NFL Ticket Exchange by Ticketmaster Launches for Super Bowl XLIV

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Building on the record success of its regular-season and post-season sales, the National Football League (NFL) and Ticketmaster are taking the NFL Ticket Exchange to South Florida for Super Bowl XLIV.

“The Super Bowl is one of the biggest sporting events of the year and for thousands of football fans from around the world, it’s the game they’ve always dreamed of attending”

Powered by Ticketmaster, the Official Ticket Exchange of the NFL provides fans with the ability to buy and sell tickets for Super Bowl XLIV through a convenient and secure, league-approved marketplace with the exclusive ability to electronically validate every ticket sold. Fans can access the NFL Ticket Exchange online at NFL.com/TicketExchange or by calling 888-635-5944.

Additionally, the NFL and Ticketmaster are providing football fans added convenience and security with two authorized NFL Ticket Exchange retail locations in South Florida. During Super Bowl week, a walk-up retail location for the NFL Ticket Exchange will be open in the Essex House Hotel, 1001 Collins Ave., in South Beach; and on game day, the NFL Ticket Exchange will operate for the very first time from an authorized location at Sun Life Stadium, giving fans the unprecedented opportunity to buy and sell guaranteed authentic Super Bowl tickets at the stadium up until kickoff.

“We are pleased to be able to offer our fans this safe and reliable service for the Super Bowl and, for the first time on game day, at the stadium,” said Neil Glat, the NFL’s Senior Vice President of Corporate Development. “The Super Bowl is unlike any other live entertainment event and we’re looking forward to working with Ticketmaster to offer this valued service to fans.”

“The Super Bowl is one of the biggest sporting events of the year and for thousands of football fans from around the world, it’s the game they’ve always dreamed of attending,” said Greg Consiglio, Ticketmaster’s Executive Vice President of Business Development. “We want to make sure that every fan who wants to experience this celebrated event has the opportunity to purchase guaranteed authentic tickets from a 100% secure marketplace, which is why we’re bringing the NFL Ticket Exchange to South Florida.”

Super Bowl XLIV will be played on February 7, 2010, at Sun Life Stadium in South Florida.

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Gladiators to wear Atlanta Knights Themed Jerseys during “Pink in the Rink” Weekend Feb 12th thru 14th

The Gwinnett Gladiators 3rd Annual “Pink in the Rink” weekend dedicated to cancer research fundraising is scheduled for February 12th, 13th and 14th at the Arena at Gwinnett Center. The general public is invited to attend with tickets starting at just $10 for either of the three days. In addition, the Gladiators will wear a special one-of-a-kind commemorative throwback-style jerseys honoring the Atlanta Knights for all three games during the weekend.

For the third consecutive season, the Gladiators will skate on pink ice at the Arena at Gwinnett Center for all three games of the “Pink in the Rink” weekend. The pink-tinted ice surface is a tradition started during the Gladiators inaugural “Pink in the Rink” weekend in 2008 when the main focus was women’s cancer research.

In conjunction with the event, the players don special limited-edition jerseys featuring an exclusive one-time design. For the 3-games this season, the specialty-themed jerseys will honor the Atlanta Knights. The Gladiators will pay tribute to the Knights - the team played in the International Hockey League from 1992 thru 1995 winning an IHL Turner Cup League championship in 1994. The unique Knights style jersey creates a memorable and limited collectible keepsake of the weekend as they will be auctioned off as part of the "Pink in the Rink" fundraising efforts following Sunday's game. During the team's first six seasons, the annual jersey auction has raised an average of $34,000 for local area charities.

The Gladiators are looking to top last year’s mark of $53,000 raised during "Pink in the Rink" over two games. This season, the Gladiators will partner with the American Cancer Society and Sport of Giving as recipients of a majority of the money raised during the weekend. Fundraising efforts during "Pink in the Rink" that will benefit all involved organizations include funds raised from the sale of fundraising tickets to the Gladiators games during the weekend, multiple silent auctions at the games, selected "Pink in the Rink" merchandise, raffles and a portion of the proceeds from the Gladiators specialty-themed Jersey auction.

Over $140,000 has been raised during "Pink in the Rink" Weekend in the first two years of the fundraiser. Fans who wish to participate and support the cause can make a donation at the Georgia Lottery Fan Information Booth located on the main lobby of the Arena at Gwinnett Center of either of the three games of "Pink in the Rink".

The Gladiators continue their 7th season in the ECHL on Saturday, January 23rd @ Florida at 7:30 p.m. The Gladiators are the AA affiliate of the Atlanta Thrashers and Columbus Blue Jackets and play all home games at the 11,355-seat Arena at Gwinnett Center, located just off I-85 on Sugarloaf Parkway in Duluth.
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NFL Donates More Than $2 Million for Red Cross Disaster Response in Haiti

/PRNewswire/ -- The National Football League (NFL) and the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) are donating $500,000 to the American Red Cross to aid victims of the earthquake in Haiti. The NFL and its network partners will run pregame and in-game messages during the weekend's playoff games valued at $1.5 million to promote donations. In addition, NFL owners and players are making their own personal donations.

