Houston Super Bowl LI
Super Bowl LI brings much more than football to the Houston area.
Throughout the weeks preceding the game between the Atlanta Falcons and the New England Patriots, more than 30 charitable activities and community outreach events will enrich the community and provide lasting legacies.
Super Bowl Week activities include the announcement of the annual Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award presented by Nationwide winner, the first-ever live American Heart Association-NFL PLAY 60 Challenge Virtual Field Trip, a series of community projects made possible by millions of dollars in NFL Foundation Super Bowl Legacy Grants and the Super Bowl LI Host Committee and a number of youth character development events including an InSideOut Character Initiative Forum and the NFL’s Women’s Summit.
During the week, the NFL Verizon will host an Unsung Heroes luncheon for volunteers and employees at local domestic violence and sexual assault prevention organizations and shelters. The league is also working with local organizations on social issues including human trafficking, providing financial grants to address issues in the Houston area.
The following are just some of the ways the NFL and Super Bowl LI will positively impact the community.
National Football League
NFL EXPERIENCE DRIVEN BY GENESIS
NFL Experience Driven by Genesis – pro football’s interactive theme park – will return to Houston for the first time since Super Bowl XXXVII in 2004, this event offers fans a unique chance to get involved in the festivities surrounding Super Bowl LI, offering interactive games, youth football clinics, merchandise from NFL Shop presented by Visa, player autograph sessions and more.
Celebrating the history of the game and electrifying atmosphere of Super Bowl LI, NFL Experience Driven by Genesis at the George R. Brown Convention Center (1001 Avenida De Las Americas) will be open to the public Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 28 – 29 and again Wednesday-Sunday, Feb. 1 – 5.
The hub of Super Bowl fan activity, NFL Experience provides visitors of all ages an opportunity to experience the game like never before. Fans can test their football skills in interactive games, receive autographs from current stars and legends of the game, shop the latest NFL team and Super Bowl gear in the NFL’s largest retail space in the nation, and get a photo with the most prestigious trophy in sports, the Vince Lombardi Trophy. For more information and a complete schedule of events for NFL Experience Driven by Genesis visit www.SuperBowl.com and download the Super Bowl LI Houston – Fan Mobile Pass app.
Tickets for NFL Experience Driven by Genesis can be purchased online exclusively through www.Ticketmaster.com. Tickets are $35.00 for adults and $25.00 for children 12 and under, and permit entry for a particular day and time. An NFLXtra Fast Pass may be purchased for $55.00. Beginning Jan. 28, opening day of NFL Experience Driven by Genesis, fans can purchase tickets at NFL Experience Box Office located in the George R. Brown Convention Center. Tickets sold at NFL Experience box office will go on sale two hours before opening daily. For more information and to find out about special family packages available online only, visit www.SuperBowl.com. Tickets purchased online are subject to a Ticketmaster service charge.
On Thursday, Feb. 2 local high school students will receive a $5 discount at NFL Experience Driven by Genesis.
2017 NFL Experience Driven by Genesis Hours of Operation:
Saturday, Jan. 28: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 29: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 1: 3 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 2: 3 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 3: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 4: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Super Bowl Sunday (Feb. 5): 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
The complete schedule for NFL Experience Driven by Genesis, and other Super Bowl LI gameday and event information, will be posted onwww.SuperBowl.com and in the Super Bowl LI Houston – Fan Mobile Pass app. To download the app, visit the app store or www.NFL.com/SBApp. Fans are encouraged to follow @SuperBowl and tag their posts and photos using hashtag #SB51.
SUPER BOWL LIVE
Super Bowl LIVE is the Houston Super Bowl Host Committee’s nine-day fan festival leading up to Super Bowl LI in Houston. The festival, a free event with music, food, games and attractions, will be located in and around Discovery Green Park (1500 McKinney St.) in downtown Houston from Saturday, Jan. 28 through Saturday, Feb. 5.
The Host Committee has partnered with NASA to create Future Flight, the signature attraction of Super Bowl LIVE. Future Flight combines a virtual reality experience with a 90-foot drop tower that takes passengers on a trip to Mars and back, landing just in time for Super Bowl LI.
A series of concerts will take place on the Super Bowl LIVE main stage including Solange Knowles, Robert Glasper and Lizzo on Thursday, Feb. 2; Leon Bridges, Shakey Graves and Robert Ellis on Friday, Feb. 3; and ZZ Top, Gary Clark Jr. and The Suffers on Saturday, Feb. 4. Houston-based performers will also be on the main and secondary stage throughout the week, including bands The Tontons, Wild Moccasins, Los Skarnales, Nick Gaitan, Fat Tony, Buxton and many more.
In addition, the Host Committee has created two Super Bowl LIVE programming opportunities aimed at bringing local youth from different communities together. Touchdown Houston continues to bring the Super Bowl experience to local youth with inclusive and fun Play On activities.
