Cecelia FranciscoBon Jovi fans joined Arena Football and Heather Locklear fans for the open press conference on Tuesday, Sept. 23, announcing the birth of Philadelphia’s own Arena Football team, Philadelphia Soul.
Mayor Street, Gov. Ed Rendell, guitarist Richie Sambora and his wife Locklear were all on hand to witness partners Jon Bon Jovi and Craig Spencer, president and chief executive of the Arden Group, host a rally on the front steps of the Wachovia Spectrum, by the Rocky statue.
The co-owners spent a rigorous day of promoting the team and rally/press conference to sports and music radio stations and also on television all leading up to the rally and press conference at 4 p.m.
President of the team is former Eagles quarterback, Ron Jaworski, and the general manager is Joe Hennessy, known as an Arena Football League pioneer to AFL fans. The team’s colors are gun metal black and a medium color blue. Its symbol is an angled football with three wavy lines that make a tail to the football. The team’s primary sponsor is Target Stores.
“This is not a hobby, this is not something we’re going to take lightly,” Bon Jovi said at the press conference. “This is not your father’s football team. This is a team where you can embrace it from it’s inception. We’re going to need your help, we’re asking for your help. We can take this team and be America’s team of Arena Football.”
Bon Jovi went on to joke about bringing an old rivalry into light. “If there’s one thing that Giants fans and Eagles fans have in common, we hate the Cowboys,” Bon Jovi said. “Let’s start that first rivalry here and now.” Bon Jovi drew cheers from the crowd.
The Philadelphia Soul’s website has not yet launched but currently one can find information by going to http://66.193.70.193 . There one can also join a mailing list that will update one about the Soul and when then website launches.
Officials informed that ticket costs would be around $26. The league will have a 16-game schedule from February until June. Philadelphia is not the only AFL team forming this year, however. Teams for New Orleans and also Austin, Texas appear to be in the works as well.
After the press conference, and much to the delight of the remaining Bon Jovi fans, Sambora and Bon Jovi walked to a sectioned off space to record an interview for CN8’s Lou Tilly’s Sports Connection. Afterwards, the two signed autographs and took pictures with eager fans lined up on the other side of a metal barricade.
The phone number for information about season tickets for the Philadelphia Soul is 1-888-PHIL-AFL.
,i>Posted to the web by: Cecelia Francisco