A national PSA will air during each playoff game this weekend promoting donations to the Red Cross via www.redcross.org. The PSA will feature New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma and San Diego Chargers defensive end Jacques Cesaire, two players with Haitian-born parents.

There will be in-stadium video board and PA messages, in all four stadiums hosting games this weekend, promoting the Red Cross text-to-give program. The Minnesota Vikings will have a collection drive at their stadium gates for this weekend's game and they will run an in-game PSA featuring running back Adrian Peterson.

"The generous contribution of the NFL and the NFLPA is critical to the ability of the American Red Cross to provide help and hope for the people of Haiti during their time of need," said Gail McGovern, president and CEO of the American Red Cross. "We are rushing supplies and disaster management staff to Haiti in the aftermath of this earthquake, and are very grateful the support of the NFL and the NFLPA for our humanitarian mission."

The American Red Cross is on the ground in Port-au-Prince, along with Red Cross teams from around the world. Among these Red Cross representatives are engineers, surgeons and family linking specialists. These teams will establish field hospitals, restore water and sanitation systems, distribute supplies and restore family links facilities. In addition, the Red Cross is performing triage, first aid, addressing urgent needs and mobilizing a massive response operation in Haiti. A base camp has been secured near the airport with warehousing facilities for relief supply staging.

The Red Cross continues to see an outpouring of support and concern from the public. People who want to help those affected by the Haitian earthquake can make a donation via RedCross.org or by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS.

The Red Cross is also receiving money through a third party mobile fundraising effort sponsored by Mobile Accord. Mobile donors can text "Haiti" to 90999 to send a ten dollar donation to the Red Cross. The funds will go to support the Red Cross relief efforts in Haiti.

At this time, what the Red Cross needs most are financial contributions - whether by check, online or by phone. Things like clothes are not helpful right now because there is nowhere to store them, no one to sort them, and it would be difficult to transport the items to Haiti. One good way to turn clothes into cash is to have a garage sale and then donate the money to the relief efforts.

About the NFL-NFLPA Disaster Relief Fund

Created in 2001 to assist organizations directly and indirectly affected by the events of September 11, the NFL-NFLPA Disaster Relief Fund is a collaborative endeavor of the National Football League and the NFL Players Association. Its goal is to improve the quality of life and help rebuild communities affected by large-scale tragedies. Since its inception, the NFL-NFLPA Disaster Relief Fund has provided aid to those affected by the events of September 11, 2001, the 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia, Hurricane Katrina and the 2007 San Diego Wildfires.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization -- not a government agency -- and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org/.

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Cheerleading Safety Leaders Merge to Strengthen Safety Message and Expand Reach

/PRNewswire/ -- The leading organizations for cheerleading safety education and training have merged. The American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators (AACCA) and the National Council for Spirit Safety Education (NCSSE) are pleased to announce the merger effective Jan. 12.

There are more than 70,000 cheerleading coaches across the United States working with youth, junior high, high school, all star and college cheerleaders. The shared mission of these two nonprofits is to provide educational resources and training opportunities to these coaches, as well as school administrators, coaches and the cheerleaders themselves.

AACCA, founded in 1988, has had successful safety partnerships with the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the National Federation of State High School Associations and is widely recognized as a safety education and rule making body. AACCA has developed safety rules for all levels of cheerleading, developed the AACCA Safety Certification Course and has recently made the course available online.

"We've made great strides in addressing safety issues, and this merger puts us in a better position to continue addressing those concerns," says Jim Lord, Executive Director of AACCA. "It's very exciting to think of the effect we can have on safety by combining our expertise and resources. Together, we will be able to continue development of safety initiatives and educational programs that will directly benefit cheerleaders and their parents, coaches and administrators at every level, from youth to college, school to all star."

The NCSSE has successfully developed a comprehensive coaches' educational series incorporating teaching principles, strategies and techniques. Internationally, the NCSSE has established a strong foothold in the United Kingdom and has developed partnerships with established organizations in nine other countries.

Debbie Bracewell, Executive Director of NCSSE, is enthusiastic about the potential impact of the merger, both domestically and abroad. "This move strengthens and enhances our mission of providing comprehensive safety training and certification programs for the continued development of cheer and dance team coaches. We can better serve the cheerleading community here in the United States as well as globally, where cheerleading is growing steadily."

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Governor Perdue Places Friendly Independence Bowl Wager with Governor Rick Perry

Governor Sonny Perdue placed a friendly wager with Texas Governor Rick Perry over the outcome of today’s Independence Bowl game between the University of Georgia Bulldogs and Texas A&M University Aggies.

