Contact:
Dave Lockett
National Football League
(212) 450-2000

NFL C.I.T.Y. FOOTBALL PROVIDES INNER-CITY CHILDREN WITH FREE COMPETITIVE AND INSTRUCTIONAL YOUTH FOOTBALL PROGRAMS

Year-Round Initiative Offers Structured Activities To Children Who Live In Housing Community Centers

NEW YORK, August 15 -- More than 15,000 inner-city children will participate this fall in free recreational football programs offered by the National Football League. NFL C.I.T.Y. (Challenge and Inspire Today’s Youth) Football provides boys and girls ages 6-14 with competitive and instructional youth football programs that utilize recreational facilities located in urban neighborhoods. This fall, C.I.T.Y. Football will be available to children in New York, Chicago, Oakland, Detroit and New Orleans, and will launch in San Diego during Super Bowl XXXII week in January 1998.

"C.I.T.Y. Football was developed to ensure that inner-city children have the same access to structured recreational football programs as kids who live in other communities," said Scott Lancaster, director of youth development for NFL Properties, the marketing and licensing division of the NFL. "C.I.T.Y. Football brings the programs into the neighborhoods where inner-city kids live, and ensures that even more young fans have the opportunity to play football."

The NFL is working closely with local NFL teams, Housing Community Centers and community youth recreation organizations in each city to run C.I.T.Y. Football on the local level. Launched in 1996, C.I.T.Y. Football offers children the chance to participate in organized fall and spring flag football leagues; Punt, Pass & Kick competitions; and summer day camps.

"Each local NFL team has taken an active role in C.I.T.Y. Football by reaching out to young fans who need positive role models to look up to," Lancaster said. "Our goal is to get footballs in the hands of as many kids as possible, and teach them the fundamentals of the game in exciting new ways." Teams participating in C.I.T.Y. Football this year include the New York and New York Giants, Chicago Bears, Oakland Raiders, Detroit Lions and New Orleans Saints.

The three core elements of C.I.T.Y. Football include:

Flag Football -- Flag League play will take place in the fall (September -November) and spring (March-May). Two flag football games, NFL Ultimate and NFL Flag, have been created and adapted for different age divisions, with city-wide championships played at the end of each season. All teams are outfitted with local NFL team-identified jerseys.

Punt, Pass & Kick -- Children can participate in the NFL Gatorade Punt, Pass & Kick competition (September-January), where they will be tested at punting, throwing and placekicking a football for distance and accuracy. Boys and girls will compete separately in four age divisions for the right to compete in the nationally televised finals round during an AFC playoff game in January.

Summer Day Camps -- A summer youth program where boys and girls participate in non-traditional flag football activities that are designed to help children develop basic football skills. Camps are run by top local high school football coaches.

C.I.T.Y. Football is part of the NFL’s "Play Football" initiative to provide innovative ways for children to play, watch and experience the game of football. Other "Play Football" programs include NFL Flag, presented by Nike; NFL Gatorade Punt, Pass & Kick Competition; Starter/NFL Play Football Training Camps; and Kmart NFL Family/Stadium Days.