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#11
09-24-2003, 04:43 PM
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In Brief: Bon Jovi, AC/DC
Jon buys some Soul, AC/DC come alive and more JON BON JOVI and a real estate developer have purchased the Philadelphia Soul, an expansion team in the Arena Football League. The team will debut next season . . .  http://www.rollingstone.com/news/new....asp?nid=18723
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#13
09-24-2003, 04:48 PM
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Jon Bon Jovi Starting Arena Football Team
By MICHAEL RUBINKAM Associated Press Writer September 23, 2003, 11:56 AM EDT PHILADELPHIA -- Rock star, and football fan, Jon Bon Jovi is now co-owner of the Philadelphia Soul, an Arena Football League expansion team. "I'm a football fanatic. I love football, always have," the New Jersey native said Monday. "It's the only sport I really live and breathe." His partner is real estate developer Craig A. Spencer, whose properties include the five-star Ritz-Carlton in Philadelphia, where Bon Jovi spoke about his lifelong love of football and his plans for the Soul. The announcement was made Monday. The Soul will begin play next season in the Wachovia Center and Wachovia Spectrum. Bon Jovi had to overcome skepticism among league executives when he first approached them earlier this year about owning an AFL franchise. Arena League commissioner David Baker said he quickly impressed with his business acumen, work ethic and knowledge of the game. "We're driving on our way to a concert and he's asking me about the emergency quarterback rule. Nobody ever asks me about the emergency quarterback rule," said Baker. Bon Jovi, whose hits include "You Give Love a Bad Name" and "It's My Life," said he'll hold a private performance for season ticket-holders. But that's all the singing he's planning to do -- at least for now. "I'm not going to be the halftime entertainment," the 41-year-old rocker said. "I'm going to sit in the owners' box." The Soul becomes the 18th team in the Arena Football League and the second expansion team announced this year, following the New Orleans VooDoo in May. A 19th team, in Austin, Texas, is also expected to enter the league next season. Baker declined to put a price tag on the Soul. Philadelphia has a glut of professional sports teams, but Bon Jovi and Spencer said they're not worried about putting fans in the seats. "This is a very sports-minded town. You know what they think of their sports teams: They love them, they love to hate them. But they'll love you if you try, if you give everything you have, if you go above and beyond," Bon Jovi said. * __ On the Net: http://www.islandrecords.com/bonjovi/curtain.las  Rock star Jon Bon Jovi answers a question during an interview with the Associated Press, Monday, Sept. 22, 2003, in Philadelphia. Bon Jovi was anounced Monday as co-owner of the Philadelphia Soul, an expansion Arena League Football franchise that will begin play next season in the Wachovia Center and Wachovia Spectrum. (AP Photo/Jacqueline Larma)
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#16
09-24-2003, 10:03 PM
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http://www.oursportscentral.com/rele...eleaseid=45041
September 22, 2003  Philadelphia Gets Soul and New Arena Football Team Philadelphia Soul Press Release Rock-n-roll icon Jon Bon Jovi and business mogul Craig A. Spencer have given the city of Brotherly Love some Soul with the Arena Football League’s newest franchise. The Philadelphia Soul is scheduled to kickoff in February of 2004 and will split its home games between The Spectrum and the Wachovia Center. The Philadelphia Soul will host a public rally to celebrate the city and launch the team on Tuesday, September 23 outside the Spectrum from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Activities will include music, giveaways and ceremonies including Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell, Philadelphia Mayor John Street, Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, Heather Locklear, Craig A. Spencer, general manager Joe Hennessy and head coach Mike Trigg. To reserve season or individual game tickets, fans can call 1-888-Phil-AFL starting Tuesday, September 23. To keep up with the latest information on the Philadelphia Soul, log on to the team’s official website at www.philadelphiasoul.com. “The AFL is exciting to me as a fan and an owner,” said Jon Bon Jovi. “We’re bringing action-packed football to fans in Philadelphia, a huge sports town. What I find so appealing about the AFL is the focus on the love of the game and our goal to provide solid sports and entertainment that’s fun, affordable and family-friendly. Plus, with the visibility of the sport on NBC, the Philadelphia Soul and the league as a whole have the potential to really grow.” “The Philadelphia Soul is the culmination of a lot of planning and hard work by people who believe in the sport of arena football and the ability of a professional sports team to be a positive force in the city in which it plays,” said Craig A. Spencer. “The ‘Soul’ will be a part of not just the sports community but also the larger community of Philadelphia. What sets the AFL apart from any other major league sport is the relationship between the teams and their fans. The Fans’ Bill of Rights is not just words; it is the heart and SOUL of the AFL. We believe there is no better sports city in the country and as a Philadelphian, I am so proud to be able to bring the Soul to