Monthly Archives: December 2010

MILITARY DONATIONS STREAM IN THROUGH MILITARYBOWL.ORG

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Military Bowl officials announced Tuesday that Maryland has sold out its ticket allotment and East Carolina has just 500 tickets remaining heading into bowl week. Both teams were given 10,000 tickets to sell to their respective fan bases. The excitement is building as both teams prepare to play in the Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman on December 29 at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. Kickoff is 2:30 p.m. ET (ESPN).

“Maryland and ECU supporters have come out in force,” said Steve Beck, executive director of the Military Bowl. “With a limited number of seats left, we encourage people to purchase tickets now. Taking the family to the Military Bowl is a great holiday gift.”

In addition to fan support, local residents have shown their true holiday spirit through MilitaryBowl.org, the bowl’s official site. Since November, the site has raised more than $20,000 in donations toward the purchase of bowl game tickets for military members and their families. A sizable portion of this donation has come from Northrop Grumman employees. Donations are still being accepted.

“We are grateful for the generosity that has been exhibited through this special program that gives back to our brave military members,” continued Beck. “The Military Bowl celebrates our troops, and these funds will be used to ensure they enjoy an entertaining event during the holidays.”

Fans can also enjoy a full lineup of bowl week activities. Festivities begin with the Military Bowl Battle of the Bands presented by Marriott on Freedom Plaza from 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on December 27, and continue with the Military Bowl Official Tailgate Party at the DC Armory on game day from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., before culminating with The After Party at the DC Armory from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. after the game.

Tickets to all events can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling 800-551-SEAT. Tickets also can be purchased or picked up at the RFK Stadium box office December 27 – 29 or at the DC Armory Will Call trailer on December 29 (Armory events only). Group orders can be purchased by calling (202) 785-BOWL (2695).

Additional information on the Military Bowl and bowl week events can be found at www.MilitaryBowl.org or by calling (202) 785-BOWL.

Homefront Heroes, an original web series and online community aimed at documenting the recovery and bravery of America’s wounded warriors, their families, and those who support them, will premiere online at HomefrontHeroes.com at 7 p.m. on December 21, 2010.

Filmed around the country, each “webisode” of Homefront Heroes will tell a story of resiliency and inspiration as the viewer learns what an American wounded service members and their families goes through when they come home to battle a different war after being injured.

“Homefront Heroes tells the amazing stories of our wounded warriors, their families, and the people who are helping them recover to chase their dreams,” said Michael Allen, co-creator and producer of Homefront Heroes. “The goal of Homefront Heroes is to share as broadly as possible these extraordinary stories of hope as a wounded warrior takes his or her life back after being wounded in defense of our nation.”

Created by Michael Allen and Brad Keller, Homefront Heroes is supported by the USO, Military.com, and American Airlines, the official airline of the USO. The first season of Homefront Heroes will include webisodes about the USO’s Operation Enduring Care, UCLA’s Operation Mend, and Hope for the Warriors – organizations dedicated to providing assistance to wounded warriors and their families.

“It is the USO’s hope that all Americans join together to support our wounded warriors and their families to create a network of care that extends from the point of injury on the battlefield to communities here at home,” said Sloan Gibson, president of the USO. “Homefront Heroes shows each of us how we can do more to help our troops and their families.”

“American Airlines has a long-standing commitment to support our veterans, troops, and their families,” said Art Torno, vice president, New York for American. “It is a privilege to present Homefront Heroes, which gives a voice to the wounded warrior community as well as those who help them rebuild their lives.”

Homefront Heroes’ first episode “I Don’t Have One Regret,” airs December 21, and highlights retired Army Sergeant Rick Yarosh, who was seriously burned in an IED explosion while serving in Iraq.

“The entire UCLA medical community is honored to be able to help these courageous young men and women. For a plastic surgeon to have this extraordinary opportunity to give back to those who have given so much, is truly a privilege,” said Dr. Timothy A. Miller, surgical director of UCLA’s Operation Mend Program, featured in webisode 2 of Homefront Heroes, entitled “Reconstructing Lives Though Reconstructive Surgery.”

“This is a fantastic project that not only showcases the enormous sacrifices and heroism of our wounded warriors, but also that of their families,” said T McCreary, president of Military.com. “Military.com is proud and honored to be able to work with Homefront Heroes, American Airlines, and the USO on such a worthy endeavor.”

To watch the trailer for Homefront Heroes or to submit a story of support, please visit www.HomefrontHeroes.com.

D.C.’s bowl week experience enhanced to include “Military Bowl Battle of the Bands” on Freedom Plaza and “The After Party” at the DC Armory

WASHINGTON, D.C. – D.C.’s bowl week experience keeps getting bigger and better. Growing into one of the mid-atlantic region’s premier and most anticipated college football events, the Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman brings the excitement of the bowl season to the nation’s capital and a spirit of celebration to the region.

The Military Bowl announced today that this year’s bowl week activities will be expanded to include the Military Bowl Battle of the Bands presented by Marriott on Freedom Plaza on December 27 and The After Party at the DC Armory on December 29. These events join the Military Bowl Official Tailgate Party and the Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman as official bowl week activities. In this year’s game, Maryland meets East Carolina on December 29 at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. Kickoff is 2:34 p.m. ET (ESPN).

