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THERE’S NOTHING JUNIOR ABOUT IT!

COUNTDOWN BEGINS: 60 DAYS TO ARRIVAL OF 12,000 ATHLETES

AND 35,000 VISITORS FROM 50 STATES

IN DETROIT FOR 2008 AAU JUNIOR OLYMPIC GAMES.

EVENT TO GENERATE $48 MILLION IMPACT FOR LOCAL ECONOMY

In 60 days, more than 12,000 athletes from 50 states will compete here in eight age-groups in 22 sports at the 2008 Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Junior Olympic Games. The event will be hosted and organized by the Detroit Metro Sports Commission (DMSC), with competition will take place July 23 to Aug. 2 at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, Mich., the Rock Financial Showplace in Novi, Mich., and other local venues. An estimated 35,000 family members will travel to the Detroit generating incremental hotel stays of three-to-five days. Combined with visits to local attractions, dining, events and shopping, the event will generate $48 million in economic impact based on previous AAU Junior Olympic Games’ event sites. The event was also held in Detroit in 2003.

“The AAU Junior Olympic Games is the largest youth multi-sport event in the world and the Detroit Metro Sports Commission is proud to again serve as the local organizing committee for this prestigious event for thousands of local and national age-group athletes,” said Dave Beachnau, DMSC executive director. “This event will contribute significantly to the local hospitality industry and generate an estimated $48 million in economic impact. Our partnerships with the venues in Oakland and Wayne counties, and in Washtenaw County with the Ann Arbor Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, have proven to be invaluable in making this world-class sporting event possible.”

The Rock Financial Showplace will be one of two athlete registration sites and will host all competition for an estimated 3,000 athletes in the following 10 AAU Junior Olympic Game events: cheerleading; gymnastics; jump rope; karate; powerlifting; table tennis; taekwondo; trampoline & tumbling; weightlifting and wrestling. In addition to the events at the Rock Financial Showplace, the Olds-Marshall track at Eastern Michigan University’s (EMU) Rynearson Stadium will host more than 9,000 AAU Junior Olympic Games’ athletes competing in track and field events, while EMU’s Jones Natatorium will house swimming and diving and the university’s Convocation Center will serve as a second registration site.

Other event venues include: baton twirling-Novi Middle School; beach volleyball-Southfield Civic Center Park; boy’s basketball-Lutheran Westland/Lutheran North High School; baseball-Bicentennial Park in Livonia/Henry Ford Community College in Dearborn; girl’s basketball-Lake Orion’s High School, Scripps Middle School and the Community Education Resource Center (C.E.R.C.); dance-the Allen Park Center for the Arts; field hockey-Ann Arbor Huron High School, and flag football-Bentley Field/Livonia Community Recreation Center.

The AAU Junior Olympic Games are known as the largest national multi-sport event for youth in the United States. It has become the showcase event of the AAU Sports Program. The AAU has partnered with five cities that will host the event through the year 2012. The hosts are Des Moines, IA; New Orleans, LA; Hampton Roads, VA; Knoxville, TN; and Detroit. AAU Junior Olympic Games’ alumni:

The AAU is one of the largest, non-profit, volunteer sports organizations in the country. As a multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs. The AAU philosophy of “Sports for All, Forever” is shared by over 500,000 members and 60,000 volunteers nationwide. Over 34 sports are offered in the 57 AAU Districts. Programs offered by the AAU include: AAU Sports Program, AAU Junior Olympic Games, AAU James E. Sullivan Memorial Award and the AAU Complete Athlete Program.

PREPS: GAME MATCH-UPS ANNOUNCED FOR THE PREMIER

OPENING-WEEK MICHIGAN HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SHOWCASE

The Detroit Metro Sports Commission (DMSC) has announced the game match-ups for the Big Day Prep Showdown (BDPS) IV to be held Friday, Aug. 29, at Eastern Michigan University’s Rynearson Stadium.

