Six
HBCU Players Added to Football Network's I-AA All-Star
Classic
October 29, 2003
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL - Forty-two college seniors including six
from HBCU's have been added to the
rosters of the inaugural I-AA All-Star Classic, to be staged
and televised
by TFN, The Football
Network, on December 30, from Lockhart
Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale.
These selecteed join Florida A&M's Levy Brown and Grambling
State's Tramon Douglas who were part of the initial group
selected in August. The announcement brings
to 89 the number selected to this point, with an additional
11
still
to be picked
in
November.
The players will be divided into two squads, named for I-AA
legends Walter Payton and Eddie Robinson, and will, for the
first time in their careers, have the vehicle of a post-season
game to showcase their talents. Scouts from all NFL teams are
expected to attend. A large contingent of I-AA players typically
enter the NFL each year, including, among active players, Pro
Bowl-selections Randy Moss, Kurt Warner and Rich Gannon.
The selected players were chosen by a committee of coaches,
administrators and media from the conferences. Previous selections
can be viewed at www.footballnetwork.com (August
29 press release).
Participating conferences include the Atlantic 10, the Big
Sky Conference, the Big South Conference, the Gateway Football
Conference, The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC),
the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), the Northeast Conference,
the Ohio Valley Conference, the Patriot League, the Pioneer
Football League, the Southern Conference, the Southland Conference,
and the Southwestern Athletic Conference.
The game will be broadcast to more than 28 million homes in
the US through TFN’s own carriage, and agreements with
six major Fox Sports regional cable stations.
A percentage of every ticket sold will benefit the Eddie Robinson
and Walter Payton Foundations, as well as the Ft. Lauderdale
Sun-Sentinel Children’s Fund.
“We are now just eight weeks from kickoff, and continue
to receive great feedback from all 123 colleges represented
by the 13 conferences,” noted Jerry Solomon, President
and CEO of The Football Network. “This is going to be
a terrifically competitive game, a milestone broadcast for
us, and a great showcase for these fine players.”
“The selection process has been quite competitive,” said
Craig Tartasky, Senior Vice President, TFN Events. “When
you realize that more than 10,000 young men play Division I-AA
football and we are choosing only 100, you realize just how
special the selection to the All Star Classic team can be.
These student athletes are shining examples of the Division
I-AA experience and we are looking forward to playing host
to them in December.”
