Bon Jovi Enters New Arena: Football Team Owner
By KATHERINE SMITH ksmith@tampatrib.com <
Published: Sep 30, 2003


Jon Bon Jovi has brought some swagger to rock 'n' roll. Now he's bringing soul to Philadelphia.
As one of the new owners of the expansion Arena Football League's Philadelphia Soul, Bon Jovi's adding another dimension to his celebrity status.

To celebrate his new venture, Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora, the group's guitarist and fellow part owner, recently gathered about 1,000 fans in front of the Rocky statue in Philadelphia.

Sambora's wife, actress Heather Locklear, also attended the festivities and joined in the cheering.

``I've done so much in my life,'' Bon Jovi told the crowd. ``For the last 20 years, the band's played in every bar, every arena, every stadium around.

``This is a new era in my life.''

The New Jersey native and self- professed New York Giants fan plans to be heavily involved in the daily football operations. He'll get help from former Eagles quarterback Ron Jaworski, who will serve as the team's president.

The Soul's 16-game season opens Feb. 8.

``I love football,'' Bon Jovi said. ``It's not a hobby, or something I'm taking lightly. It's going to be a lot of fun for us. It's not your father's football team. You can embrace this from the inception.

``It's something we can take national, and I can take internationally. Give me a chance to prove to you that we can win on the field, and off it. Make it something you can be proud of... Go, Soul!''

At the very least, he'll get a good rock 'n' roll song out of it.