Flag Football
The Houston Super Bowl Host Committee has invited local community youth football teams to experience the excitement of the Super Bowl by squaring off in flag football games. Participating teams hail from various parts of the city and will get their taste of the spotlight as they engage in friendly competition in Root Memorial Square before thousands of Super Bowl LIVE visitors. The games will include special half-time performances from the club cheerleading teams, local marching pep bands and dance teams. The flag football games will take place on Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 28-29 and Friday and Saturday, Feb. 3- 4 from 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Play LIVE with Playworks
The Houston Super Bowl Host Committee has partnered with Playworks to provide children and families from the Greater Houston area an hour of fun and games through football-themed activities, four-square, tag, and much more. School-age youth can participate in these activities which promote positive social values, higher self-esteem, and a healthy lifestyle during the play hour. Playworks is a national nonprofit organization that leverages the power of safe, fun and healthy play at school every day. To learn more about Playworks, go to www.playworks.org. The Play LIVE with Playworks will take placeSaturday, and Sunday, Jan. 28-29 and Friday and Saturday, Feb. 3-4 from 2-3 p.m.
Super Bowl LIVE Hours of Operation:
Saturday, Jan. 28 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 29 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Monday, Jan. 30 3 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 31 3 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 1 3 p.m. – 11 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 2 3 p.m. – 11 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 3 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 4 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Super Bowl Sunday (February 5) 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
For more information, contact Kevin Cooper at kcooper@housuperbowl.com or Chris Madigan at chrism@bzapr.com.
HOUSTON SUPER BOWL HOST COMMITTEE PROJECT 51
Project 51 encourages Houston high school students to get involved in their community by collectively pledging 51,000 hours of community service in the months preceding Super Bowl LI. Students and schools will be recognized for their community service by the Houston Super Bowl Host Committee and the NFL Youth & High School Football department. Project 51 supports the Host Committee’s Lead On initiative which encourages students to be active leaders in their schools and community. Those making a pledge could win tickets to Super Bowl Opening Night Fueled by Gatorade, a tour of NRG Stadium or a Meet and Greet with an NFL player.
The promotion period began at 12 p.m. ET on Friday, Dec. 23, 2016 and ends at 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Jan. 23. For official rules, please visitwww.houstoncommitteeproject51.com.
For more information, contact Allison Wright at allison@dpwpr.com or 619-316-1362.
NFL PLAY 60 CHARACTER CAMP
On Monday, Jan. 30 at 9 a.m., the NFL will host a free Character Camp on the field at NFL Experience Driven by Genesis at the George R. Brown Convention Center (1001 Avenida De Las Americas) before NFL Experience is open to the public. The event will include 300 predominantly-Hispanic youth from the Houston area. The non-contact football camp will be led by Pro Football Hall of Fame offensive tackle ANTHONY MUÑOZ.
The NFL PLAY 60 Character Camps program is a partnership between the NFL and the Muñoz Agency. The mission of the camps are to make a positive impact on youth through teaching football skills, emphasizing exercise, and reinforcing the importance of character in athletics and life. The camp is part of a series of NFL PLAY 60 Character Camps hosted as part of the NFL’s year-round Hispanic outreach initiative, focused on offering youth opportunities to play and experience the game of football. Since the inception of NFL PLAY 60 Character Camps in 2012, over 60 camps have been held impacting more than 20,000 youth across the country.
For more information, contact Darlene Capiro, NFL, at Darlene.Capiro@nfl.com.
NFL PLAY 60 CHALLENGE SCHOOL VISIT
The NFL and Houston Texans players will visit Frank Black Middle School (1575 Chantilly Ln.) on Monday, Jan. 30 at 1 p.m. to reward them for successfully completing the Super Bowl LI edition of the NFL PLAY 60 Challenge. The NFL PLAY 60 Challenge, developed in conjunction with the American Heart Association, is the primary in-school curriculum for NFL PLAY 60. Sixth-grade students at Frank Black Middle School successfully completed the NFL PLAY 60 Challenge, a Super Bowl program that taught students the importance of getting 60 minutes of daily physical activity. Frank Black Middle School will also receive a $2,500 NFL PLAY 60 grant from the NFL and American Heart Association to be used to support the school’s health and fitness education efforts.
More than 24,000 fourth, fifth, and sixth graders from Houston counties including Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, San Jacinto, Walker, and Waller registered for the Challenge in the months leading up to Super Bowl. The schools that successfully completed the Challenge are invited to NFL PLAY 60 Kids Day at NFL Experience Driven by Genesis, on Wednesday, Feb. 1 (description below).
For more information, contact Ana Blinder, NFL, at 212-450-2467 or ana.blinder@nfl.com.