The BDPS, developed and organized by the DMSC, will kick-off at 11 a.m. with the Oakland County pairing of South Lyon and Walled Lake Central. A pair of cross-state games follow with Detroit Martin Luther King vs. Muskegon at 2 p.m., and Lake Orion taking on Rockford at 5 p.m. The night-cap at 8 p.m. will feature Washtenaw County-rivals Ann Arbor Pioneer and Saline.

Since 2005, the Big Day Prep Showdown has been the premier opening-weekend high school football event in the state of Michigan. A one-day showcase of high school football on the field, the event will also include BDPS IV Game Week events including a V.I.P. preview event for coaches, players and sponsors, and team visits to Beaumont Hospitals pediatric patients.

“Our goal for the Big Day Prep Showdown has always been to showcase exciting Michigan high school football, and celebrate the school communities in a bowl game-like atmosphere,” said Dave Beachnau, DMSC executive director. “Our match-ups for 2008 include five 2007 MHSAA playoff teams including the 2007 Division II state champion Detroit Martin Luther King, and Muskegon, the all-time leader in games won by a high school football team in Michigan. We will again offer our student scholarship program in partnership with Detroit Lions Charities, along with broadcast of all games tape-delayed on Comcast Television, and live audio play-by-play on MLive.”

The Big Day Prep Showdown IV student scholarship award program in partnership with Detroit Lions Charities will distribute awards in the amount of $500 to one student from each school.

“This scholarship program is an exciting addition to the Big Day Prep Showdown that we are pleased to continue in 2008” said DMSC Chairman Robert Porcher. “The vision is to celebrate not only football, but to acknowledge academic and civic accomplishments of students from the participating schools who excel in their own pursuits.”

Advance tickets are $7 students and $9 for adults and are available at the participating schools, or by calling 313-202-1982. All tickets are $10 at the gate on the day of the event. Children age five and under are free. All tickets provide admission for all games.

Big Day Prep Showdown IV sponsors are: 97.1 FM The Ticket; Beaumont Hospitals; Big Boy Restaurants; Comcast Television; Community Bowling Centers; Dick’s Sporting Goods, and MLive.

For more information on the Big Day Prep Showdown III, visit www.bigdayprepshowdown.com.

UNITED STATES BOWLING CONGRESS WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIPS VISITS DETROIT FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 1953

DETROIT -- The Detroit area will become a bowling mecca for tens of thousands of women from across the country when the United States Bowling Congress conducts three of its major championships — the USBC Women’s Championships, USBC Queens and USBC Senior Queens — beginning in April.

Beginning April 10, the first of approximately 40,000 women (approximately 8,000 teams) will descend upon the Super Bowl in the Detroit suburb of Canton, Mich. for the Women’s Championships. They will compete in five-player team, doubles and singles competition in five average divisions.

The Women’s Championships, which is the national championship for women’s bowling, will run for 88 consecutive days. The event will conclude on July 6.

Making its first visit to Detroit since 1953, the Women’s Championships is the highlight of the bowling season for thousands of USBC women members. It’s a vacation as well as the opportunity to compete in one of the sport’s most prestigious tournaments.

From a convention and tourism perspective, the influx of approximately 600 bowlers plus family and friends each day is expected to provide an estimated economic boost of approximately $40 million to the Detroit area over the course of the event.

“This marks our third trip to Detroit, and we’re looking forward to sharing our great sport with the Detroit community,” USBC Vice President of tournaments Jack Mordini said. “The Detroit area is really a fantastic destination I think all of our bowlers will enjoy.”

The official opening ceremonies for the Women’s Championships will take place at Super Bowl Lanes on April 10 (times to be determined).

Conducted for the first time in 1916 as the Women’s International Bowling Congress Tournament, the Women’s Championships is widely-recognized as the largest participatory sporting event in the world for women. The Women’s Championships had previously been held in Detroit on two other occasions, 1928 and 1953.

Open to all women who hold USBC adult membership, bowlers from all 50 states and several foreign countries will compete in team, doubles and singles events in five average divisions. The prize fund for the Women’s Championships is expected to exceed $2 million.

USBC Queens and Senior Queens

The world’s best women bowlers will compete for a $200,000 prize fund and $30,000 first prize when the United States Bowling Congress Queens is conducted April 26-30 at Super Bowl and Skore Lanes in Taylor, Mich.

