FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:

Lisa Hobi, Brener Zwikel & Associates, 818-344-6195, ext. 102
Craig Brommers, Brener Zwikel & Associates, Arizona, 602-966-8040

AMATEURS GET SHOT TO PLAY PROS ON ABC SPORTS
IN NIKE PRESENTS NFL AIR-IT-OUT NATIONAL FINALS
TO AIR SUNDAY, AUGUST 24, AT 5:30 PM EST

NEW YORK -- ABC Sports will televise the championship game of NIKE presents NFL AIR-IT-OUT, the National Football League’s official four-on-four non-contact flag football tournament on Sunday, August 24 at 5:30 PM EST, following the "Kickoff Classic." The broadcast will first showcase the championship game between the top two amateur flag football teams in the country, followed by the national championship team vs. a squad of NFL stars.

The NFL team will feature Washington Redskins’ quarterback Jeff Hostetler, three-time Pro Bowl safety Carnell Lake of the Pittsburgh Steelers, 1996 AFC rushing champion Terrell Davis of the Denver Broncos, ST. Louis Rams’ wide receiver/punt returner Eddie Kennison and 1996 AFC receiving yardage leader Jimmy Smith of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

In the championship game, "Sting," representing Jacksonville will face "J Crew," representing Atlanta. Sting is lead by team captain Ray Reyes, 25, of Miami. He is joined by teammates Fabian Guerra, 24, Roberto Majestrey, 25, Raymon Marti, 30 and Jorge Casudo, 24, from Tucson, AZ.

J Crew features team captain Jon Goldman, 27, of Plantation, FL. He is joined by Brad Herskowitz, 26, Gregory Taylor, 26, Jason Taylor, 23, all of Miami, and Michael Meyers, 24, from Tucson, AZ.

The winner of Sting vs. J Crew will play the squad of NFL players. In last year’s National Finals, amateurs representing New Orleans lost to the pros, 18-3.

Eliminated in the semi-final round were "California Love," representing the Bay Area and "The Hustlers," representing Los Angeles.

John Spagnola will handle the play-by-play action for ABC Sports, with Todd Blackledge and Terry Gannon providing the color commentary.

The 1997-98 NIKE presents NFL AIR-IT-OUT 28-city National Tour extends from now through February 1998, and will visit Cleveland , Denver, Detroit, Indianapolis, Minnesota, New York, Omaha and Pittsburgh in September. For more information on NIKE presents NFL AIR-IT-OUT, please call 1-800-NFL SNAP (635-7627).

NIKE presents NFL AIR-IT-OUT is owned by NFL Properties and produced nationally by Streetball Partners International (SPI), a Dallas-based sports marketing and event management firm.

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