NFL PLAY 60 CHALLENGE VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP
On Tuesday, Jan. 31 at 12:00 p.m. CT live from the NFL Experience Driven by Genesis at the George R. Brown Convention Center (1001 Avenida De Las Americas), the NFL and American Heart Association (AHA), working together with Discovery Education, will lead the first-ever AHA-NFL PLAY 60 Challenge Virtual Field Trip (VFT). The virtual class, featuring Houston Texans’ players WHITNEY MERCILUS and CHRISTIAN COVINGTON and AHA’sDR. MERCEDES CARNETHON, will be live-streamed in classrooms across the country, reaching thousands of students. In the VFT, students will learn the science behind cardio and strength exercises that NFL players use to stay fit. Mercilus and Covington will lead participating classrooms in quick physical activity sessions, after which students nationwide will have the opportunity to ask the VFT hosts live questions. The NFL PLAY 60 Challenge is designed to inspire youth to get the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity per day and help more schools become places that encourage physically active lifestyles year-round.
Registration for the VFT is free. To register your classroom or follow along at home, visit: http://www.aha-nflplay60challenge.org/field-trip.
For more information, contact Ana Blinder, ana.blinder@nfl.com.
SUPER BOWL LI INSIDEOUT CHARACTER INITIATIVE FORUM
The InSideOut Initiative recognizes the significant role coaches play in students’ lives, and aims to shift the current win-at-all-costs sports culture to one of a four-part process centering on Awareness, Alignment, Action and Accountability. The initiative focuses on the purpose, power and privilege of coaching, and the responsibility coaches have to young athletes. The InSideOut Initiative will debut in Houston on Tuesday, Jan. 31 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.at theHouston Texans YMCA (5202 Griggs Rd.). Former NFL player and author of InSideOut Coaching: How Sports Can Transform Lives JOE EHRMANN and Executive Director of the InSideOut Initiative JODY REDMAN will take more than 100 Houston high school educational leaders and coaches on an InSideOut journey to examine their own character and to assist in the development of a coach-specific character game plan that will enhance the human growth and development of the student-athletes they coach.
For more information, contact Ana Blinder, NFL, at 212-450-2467 or ana.blinder@nfl.com.
NFL-USO SUPER BOWL LI SALUTE TO SERVICE
The NFL and the USO continue to celebrate more than 50 years of partnership with Salute to Service. The NFL is proud to bring football to the USO family through programs and services year-round that tap the unique capabilities of football and help keep service members connected to family, home and country.
On Tuesday, Jan. 31 from 4 p.m. – 7 p.m., the NFL, USO and Houston Texans will host a barbeque to celebrate over 3,000 service members and their families at Ellington Field Joint Base Reserve. The event will feature NFL player meet and greets, photo opportunities with Houston Texans cheerleaders, music by Texas Marine Veteran CODY WAYNE, an NFL PLAY 60 zone for kids, a Madden Tournament and an NFL Raffle.
Additionally, Super Bowl care packages, which included branded Super Bowl LI decorations and promotional items, have been sent to 60 USO locations around the globe in support of their Super Bowl viewing parties.
For more information, contact Ana Blinder, NFL, at 212-450-2467 or ana.blinder@nfl.com.
NFL-USAA MILITARY OUTREACH
The following is a sampling of additional events planned for service members and their families in the Houston Area during Super Bowl Week:
USAA will host current and former military and their guests at the “USAA Salute to Service Lounge” within NFL Experience. The Lounge will be open both Friday, Feb. 3 and Saturday, Feb. 4 and serves as an exclusive area for current and former military members and their families to enjoy complimentary food and beverage, games, NFL player meet and greets and more.
The NFL and USAA will recognize the winner of the 2016 Salute to Service Award presented by USAA at the 6th Annual NFL Honors awards show at the Wortham Theater Center on Saturday, Feb. 4, the night before Super Bowl LI. Created in 2011, the Salute to Service Award acknowledges the members of the NFL for their exemplary commitment to honoring and supporting the military community and their families.
For more information, contact Ana Blinder, NFL, at 212-450-2467 or ana.blinder@nfl.com or Earl Brown, NFL, at Earl.Brown@NFL.com.
SPECIAL OLYMPICS SKILLS AND DRILLS
The NFL, Special Olympics Texas and the Houston Texans will host a Special Olympics Skills and Drills Clinic and unified flag football scrimmage Friday, Feb. 3 from 1:30-3 p.m. at the George R. Brown Convention Center (1001 Avenida De Las Americas) featuring local Special Olympics athletes.
The NFL and Special Olympics are teaming to provide opportunities for athletes of all abilities to ‘PLAY 60’ through the expansion of Special Olympics Unified Flag Football. The two organizations will kick off their new partnership by hosting a unified flag football game at ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando during Pro Bowl Week.
