Bandits awarded as host team for UIF All-Star Classic
By Jerry GieseJournal sports writer | Posted: Saturday, May 03, 2008
A combination of factors led United Indoor Football executives to award the Sioux City Bandits as the host team for the second-annual UIF All-Star Classic.
The game, which will feature players from the East Division going against the West Division, will be held Saturday, July 19, starting at 7:05 p.m. at the Tyson Events Center. Last year's inaugural game was played at Bloomington, Ill., and included two Bandits, wide receiver John Ostermeyer and linebacker Spetlar Tonga.
"First of all, this is a great facility," said UIF executive director Paul Aaron at a press conference announcing the event Friday afternoon at the Tyson Events Center.
"For the fans coming in, it has good access coming off the Interstate. The fan support here has been tremendous. Of course, you want it to be a sold out event.
"And, the Bandits have a good staff that can pull it off. It's a combination of the facility, fan support and the staff here."
East won last year's All-Star Classic, 49-25 as Bloomington Extreme quarterback Dusty Birk threw two touchdown passes. East jumped to a 29-6 halftime lead and played sharp after West quarterback Chris Dixon of the Billings Outlaws threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Ostermeyer, West's top receiver with eight catches for 79 yards.
Bandits' general manager/managing partner Bob Scott said the All-Star Classic was discussed at a league meeting in January at Fort Collins, Colo.
"It was a reasonably successful event at Bloomington," said Scott. "It drew a large crowd and it showcases the best athletes.
"This year, there's a lot of parity in the league. There are a lot of good athletes in the league."
Aaron is encouraged by the way the Bandits promote themselves through corporate sponsorship and season ticket support. With that in mind, he said it was a natural for UIF to consider Sioux City.
Scott said the Bandits are looking for corporate support for the All-Star Classic. Sponsorship will range between $100 and $1,000 for current sponsors, which will be on the average of 10 percent of their current sponsorship.
Sponsorships, Scott added, will include tickets to the game, the same as the Bandits' season sponsor packages.
It was also announced at the press conference that the Waitt Institute for Violence Prevention and the Bandits will team up for the first time Monday for a golf outing that will start at 12:30 p.m. at Whispering Creek Golf Club.
A dinner and a short program will follow the golf event. All proceeds from the tournament will go direcly to violence prevention public education messages generated by Sioux City high school and middle school art students.
The game, which will feature players from the East Division going against the West Division, will be held Saturday, July 19, starting at 7:05 p.m. at the Tyson Events Center. Last year's inaugural game was played at Bloomington, Ill., and included two Bandits, wide receiver John Ostermeyer and linebacker Spetlar Tonga.
"First of all, this is a great facility," said UIF executive director Paul Aaron at a press conference announcing the event Friday afternoon at the Tyson Events Center.
"For the fans coming in, it has good access coming off the Interstate. The fan support here has been tremendous. Of course, you want it to be a sold out event.
"And, the Bandits have a good staff that can pull it off. It's a combination of the facility, fan support and the staff here."
East won last year's All-Star Classic, 49-25 as Bloomington Extreme quarterback Dusty Birk threw two touchdown passes. East jumped to a 29-6 halftime lead and played sharp after West quarterback Chris Dixon of the Billings Outlaws threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Ostermeyer, West's top receiver with eight catches for 79 yards.
Bandits' general manager/managing partner Bob Scott said the All-Star Classic was discussed at a league meeting in January at Fort Collins, Colo.
"It was a reasonably successful event at Bloomington," said Scott. "It drew a large crowd and it showcases the best athletes.
"This year, there's a lot of parity in the league. There are a lot of good athletes in the league."
Aaron is encouraged by the way the Bandits promote themselves through corporate sponsorship and season ticket support. With that in mind, he said it was a natural for UIF to consider Sioux City.
Scott said the Bandits are looking for corporate support for the All-Star Classic. Sponsorship will range between $100 and $1,000 for current sponsors, which will be on the average of 10 percent of their current sponsorship.
Sponsorships, Scott added, will include tickets to the game, the same as the Bandits' season sponsor packages.
It was also announced at the press conference that the Waitt Institute for Violence Prevention and the Bandits will team up for the first time Monday for a golf outing that will start at 12:30 p.m. at Whispering Creek Golf Club.
A dinner and a short program will follow the golf event. All proceeds from the tournament will go direcly to violence prevention public education messages generated by Sioux City high school and middle school art students.
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