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Contact: Pete Abitante "NEW" AMERICAN BOWL ON AUGUST 2 IN TOKYO DOME FEATURES JAPAN PRIME TIME MATCHUP - SUPER BOWL CHAMPION TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS VS. NY JETS -- Tickets Go on Sale Saturday, May 10 -- The American Bowl returns to Tokyo this summer with a dramatic "new" look at every turn including a Saturday evening kickoff, the first ever prime time slot for an American Bowl game in Japan. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will play their first game since defeating the Oakland Raiders 48-21 in Super Bowl XXXVII when they meet the 2002 AFC East-Champion New York Jets on Saturday, August 2 in the Tokyo Dome. This year's game - the 11th American Bowl in Tokyo, the most in any foreign city - will kick off at 6:00 p.m. Previous games in Tokyo were played on Sunday mornings at 11:00 a.m. ESPN will televise the game live in the United States at 5:00 a.m. Saturday (ESPN2) and rebroadcast the game that evening at 8:00 p.m on ESPN. Changing the day and time of the game to Saturday night is designed to attract new fans that are used to attending local sporting and entertainment events in evening hours. Attending this year’s American Bowl will enable fans to get a full, six hour NFL game day experience. Fans will be encouraged to arrive mid-afternoon for a mini “NFL Experience,” featuring interactive activities and a “Tailgate Party,” that will be followed by the game that evening. "Our fan base in Japan in general and Tokyo specifically is growing," says NFL Senior Vice President DOUG QUINN. "We're thrilled to present a dynamic event for our fans that includes the reigning world champion Buccaneers, plus a very exciting New York Jets team at a time that the majority of fans can really enjoy." First-time happenings leading to “NFL Week” from July 28th to August 2nd in Tokyo include: · The participating teams will each be making their first American Bowl appearance. · The NFL Experience, including an NFL “Tailgate” Party will take place on-site at Tokyo Dome City. · All-Japanese cheerleading competition will be held to form a NY Jets squad. · The fourth annual Flag Football World Championship will be played in Tokyo that week and the players will be honored during the game. · A unique local advertising campaign will feature Bob Sapp, one of the hottest names in Japan entertainment/sports today. · There will be a June tour of cheerleaders and entertainers to promote the game in Tokyo. "The New York Jets are honored to represent the NFL in the American Bowl and play in Japan," says Jets Chairman WOODY JOHNSON. "This is the first time the Jets have traveled to play overseas and we are excited to bring our brand of football to the fans. This will be an enriching experience for everyone in our organization." "One of the first things JON GRUDEN said to the team when he was hired was, 'We can take this thing global,'" says Buccaneers Executive Vice President JOEL GLAZER. "When we go to Japan, we'll definitely be going global. We want to spread the word about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and there is no better way to do it." The teams will arrive in Tokyo on Wednesday, July 30. |