PLAY 60 is the NFL’s campaign to promote youth health and wellness, aimed at encouraging kids to get active for 60 minutes a day. For more information, visit NFLRUSH.com/PLAY60.
Special Olympics is a global movement that unleashes the human spirit through the transformative power and joy of sports, every day around the world. They empower people with intellectual disabilities to become accepted and valued members of their communities, which leads to a more respectful and inclusive society for all. Using sports as the catalyst and programming around health and education, Special Olympics is fighting inactivity, injustice and intolerance. Founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the Special Olympics movement has grown to more than 5.3 million athletes and Unified partners in 169 countries. With the support of more than 1 million coaches and volunteers, Special Olympics delivers 32 Olympic-type sports and over 108,000 games and competitions throughout the year.
For more information, contact Ana Blinder, NFL, at 212-450-2467 or ana.blinder@nfl.com.
PLAY FOOTBALL FAMILY FESTIVAL
To celebrate the football community and the coaches and players that bring passion, fun and excitement to the sport, the NFL will host a Play Football Family Festival on Tuesday, Jan. 31 and Wednesday, Feb. 1 from 6 – 8 p.m. at the Taylor High School Performing Arts Center (2700 Kingsland Blvd, Katy) and the Aldine Campbell Center (1865 Aldine Bender Rd, Houston). The event will kick off with football clinics, taking parents through drills and introducing them to different elements of the game. Guests will then go through a helmet fitting, receive autographs from NFL players and enjoy entertainment elements such as photo opportunities, breakout panel sessions led by NFL Ambassadors and local high school coaches and food and beverages. The festival will conclude with an NFL player-led TED Talk.
To learn more about Play Football visit playfootball.com or follow #LetsPlayFootball on social media.
For more information, contact Ana Blinder, NFL, at 212-450-2467 or ana.blinder@nfl.com.
SUPER BOWL LI BUSINESS CONNECT CELEBRATION
The NFL and the Houston Super Bowl Host Committee will host “Super Bowl LI Business Connect: Celebrating Opportunities & Success” event on Tuesday, Jan. 31 from 6:30 – 9:00 p.m. at the Ballroom at the Bayou (500 Texas Street, Houston, TX 77002). The event is a celebration of the Super Bowl LI Business Connect program spotlighting the accomplishments of Super Bowl LI Business Connect suppliers and local businesses that have grown and thrived under the tutelage of the program’s professional development initiatives and, acknowledging NFL event contractors who’ve aggressively utilized the program throughout the year.
More than 400 Houston businesses in 50 vendor categories participated in the year and a half long Business Connect program, which is designed to create Super Bowl LI contracting opportunities for experienced, local diverse business owners. To qualify for participation in Business Connect, businesses must be 51 percent owned by a minority, woman, disabled veteran, lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender individual. The Business Connect Celebration is a ticketed event for participating business owners. A networking reception will precede and follow the formal program. Former NFL Cornerback and Food Network Star Winner Eddie Jackson is the event’s keynote speaker.
For more information, contact B.J. Waymer, NFL Business Connect, at BJ.Waymer@NFL.com or (704) 614-6352 or LaMecia Butler atlbutler@@HOUsuperbowl.com or (832)213-5130.
NFL PLAY 60 KIDS’ DAY AT NFL EXPERIENCE
NFL PLAY 60 Kids’ Day gives more than 1,000 local children the opportunity to spend time with NFL players at the NFL Experience Driven by Genesis at the George R Brown Convention Center (1001 Avenida De Las Americas) on Wednesday, Feb. 1, from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Children from the local Houston area will take part in the excitement of Super Bowl Week alongside NFL players. Multi-platinum recording artist and Grammy Award winner JORDIN SPARKS will perform two songs and teach the kids a dance routine at the NFL Experience Field at approximately noon.
Kids will learn more about the importance of healthy living during Kids’ Day as part of NFL PLAY 60, aimed at helping youngsters get 60 minutes of exercise each day. Classrooms earned their invite to Kids’ Day by completing the NFL PLAY 60 Challenge, in partnership with the American Heart Association, in the months leading up to Super Bowl.
As part of their Kids’ Day experience, local children will participate in interactive PLAY 60 fitness activities and take part in games including Punt, Pass & Kick, speed and mobility drills, quarterback challenge games, and extra point kicking stations.
For more information, contact Crystal Fukumoto at crystalf@bzapr.com.
HOUSTON HABITAT FOR HUMANITY SUPERBUILD
On Wednesday, Feb. 1 from 3 p.m. – 5 p.m., Houston Habitat for Humanity (HHFH) is sponsoring SuperBUILD LI at 8706 Shady Vista Ln. The event is hosted in conjunction with Super Bowl LI to build 51 affordable homes for partner families. A sanctioned NFL event since 2003, SuperBUILD provides affordable housing options for low to moderate income families through volunteerism. HHFH will invite NFL players to visit the job sites, participate in home dedications and celebrate with families who were able to achieve their dream of homeownership.