“In 2007, Governor Perry graciously flew the Georgia flag at the Texas Capitol after the Warner Robins Little Leaguers defeated Texas for the U.S. championship in route to their World Series title,” said Governor Perdue. “Now in the Christmas Season Governor Perry is seeking to redeem himself with another wager. However, I am confident that Coach Richt and the Bulldogs will deliver for Georgia and the Atlanta Community Food Bank.”

In the spirit of friendly competition both Governors agreed to wager food supplies for a local food pantry. When Georgia defeats Texas A&M, Governor Perdue will donate the winnings to the Atlanta Community Food Bank.

Governor Perry however had a different take on the outcome of tonight’s game.

“Georgia has a tremendous football program, but they’re going to find out the hard way just why Texas is the center of the football universe,” Gov. Perry said. “As an Aggie myself, you might say I’m biased, but I’ve seen this team grow each week under Coach Sherman, and I know the Aggies will take home a victory and send the Bulldogs back home to Georgia.”

The Atlanta Community Food Bank is located at 732 Joseph E. Lowery Blvd., NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30318. Donations can also be made online at www.acfb.org.

"We are grateful to Governor Perdue, not only for his confidence in our Georgia Bulldogs, but in the his gesture to support our work of helping those most in need,” said Bill Bolling, Executive Director of the Atlanta Community Food Bank. “We consider this a win-win situation and want to thank both governors for making this a wager that works for everyone."

The Independence Bowl takes place in Shreveport, La. This year’s game begins at 5 p.m. EDT.
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Georgia Tech Athletic Department Launches First Mobile App

/PRNewswire/ -- Marking its first foray into the mobile arena, Georgia Tech's Athletic Department released today a free mobile app covering football and men's and women's basketball. Produced in-house by Georgia Tech sports information and marketing staff using Whoop's web-based Creative Studio (www.whoop.com), Georgia Tech's rich media mobile app is designed to work on many different mobile phones, offering up-to-the-minute live updates of games, news feeds, team and player statistics, schedules, audio and video highlights, and links to ticket sales. There's also direct access to Athletic Director Dan Radakovich's "The Good Word" blog.

"Like many college athletic departments, Georgia Tech has been bombarded with pitches from mobile web site builders and iPhone app developers," said Wayne Hogan, associate athletic director for public relations. "Because of its limitations, a mobile web site wasn't our first priority and building just an iPhone app didn't make sense strategically because it would have excluded many of our students, alumni, fans and media who carry other mobile devices, like Blackberry or Windows Mobile phones. So when we saw Whoop's do-it-yourself mobile platform in action, which lets us build and control our own mobile channel and reach all different types of phones, we jumped at the opportunity."

"As one of the world's premier institutes of higher learning and a perennial sports leader in the ACC with rabidly passionate football and basketball fans, Georgia Tech is an ideal client for us," said Jeff Wilson, EVP of sales and marketing of Whoop. "With this new mobile app, Tech fans will be able to stay engaged with their teams wherever and whenever they want. It's like having their own personal college sports channel on their mobile phone."

Georgia Tech's mobile app was built in the Whoop Creative Studio, a web-based platform that's as easy to use as PowerPoint. In opening up mobile app creation to non-developers, Whoop makes it simple for schools, companies, agencies and organizations to produce and publish their own mobile channels, quickly and affordably.

To download the Georgia Tech mobile app, text the word "Jackets" to 53000 and follow the instructions. Standard messaging rates apply.

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Special Olympics Georgia Receives $80,000 Grant From the UPS Foundation

/PRNewswire/ -- Special Olympics Georgia received an $80,000 grant from The UPS Foundation, the charitable arm of UPS (NYSE:UPS) . The grant will be used to support the year-round program of training and competition in 23 Olympic-type sports for individuals with intellectual disabilities throughout Georgia. Special Olympics Georgia (SOGA) offers five State Games each year and over 500 local (county) meets, tournaments and competitions and offers opportunities for thousands of volunteers. This grant from UPS will enable SOGA to continue to offer programming to almost 23,000 athletes at no cost to the individual or their family!

Georgia Milton-Sheats, Chief Executive Officer of Special Olympics Georgia, said, "Special Olympics Georgia is thrilled to be the recipient of a grant from The UPS Foundation. We admire the high energy and high level of enthusiasm the UPS volunteers show at all Special Olympics events and the athletes love it to! We are thankful to have a strong working partnership with UPS and value our relationship and everything that UPS does to support the 22,769 children and adults involved in Special Olympics Georgia."

Established in 1951 and based in Atlanta, GA, The UPS Foundation identified specific areas where its backing clearly impacts social issues. In support of this strategic approach, The UPS Foundation has identified the following focus areas for giving: non-profit effectiveness, economic & global literacy, encouraging diversity, community safety and environmental sustainability.

In 2008, The UPS Foundation distributed $46.9 million worldwide through grants that benefit organizations such as Special Olympics Georgia and provide support for building stronger communities.

"The UPS Foundation is committed to funding impactful programs that make a meaningful difference in our communities - so we are proud to support Special Olympics Georgia's efforts," said Ken Sternad, President of The UPS Foundation.

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