“Our goal is to grow the bowl week experience each year and these new events build upon the success of last year’s sold-out Official Tailgate Party,” said Steve Beck, executive director of the Military Bowl. “Bowl Week is intended to be affordable, family fun, culminating with a competitive match-up at RFK Stadium and an after party that puts the stamp on a fun-filled week in our nation’s capital.”

The week opens up with each team arriving to its respective hotel, starting with Maryland this Wednesday, and followed by East Carolina on Friday. Alumni, football fans and residents are invited to greet each team and dish out a dose of D.C. hospitality and school spirit as the players, coaches and administrators arrive.

School spirit will be in abundant supply during the first Military Bowl Battle of the Bands presented by Marriott on Freedom Plaza from 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on December 27. The school bands from Maryland and East Carolina will go head-to-head in a friendly competition off the field. The event is free and open to the public.

All signs point to game day, and this year’s schedule will not disappoint. The popular Military Bowl Official Tailgate Party, at the DC Armory from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., features an all-you-can-eat menu, tasting stations by popular D.C. restaurants, $2 beer specials featuring Miller Lite, cheerleaders from the participating schools, music from DJ Chris Styles and a performance by the Reagan Years, one of the premier 80’s tribute bands on the east coast.

In partnership with the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington Education Foundation (RAMW-EF), the tasting stations will feature selections from Clyde’s, Café Saint-Ex, J. Paul’s, Old Glory, Tony & Joe’s, Nicks Riverside Grill, Rocklands, The Front Page and Brasserie Beck. The all-you-can-eat menu includes chili, hot dogs, hamburgers, sausages and kielbasas. Advance tickets for the Tailgate Party are $20. Kids age 3 and under are free.

The Maryland and East Carolina football teams will meet for the first time in the third annual Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman at RFK Stadium. The Terrapins (8-4, 5-3 ACC) will appear in their seventh bowl game in 10 years while the Pirates (6-6, 5-3 C-USA) will make a school-record fifth consecutive bowl appearance, their seventh since 2000. Game tickets are $25, $55 and $90. Ticket packages and group discounts for 10 or more are available.

The culmination of the week’s events is The After Party, a celebration of football and the participating schools and a final opportunity for attendees to show camaraderie in the spirit of bowl week. The After Party will be held at the DC Armory from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.

In addition to food and drink, attendees to The After Party will enjoy the sounds of nationally renowned rock band Sick Puppies, whose recent song “Maybe” is climbing the charts, Scythian, a regional rock band whose high-energy, adrenaline-pumping brand of music is a local favorite, and DJ Chris Styles.

Tickets to The After Party are $10 in advance. Kids age 3 and under are free. The first 100 ticket buyers will receive a free ticket to ShamrockFest, to be held on the RFK Stadium festival grounds on March 12, 2011.

“The Stadium-Armory campus will be buzzing on game day with the two events at the DC Armory and the bowl game at RFK Stadium,” said Erik A. Moses, managing director of the WCSA’s Sports, Entertainment and Special Events Division. “The bowl experience is taking hold in our region as evidenced by the growth and excitement around bowl week the past two years.”

Tickets to all events can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling 800-551-SEAT. Tickets also can be purchased or picked up at the RFK Stadium box office December 27 – 29 or at the DC Armory Will Call trailer on December 29 (Armory events only). Group orders can be purchased by calling (202) 785-BOWL (2695).

The Military Bowl was launched in 2008 as the EagleBank Bowl and was recently re-branded with new title sponsor Northrop Grumman and the USO as charitable partner. Northrop Grumman, which announced earlier this year its plan to relocate its corporate offices from Los Angeles to Falls Church, Va. is a global security company specializing in aerospace, electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services. A nonprofit, congressionally chartered, private organization, the USO relies on the generosity of individuals, organizations and corporations to support its activities and is most widely known for supporting the troops in the field during times of conflict.

Additional information on the Military Bowl and bowl week events can be found at www.MilitaryBowl.org or by calling 202-785-BOWL (2695).

2010 MILITARY BOWL PRESENTED BY NORTHROP GRUMMAN
PUBLIC ACTIVITIES

5:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
“The After Party” at the DC Armory
Close out the perfect bowl week experience with friends and fellow football fans at the ultimate game day after party. The sounds of Sick Puppies, Scythian and DJ Chris Styles will keep the party going long after the final buzzer. Advance tickets are $10. Kids age 3 and under are FREE. First 100 ticket buyers get a FREE ShamrockFest ticket.

Tickets to all events can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster locations, by calling 800-551-SEAT, at the RFK Stadium box office December 27-29 or the DC Armory will call trailer December 29 (Armory Events only).

About the Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman
The Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman has been held in Washington, D.C.’s historic RFK Stadium since 2008 and for the initial two years was entitled the EagleBank Bowl. Organized by the DC Bowl Committee, Inc. and the Washington Convention and Sports Authority, the Military Bowl serves as a premier regional event benefitting the USO. With first-rate participants and events, the Military Bowl seeks to generate broad support for the USO, positively impact the regional economy, honor the U.S. military and solidify the nation’s capital as a leading college football destination. For more information, please visit www.MilitaryBowl.org.