For more information, contact Ana Blinder, NFL, at 212-450-2467 or ana.blinder@nfl.com.
NFL PLAYER CARE FOUNDATION SCREENINGS
On Wednesday-Friday, Feb. 1-3, the NFL Player Care Foundation (PCF), supported by the NFL Alumni Association, are proud to partner with one of the nation’s premier medical providers, Tulane University School of Medicine, to conduct its annual Super Bowl Healthy Body and Mind Screening program. This complimentary national program is open to all former NFL players and includes cardiovascular and prostate screenings and mental health resources and education.
NFL Player Care Foundation screenings are offered as part of PCF’s research programs, which help to advance public awareness and scientific understanding of health issues that affect former NFL players. The screening will take place at the Houston Marriott at the Texas Medical Center (6580 Fannin St., Salons A, B & C) from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
The PCF is an independent foundation created in 2007 by a partnership between NFL owners, the NFL Players Association, Pro Football Hall of Fame, and the NFL Alumni Association. Since its inception, the organization has screened more than 4,000 retired NFL players and provided over $11 million in emergency financial assistance. For more information, visit nflplayercare.com.
The screenings are closed to the public. Media inquiries may be directed to Dana Lihan at Dana.Lihan@nfl.com.
SUPER BOWL LEGACY GRANT EVENT
The NFL seeks to improve the surrounding communities of the Super Bowl host city with a Super Bowl Legacy Grant donation. This year, the NFL Foundation provided a $1 million grant to the Houston Super Bowl Host Committee via “Touchdown Houston” in an effort to leave an impact on all 11 counties of Houston by concentrating on education, health and community enhancement. Grant focuses include youth physical fitness and wellness, after school programs, health care and food access, neighborhood improvement, early childhood education, anti-poverty, dropout and homeless prevention strategies.
On Thursday, Feb. 2 at 10 a.m., NFL Commissioner ROGER GOODELL and Houston Super Bowl Host Committee executives amongst others will take part in the Super Bowl Legacy Grant press conference at Pro-Vision Academy (4590 Wilmington St.). NFL Legend and Pro-Vision Academy founderROYNELL YOUNG will lead attendees through a ground breaking ceremony to celebrate a football field refurbishment granted to the school. Following the press conference, students will participate in a player panel on character education with current and former NFL players and led by former NFL player and author of InSideOut Coaching: How Sports Can Transform Lives JOE EHRMANN. Ehrmann is the co-founder of the InSideOut Initiative, designed to help high school communities recognize the responsibility they have to their students and enhance the human growth and development of the student-athletes who play.
For more information, contact Ana Blinder, NFL, at ana.blinder@nfl.com or Amanda Weeks, Houston Super Bowl Host Commitee, ataworthyweeks@housuperbowl.com.
MAKE-A-WISH
Through the assistance of the NFL, Make-A-Wish will grant the wishes of 12 children to attend Super Bowl LI. Attending the Super Bowl continues to be a wish that transcends generations: every year since 1982, one or more wish kids has wished to attend the big game.
This year, the children and their families will arrive in Houston on Thursday, Feb. 2 for a welcome reception. Wish children and their families will participate in several other activities related to the Super Bowl and will attend the game at NRG Stadium through the support of the NFL and other organizations.
Make-A-Wish grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. According to a 2011 U.S. study of wish impact, most health professionals surveyed believe a wish-come-true can have positive impacts on the health of children. Kids say wishes give them renewed strength to fight their illnesses, and their parents say these experiences help strengthen the entire family. Based in Phoenix, Make-A-Wish is one of the world’s leading children’s charities, serving children in every community in the United States and its territories. With the help of generous donors and more than 33,000 volunteers, Make-A-Wish grants a wish somewhere in the country every 34 minutes. It has granted more than 285,000 wishes since its inception in 1980; more than 15,300 in 2016 alone. Visit Make-A-Wish at wish.org to learn more.
For more information on wish kid activities and media opportunities during Super Bowl week, contact Josh deBerge at 602-792-3185 or jdeberge@wish.org.
NFL WOMEN’S SUMMIT— “PLAYS FOR LIFE”
On Feb. 3 (9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.) and 4 (9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.), the NFL will host this year’s Women’s Summit—Plays for Life. Building on the success of last year’s Women’s Summit—which explored the role of sports participation in developing leadership, teamwork, and other skills that promote success throughout one’s life and career, Plays for Life expands upon that conversation by engaging teen girls through an interactive and experiential event focused on personal development and achievement.