Philadelphia.” “Philadelphia is the greatest football city in America. I am absolutely thrilled to be associated with a group of people who want to bring quality professional football to Philadelphia and who are committed to winning,” said Ron Jaworski. “I am really excited to be involved with Jon Bon Jovi, Craig A. Spencer, Joe Hennessy, Michael Trigg and the entire staff.” “There are four qualities that make for a legendary sports experience – venue, ownership, a good team and great fans. The Soul will play in one historic venue and one state-of-the-art venue. With members including Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, Craig A. Spencer and Ron Jaworski, the Philadelphia Soul ownership is comprised of leaders in the worlds of entertainment, business and professional football. Head coach Mike Trigg is a proven AFL winner, garnering an ArenaBowl championship with the Grand Rapids Rampage. And the reputation of Philadelphia fans is unparalleled. They are intelligent, inspired and hungry for a winner. These ingredients add up to what I believe promises to be an outstanding sports experience. Welcome to rock-and-roll football,” said Commissioner David Baker.” The Philadelphia Soul will become the 18th team in the Arena Football League and the second expansion team to join this offseason, the New Orleans VooDoo was announced in May. Other markets interested in AFL teams for 2005 are Boston, Nashville owned by Titans owner Bud Adams and Washington, owned by Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder. A team for Austin, Texas has been approved to play in 2004 pending the ownership group signs an arena lease, which they are currently working to secure.
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Life is short. Be sure to spend as much time as possible on the internet arguing about politics and entertainment.
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#17
09-24-2003, 10:09 PM
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AFL Expansion Rocks Philadelphia
Cliff Cook DallasDesperados.com Staff Writer September 23, 2003, 6:00 p.m. (CDT  IRVING, Texas - The Arena Football League, in a continuing effort to move into the mainstream of professional sports and expand into larger markets, announced Tuesday the addition of the league's 18th franchise, the Philadelphia Soul. The Soul is co-owned by rock legend Jon Bon Jovi, who has already brought in former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Ron Jaworski to be the team's president. Mike Trigg, who led the Grand Rapids Rampage to an ArenaBowl championship in 2001, was named the Soul's first head coach. "We knew [Jaworski] had great knowledge of Arena football," Bon Jovi said. "We knew he was a legend here in Philadelphia and a real presence in Philadelphia. Both Craig Spencer and I, who are partners in the team, felt that he would be the ideal president and liaison between administrative and football operations." A meeting between Bon Jovi and the Jones family in Dallas this past summer convinced Bon Jovi and Spencer a franchise in Philadelphia would be a viable asset, Bon Jovi said. After the spectacle of the XFL died in one season, Bon Jovi was skeptical of the future of the AFL. Bon Jovi said he will bring a different perspective in marketing to the AFL as well as a lot of profile to the league. AFL commissioner David Baker, who joined Bon Jovi and Jaworski on a media conference call Tuesday, said he is excited about the commitment Bon Jovi has shown to the AFL and expects the league to take full advantage of the singer's celebrity. "He has demonstrated to me that he is the hardest working guy in entertainment and now he will be the hardest working guy in all of sports," Baker said of Bon Jovi. "With John Elway last year and so many other good people in the league, we were able to get into Sports Illustrated and a lot of other traditional sports venues. Now we're on Extra and Rolling Stone and a lot of other places where there are fans excited about understanding Arena football. Bon Jovi has opened that door." Baker said the expansion into Philadelphia is just the beginning of what should be a broad based expansion in the years to come. Three teams will enter the AFL this season, including the Soul, the New Orleans VooDoo and, pending a lease agreement with the University of Texas, a franchise in Austin. But, Baker said the AFL is looking to become even broader. Next season he expects new teams in Nashville and Washington D.C.,with the possibility of others. "In my mind, you look at the NBA, NHL, MLB and the NFL, generally between 28 to 32 teams," Baker said. "In my view, certainly for the AFL, we could be around 28 teams and that might some day include a team in Canada or even in Mexico. But, we also think there are some opportunities really in Europe that frankly are a little bit down the road we're excited about. In the last year, we've had two training camps that have had about 200 Japanese, Australian and New Zealand players." The Desperados are making the journey into Mexico this off season for a tryout camp at the Tecnologico de Monterrey campus in November. The Dallas Cowboys in particular have a huge following in Mexico and a Desperados tryout in Monterrey should attract a new breed of fans to the AFL. As for the Philadelphia Soul, Bon Jovi said he doesn't want to hide the fact that he's a New York Giants fan. In fact, he's already taken some ribbing from sports radio stations in Philadelphia. But, he asks the Philly fans to give the Soul a chance to represent the city well. New AFL