting the lives of thousands of local kids in the Super Bowl’s host city,” said Jim Sturm, president of STE and the Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America (BPAA).  “We’re so pleased to again, for a fifth straight year, have bowling be included as a premier event at the Super Bowl.  The continued success and popularity of the NFL Super Bowl Celebrity Bowling Classic speaks to both the surging popularity of our sport and the tremendous fundraising power of bowling.”

“Bowling and Lynn Swann have been great friends and partners to NFL Charities with this annual tournament, which has become a fixture at the Super Bowl and one of our most interactive fan and NFL player experiences,” said Tournament Director, Nick Nicolosi.  “We have an incredible line-up of former NFL greats playing in this year’s tournament, providing a rare opportunity for football lovers to get to know some of their favorite players while playing one of the best games in the world.”

Legendary NFL stars and Pro Football Hall of Fame members confirmed to participate in the Celebrity Bowling Classic include (subject to change): Hank Bauer, Marlin Briscoe, Keith Byars, Richard Dent, Parnell Dickinson, Marv Fleming, Charles Haley, Rodney Hampton, Reggie Haynes, Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson, Ted Hendricks,     Lamonte Hunley, Ricky Hunley, Roy Jefferson, Brian Kelley, Kent Kramer, Ron Kramer, Paul Krause, Bob Kuechenberg, Sean Landeta, Larry Little, Tom Mack, Randall McDaniel, Curtis McGriff, Chuck Mercein, Michael Merriweather, Bobby Mitchell, Tom Nowatzke, Billy Shaw, Lance Smith, Jan Stenerud, Jimmy Taylor, Roger Wehrli, Fred Williamson and Garo Yepremian.

The NFL Super Bowl Celebrity Bowling Classic is open to the public. Entry fees are a donation to NFL Charities of $300 per individual, $1,000 for teams (four bowlers).  Interested parties should contact Tournament Director Nick Nicolosi at (201) 489-0049 or at n.nicolosi@verizon.net.

About BPAA/STE
Headquartered in Arlington, Texas, the 77-year-old Bowling Proprietors' Association of America is a trade association representing the business interests of bowling center owners worldwide.  BPAA's mission is to enhance the profitability of its member bowling centers. As a division of BPAA, Strike Ten Entertainment is the marketing arm of the bowling industry. Strike Ten Entertainment’s mission is to increase the number of paid bowling games in bowling centers each year through promotions, publicity and industry-wide marketing initiatives.

About SpareZ Lanes
SpareZ Lanes is located at 5325 S. University Drive, Davie, FL 33328, (954) 434-9663, and online at www.sparezbowling.com and Twitter.


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