During the two-day event, 250 Houston-area teen girls will hear from prominent leaders from across the NFL and beyond about their own personal journeys and participate in a discussion about how to achieve their goals, prepare for life’s challenges, and best utilize the tools that are critical for personal and professional development.
A live stream of the event will be hosted by women’s leadership platform www.MAKERS.com.
More than three dozen speakers and participants will be announced in the coming days. The event will take place at the Citadel (12130 Kirby Dr).
The event is limited to invited guests. For more information, visit www.NFLWomensSummit.com and follow #NFLWomensSummit on social media. For more information about covering the Summit, contact Clare Graff, NFL at Clare.Graff@NFL.com.
NFL FOUNDATION GOLF TOURNAMENT: “Legends on the Links”
In celebration of its 26th year, the NFL Foundation is partnering with the NFL Legends community to host an 18-hole golf tournament on Friday, Feb. 3starting at 8:00 a.m. at Golf Club of Houston (5860 Wilson Rd., Humble), home course to the PGA Tour’s Shell Houston Open.
Teams of amateur golfers will be captained by NFL Legends in 18-hole team scramble events to be played on both the Tournament Course, which hosts the PGA Tour event annually, and the Member Course, where the PGA Tour played from 2003 through 2005. The celebrity captains entered thus far areLARRY BROWN, DONNIE EDWARDS, AHMAN GREEN, RODNEY HAMPTON, DHANI JONES, KWAMIE LASSITER, RYAN LEAF, EJ MANUEL, CURTIS MCGRIFF, MARTY MOORE, JONATHAN OGDEN, CHAD PENNINGTON, MIKE QUICK, JOHN RANDLE, MIKE RUCKER, WILL SHIELDS, AL SMITH, MACK STRONG, BEN TATE, JOHN URSHEL and LEONARD WHEELER. Additionally, NFL Legends’ Community Directors and Coordinators that serve as ambassadors across the country will be in attendance and facilitating the tournament.
Hospitality golf packages are open to the general public (deadline Jan. 28), with a tournament entry donation of $6,000 per team (teams of three paired with a NFL Legend) or $2,500 per individual benefiting the NFL Foundation and NFL Player Care Foundation. To register for the tournament, contact Laura Malfy at Laura.Malfy@NFL.com.
For more information, contact Liz McCollum at elizabethm@bzapr.com or 813-421-0550.
ROSS INITIATIVE IN SPORTS FOR EQUALITY (RISE) SUPER BOWL TOWN HALL
The Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE) and NFL will host their second-annual Super Bowl Town Hall, “From Protest to Progress: The Power of Sports to Improve Race Relations,” from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 3. The town hall, hosted by Texas Southern University in Houston and supported by The Players’ Tribune, will be broadcast live on Sirius XM radio. Current and former NFL greats, including policy advocates ANQUAN BOLDIN of the Detroit Lions and MALCOLM JENKINS of the Philadelphia Eagles and Hall of Famer AENEAS WILLIAMS, will participate in a two-part panel discussion, reviewing lessons learned from the activist athlete and examining solution-oriented next steps for the sports industry to drive social change. RISE will release a report looking at the reach and impact of, reaction to and outcomes of activist athletes in the second half of 2016. RISE aims to use sports to improve race relations. To learn more, visit www.risetowin.org.
For more information, contact Allison Wright at allison@dpwpr.com or 619-316-1362.
NFL & ALL PRO DAD FAMILY FOOTBALL CLINIC
Current and former players celebrate football and family at the second annual NFL & All Pro Dad Family Football Clinic at Super Bowl LI. Presented by NFL Player Engagement and All Pro Dad organization, players are invited to bring their children and significant others to participate in fun football activities on Friday, Feb. 3 at 9 a.m. at the NFL Experience Youth Field in the George R. Brown Convention Center (1001 Avenida De Las Americas). Players and their children will learn how fun it is to PLAY 60 and create new football memories as a family. Within each football activity, kids and their parents will participate in an exercise designed to foster engagement and relationship building among family members. The clinic will begin at 9:30 a.m. with player media availability at 11:30 a.m.
For more information, contact Crystal Fukumoto at crystalf@bzapr.com.
22nd ANNUAL REBUILDING TOGETHER “KICKOFF TO REBUILD”
On Friday, Feb. 3 from 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., in conjunction with Super Bowl LI, Rebuilding Together Houston will host a community revitalization project to rehabilitate the main section of the historic Independence Heights neighborhood as a Legacy of Super Bowl LI in Houston. Independence Heights is the first self-governing, African American city incorporated in the state of Texas. It is important to revive the neighborhood and keep its history alive, allowing longtime residents to age in place. The creation of a welcome center will allow visitors the opportunity to learn about the neighborhood’s history, beginning in 1905, through its eventual integration into the city of Houston, and its vital role in Houston’s community today.