alignment in 2004 could put Philadelphia and Dallas in the same division, along with New York and Carolina, giving that division somewhat of a NFC East feel. "I'm sorry to say that it's inbred from the time we are kids that we hate the Dallas Cowboys," Bon Jovi said. "Nothing personal against the city. We play there often and I get razzed for it every time I come down there. But, there is obviously a natural rivalry between all the NFC East teams." With the addition of a Washington franchise in 2005, that division replicated the biggest rivalries in the NFC East in the AFL. The 2004 AFL schedule should be released in a couple of weeks, and the Desperados will hold an open tryout at Texas Stadium, Saturday, Nov. 1. Pre-register is at www.dallasdesperados.com. The Desperados return to the American Airlines Center for the 2004 season. The AFL season will kickoff the weekend of Feb. 6-8.
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Life is short. Be sure to spend as much time as possible on the internet arguing about politics and entertainment.
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#18
09-24-2003, 10:13 PM
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http://www.arenafootball.com/around_...es/384977.html
 Rock-n-roll icon Jon Bon Jovi and business mogul Craig A. Spencer have given the city of Brotherly Love some Soul with the Arena Football League’s newest franchise. The Philadelphia Soul is scheduled to kickoff in February of 2004 and will split its home games between The Spectrum and the Wachovia Center. The Philadelphia Soul hosted a public rally to celebrate the city and launch the team on Tuesday, September 23 outside the Spectrum. Activities included music, giveaways and ceremonies including Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell, Philadelphia Mayor John Street, Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, Heather Locklear, Craig A. Spencer, general manager Joe Hennessy and head coach Mike Trigg. To reserve season or individual game tickets, fans can call 1-888-Phil-AFL starting Tuesday, September 23. To keep up with the latest information on the Philadelphia Soul, log on to the team’s official website at www.philadelphiasoul.com. “The AFL is exciting to me as a fan and an owner,” said Jon Bon Jovi. “We’re bringing action-packed football to fans in Philadelphia, a huge sports town. What I find so appealing about the AFL is the focus on the love of the game and our goal to provide solid sports and entertainment that’s fun, affordable and family-friendly. Plus, with the visibility of the sport on NBC, the Philadelphia Soul and the league as a whole have the potential to really grow.” “The Philadelphia Soul is the culmination of a lot of planning and hard work by people who believe in the sport of arena football and the ability of a professional sports team to be a positive force in the city in which it plays,” said Craig A. Spencer. “The ‘Soul’ will be a part of not just the sports community but also the larger community of Philadelphia. What sets the AFL apart from any other major league sport is the relationship between the teams and their fans. The Fans’ Bill of Rights is not just words; it is the heart and SOUL of the AFL. We believe there is no better sports city in the country and as a Philadelphian, I am so proud to be able to bring the Soul to Philadelphia.” “Philadelphia is the greatest football city in America. I am absolutely thrilled to be associated with a group of people who want to bring quality professional football to Philadelphia and who are committed to winning,” said Ron Jaworski. “I am really excited to be involved with Jon Bon Jovi, Craig A. Spencer, Joe Hennessy, Michael Trigg and the entire staff.” “There are four qualities that make for a legendary sports experience – venue, ownership, a good team and great fans. The Soul will play in one historic venue and one state-of-the-art venue. With members including Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, Craig A. Spencer and Ron Jaworski, the Philadelphia Soul ownership is comprised of leaders in the worlds of entertainment, business and professional football. Head coach Mike Trigg is a proven AFL winner, garnering an ArenaBowl championship with the Grand Rapids Rampage. And the reputation of Philadelphia fans is unparalleled. They are intelligent, inspired and hungry for a winner. These ingredients add up to what I believe promises to be an outstanding sports experience. Welcome to rock-and-roll football,” said Commissioner David Baker.” The Philadelphia Soul will become the 18th team in the Arena Football League and the second expansion team to join this offseason, the New Orleans VooDoo was announced in May. Other markets interested in AFL teams for 2005 are Boston, Nashville owned by Titans owner Bud Adams and Washington, owned by Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder. A team for Austin, Texas has been approved to play in 2004 pending the ownership group signs an arena lease, which they are currently working to secure. About The AFL Often recognized as one of the nation’s most affordable and fan-friendly sports leagues, the Arena Football League kicks off its 18th season in February of 2004. On the strength of its Mission Statement and Fans’ Bill of Rights, the AFL is America’s fastest growing sport. Two expansion teams have been added for the 2004 season – with a third on the way – and at least two more teams will be added in each of the next two seasons. A network-TV sport, the AFL will celebrate its second season on NBC in 2004.