For the past 22 years, Rebuilding Together has partnered with the NFL to host projects in Super Bowl cities. These NFL-sanctioned events provide critical home repairs for low-income homeowners and their communities. The event will include help for individual homeowners in need and create a safer, healthier and beautifully rebuilt section of Independence Heights.
To learn more about Rebuilding Together’s Kickoff to Rebuild project, visit rebuildingtogether.org/ktr/. For more information, contact Amy Seusing atASeusing@rebuildingtogether.org.
CHARACTER PLAYBOOK HOUSTON LAUNCH
“Character Playbook,” a joint initiative of the NFL and United Way Worldwide and operated by EverFi, an education technology leader in more than 13,000 schools across the nation, will launch in Houston on Friday, Feb. 3 at 1:00 p.m. at Pilgrim Academy (6302 Skyline Dr.). The digital course is comprised of six interactive modules that support positive character development, social-emotional learning and healthy relationships for grades 7-9. Houston Texans players will sit on a panel and discuss character development and decision-making with students. Students will then go through the modules, designed to help students develop healthy relationships and social norms. Character Playbook will be provided to 40 schools in the Houston area via a joint partnership between the Houston Texans, United Way of Greater Houston and Verizon.
For more information, contact Ana Blinder, NFL, at 212-450-2467 or ana.blinder@nfl.com.
SUPER BOWL GOSPEL CELEBRATION
The 18th Annual Super Bowl Gospel Celebration will take place on Friday, Feb. 3 at 7:30 p.m. at Lakewood Church (3700 Southwest Freeway). The Super Bowl Gospel Celebration brings together Super Bowl champions and Pro Bowl players with Grammy Award-winning contemporary Christian, gospel and mainstream artists all on one stage. The Super Bowl Gospel Celebration also gives back to the community. Each year, the event identifies a charity to donate a portion of its proceeds. For the second consecutive year, a portion of the proceeds will benefit the NFL Players Care Foundation.
For more information, visit www.superbowlgospel.com
1st AND FUTURE
The NFL, in collaboration with the Texas Medical Center (TMC) is calling on innovators to share their solutions to help advance the game of football and athlete safety. On Saturday, Feb. 4, the partners will host 1st and Future, a unique startup competition that will take place at the TMC Innovation Institute(2450 Holcombe Blvd.). Up to nine startups will be invited to present their game-changing technologies in each of the following three categories: Communicating with the Athlete, Training the Athlete and Materials to Protect the Athlete. The startups will pitch their products to an exclusive audience, including a panel of judges, NFL team owners and executives and representatives from the Houston Super Bowl Host Committee and TMC. One winner from each category will be selected by a panel of judges comprising of former NFL players, entrepreneurs and medical professionals. The winners will receive a $50,000 prize from the NFL to further develop their innovation; acceptance into TMCx, TMC’s world-renowned program for start-ups; and two tickets to Super Bowl LI.
For information on the submission process, selection criteria and official rules, visit www.tmc.edu/1st-and-future/. The deadline to submit applications is January 20, 2017.
For more information, contact Amy Jorgensen, NFL at Amy.Jorgensen@nfl.com
SUPER BOWL BREAKFAST
The 2017 Super Bowl Breakfast will be held Saturday, Feb. 4 at 8 a.m. at the Marriott Marquis Houston (1777 Walker St.). The breakfast will feature the presentation of the Bart Starr Award, presented by Super Bowl Champion Coach, TONY DUNGY. The award, voted on by NFL players, honors outstanding character and leadership in the home, on the field and in the community.
In addition to Tony Dungy and the 2017 Award winner, the program will include former NFL players ROGER STAUBACH, BRUCE MATTHEWS,ANTHONY MUNOZ, DERRICK BROOKS and emcee JAMES BROWN, host of The NFL Today and Thursday Night Football. For more information, contact Jordan Sok at jordan@heartlandcommunicate.com or 859-519-7750.
HOUSTON CAREERS IN SPORTS FORUM
The NFL will celebrate high school coaches and educate students on various career opportunities in the sports industry on Saturday, Feb. 3 from 9:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Cemo Hall at the University of Houston. Parents will hear from NFL players and professionals in the sports industry about the vast career possibilities off the field. Guests will enjoy music from a professional DJ and food and beverages and interact with sports experts and NFL players. The event is open to Houston high school students interested in sports, but space is limited.
For more information, contact Ana Blinder, NFL, at 212-450-2467 or ana.blinder@nfl.com.
NFLPA SMOCKS & JOCKS
On Saturday, Feb. 4 from 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. at Caracol (2200 Post Oak Blvd.), the NFL Players Association will hold its annual art auction and jazz brunch called Smocks & Jocks supporting the Gene Upshaw Player Assistance Trust Fund and a local foundation. Artwork from active and former players and others connected to professional football will be auctioned as part of the charity event. This event is invite-only.
For more information, please contact Leslie Isler at Leslie.Isler@nflpa.com
TROUPE21’S 17TH ANNUAL PLAYER NETWORKING EVENT
Troupe21’s 17th Annual Player Networking Event™ (PNE) at the Super Bowl will take place Saturday, Feb. 4 from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. at Houston Community College—West Loop Center (5601 West Loop S). PNE, an NFL sanctioned event for 15 years, helps active and former NFL players transition into meaningful second careers.
The networking event will include a private banking workshop; focus groups for players, corporate guests and vendors; an Internet radio broadcast featuring player-owned businesses and sponsors; a social media challenge designed to promote athlete and corporate responsibility; a scholarship drive for high school football student-athletes to attend the Sound Mind Sound Body Football Academy; and a trade show featuring corporations interested in helping players pursue charitable, employment, and entrepreneurial goals.
To learn more about PNE 2017 and PNE Week go to www.pneinfo.com or follow on Twitter@NFLPNE.
TASTE OF THE NFL
Taste of the NFL (TNFL) is a 501(c)(3) dedicated to raising awareness and funds for hunger relief organizations in the 32 NFL cities and across the country. Proudly celebrating its 26th year at Super Bowl LI, the organization conducts national and local fundraising events throughout the year, culminating in the annual Party with a Purpose® on Super Bowl Eve. Since its inception, Taste of the NFL has raised more than $25 million, which has provided more than 275 million meals for Americans. All proceeds raised are donated directly to local and national food banks in each of the 32 NFL cities.
This season’s Party with a Purpose® will be held at the University of Houston (4800 Calhoun Rd.) on Saturday, Feb. 4 from 7-11 p.m. This star-studded fundraising event celebrates two of America’s favorite pastimes—food and football—by bringing together exceptional cuisine, prominent chefs from around the country, celebrities, NFL players, coaches, legends, and more, all to support the fight against hunger. ALEX GUARNASCHELLI and RICHARD BLAIS are the Culinary Hosts for this year’s Party with a Purpose®.
Follow @TasteoftheNFL on Instagram and Twitter as they #KickHunger this season, or visit Taste of the NFL on Facebook at facebook.com/TasteoftheNFL.
Tickets to this event can be purchased at www.TasteoftheNFL.com. Media wishing to cover the event should apply for credentials here.
For more information, contact Pamela Spiegel at TNFL@sunshinesachs.com or at 212-691-2800.
SUPER BOWL ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAM
The NFL and the Houston Super Bowl Host Committee have teamed up to develop a series of initiatives to reduce the environmental impact of Super Bowl Verizon is a key partner in several of these projects including the Super Kids – Super Sharing, the Super Bowl LI Urban Forestry Project and a public E-Waste Recycling Rally.
The Super Kids – Super Sharing Sports Equipment and Book Donation Event was held at Thursday, Jan. 19. Tens of thousands of books, school supplies, games and pieces of sports equipment were collected and distributed to low-income schools and youth programs throughout the region. As part of Super Kids, local students have also donated used cell phones through HopeLine® from Verizon. HopeLine® collects wireless phones and accessories no longer in use and turns them into financial support for domestic violence organizations nationwide.
The Super Bowl LI E-Waste Recycling Rally will be held Saturday, Jan. 21 from 9 a.m.- 1 p.m. at the Houston Zoo, Medical Center Entrance (1481 Cambridge Street). This recycling rally, sponsored by Verizon, will be open to the public and local residents may drop off all types of electronic waste to be recycled responsibly and kept out of local landfills. Items such as computers, printers, monitors, cell phones and televisions will be accepted.
Other environmental projects include:
GREEN ENERGY
“Green” energy will be used to power major Super Bowl event venues throughout Houston including NRG Stadium, the George R. Brown Convention Center (site of the Super Bowl Media Center and NFL Experience), and the hotels being used by the NFL and AFC teams and by the NFL Super Bowl staff. NRG will be providing renewable energy certificates (RECs) equivalent to the electricity usage at these facilities to mitigate the climate impact of energy emissions.
FOOD RECOVERY
Extra prepared food from Super Bowl events will be recovered in partnership with the Houston Food Bank and a number of local nonprofit organizations to provide meals for shelters, missions, soup kitchens and other community programs.
MATERIAL RECOVERY
Recovery of all event materials will begin immediately after most Super Bowl events. During the week following the game, there will be an intensive drive to collect and donate items left over from Super Bowl including building materials, décor, fabric, carpeting and sign materials. These items will be donated to local organizations that can reuse, repurpose or remanufacture the material. The NFL has incorporated environmental projects into the management of Super Bowl for more than 20 years.
For more information, contact Jack Groh, NFL Environmental Program Director, at 401-952-0886 or Jack.Groh@nflenvironment.com.