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Life is short. Be sure to spend as much time as possible on the internet arguing about politics and entertainment.
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#19
09-24-2003, 10:17 PM
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#20
09-24-2003, 10:32 PM
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 PHILADELPHIA SOUL CONFERENCE CALL HIGHLIGHTS September 18th, 2003 PHILADELPHIA (Sept. 23, 2003) -- The Arena Football League conducted a conference call today in conjunction with the expansion announcement of its 18th team, the Philadelphia Soul, for the 2004 season. The following are conference call highlights from Soul co-owner JON BON JOVI, team president and former NFL quarterback RON JAWORSKI, Soul head coach MICHAEL TRIGG and AFL Commissioner DAVID BAKER. BON JOVI: “It is a legitimate sport played by legitimate athletes. It's for the hardcore fan like me or for the new fan like my eight-year-old son. He can appreciate it just as much and for a different reason. “The AFL is this hot, hip league that's was on NBC for the first time (in 2003) but was 17 years old … this league is fan-friendly, affordable and accessible." BON JOVI ON THE NAME ‘PHILADELPHIA SOUL’: “It's something I was very passionate about. I think that, like everything we are doing with this team, we would like to break down some walls - from naming to the team colors and our logo. We want to be original. We want to be unique. We want to be a 'stand alone.' We're going to try very hard to be very relevant here in the community and have our presence felt in a way that, right from the outset, people get to know who their coaches and players are and why. We want to be a part of this community. We've been saying that any great athlete has to have a good head on his shoulders. The ones that differentiate themselves from others have heart. In this organization, we have soul." JAWORSKI: “We all know what we're up against as an expansion team. I think we have some real positives coming into our first season. You can't say enough good things about Mike Trigg. He understands the Arena Football game; he knows the game. He's won an ArenaBowl championship; he's hoisted the trophy. He brings a presence that players will respect automatically. We're bringing in guys that know Arena Football. They understand what it takes to be successful. They know the personnel of the league. It is my role really to create an environment for winning. Fortunately, with Jon (Bon Jovi) and (co-owner) Craig (Spencer), we have tremendous leadership and commitment at the top in order to bring a championship team to Philadelphia." TRIGG: "It's certainly going to be a challenge, to say the least, but it's something that we embrace and feel that, with the number of quality free agents that are available in the AFL right now, it's a matter of good scouting and good planning. We're going to get a pad of help from the AFL expansion draft, but we certainly can't count on that to be our nucleus. Driving forward, we'll try to harness players that we've had in the past who are familiar with (our) system. (We'll) try to get as many AFL-experienced guys on board as quickly as possible. We certainly understand the challenges of an expansion team, but we can't look at it that way. We have to believe in our mindset that we can do what's necessary to win and, more importantly, reward the fanbase and ownership with a quality product in year one. " BAKER: ”From our perspective what is so exciting is that Jon (Bon Jovi) is deeply committed to the integrity of the Arena Football game. He has demonstrated to me that he is the hardest working guy in all of entertainment. Now, he's about to become the hardest working guy in all of sports. He and Craig (Spencer) are certainly doing this the right way. There are going to be a lot more people who know about Arena Football because of them. “I think Ron Jaworski has been one of the greatest "X and O" guys in all of football. It always impressed me, from early on, that Ron was a great student of Arena Football. Of all the intricacies of our game and it differentiated from the stadium game. He's one of those guys who's a master, played in the Super Bowl, loves the game of football and has been an outspoken proponent of Arena Football. It's exciting for me, not only to see Jon and Craig bring the Philadelphia Soul here, but to see Ron Jaworski get to be a part of it as well.”
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