Competition consists of traditional qualifying and double-elimination match play which determines the five players who will compete in the stepladder finals April 30 at Skore Lanes. The finals are expected to be telecast by ESPN or ESPN2 April 30 at 7 p.m. Eastern.

The USBC Queens, along with the U.S. Women’s Open, are the only major women’s bowling events still remaining after the Professional Women’s Bowling Association (PWBA) ceased operations in 2003.

Conducted concurrently with the Queens, the 9th annual USBC Senior Queens will be held at Score Lanes. The Senior Queens features approximately 150 of the world’s top women players 50 years and older.

United States Bowling Congress

The United States Bowling Congress, as the national governing body, ensures the integrity and protects the future of the sport, provides programs and services to nearly three million adult and youth members and enhances the bowling experience.

NCAA® MARCH MADNESS® HOOPS TO HIT DETROIT NEXT YEAR AT FORD FIELD!

Tickets on Sale NOW at the Ford Field Ticket Office or by Phone and Online at Ticketmaster.com

DETROIT, Mich. -- The one-year countdown is on for the NCAA® Men’s Basketball Midwest Regional Games at Ford Field! The Sweet Sixteen® and Elite Eight® games, on Friday, March 28 and Sunday, March 30, 2008, will be the first Regional Games to be played in the city of Detroit. University of Detroit will serve as the NCAA® host school for the Midwest Regionals.

The games at Ford Field are expected to eclipse the all-time attendance record for the NCAA® Regional Games. The current attendance record for a single Regional game is 42,519. That mark was set at the Michigan State vs. Kentucky game in St. Louis’ Trans World Dome in 1999. The attendance record for a single tournament game is 64,959, which was set during the Indiana vs. Syracuse 1987 National Championship Game at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans. The BasketBowl at Ford Field, which featured Michigan State vs. Kentucky in a regular-season match-up on December 13, 2003, holds the NCAA® attendance record for a single game at 78,129.

Ticket orders for the general public are now being accepted at the Ford Field ticket office, by phone at 248.645.6666 and online at www.ticketmaster.com. Ticket prices are $45, $75, $100 and $150 plus service and facility fees. Ticket price includes two (2) games on Friday, March 28 and one (1) game on Sunday, March 30, for a total of two (2) tickets for three (3) games.

All seats are subject to availability and will be sold on a first-come, first serve basis. Specific seat locations will not be available at the time of the on sale and they will be assigned at a later date. Tickets are targeted to be shipped via an express shipping service no later than January 31, 2008. Due to commitments to the participating schools, the NCAA® and NCAA® Corporate Champions and Partners, not all seating areas are available for purchase.

Upcoming NCAA® events at Ford Field include the 2009 Men’s Final Four™ Tournament and the 2010 Men’s Hockey Frozen Four® Tournament. 

2008 USBC QUEENS FACT SHEET

Major Tournament: The United States Bowling Congress Queens, along with the U.S. Women’s Open are the only major women’s bowling event still remaining after the Professional Women’s Bowling Association ceased operations in 2003.

Competitors: The Queens showcases bowling’s best women players – former professionals and amateurs. The event features approximately 300 competitors from across the country and several foreign countries.

Format: The Queens is a double-elimination format event. Players will take part in two five-game qualifying blocks before the first cut is made. After 10 games, the top 100 players (if field is less than 400) or 25 percent (if more than 400 entries) advance to another five games to determine the top 63, who will join defending champion Kelly Kulick in the double-elimination match-play bracket. After match play the top five bowlers are determined for the TV finals.

Tradition: As one of bowling’s most prestigious and longest running events, the Queens has a rich and storied history. The first event was held in 1961 and was patterned after the former American Bowling Congress Masters (now the USBC Masters).

Stars: Sixteen past champions have been enshrined into the USBC Hall of Fame including the event’s first champion Janet Harman, Donna Adamek, Patty Ann, Loa Boxberger, Pam Buckner, Cindy Coburn-Carroll, Pat Costello, Anne Marie Duggan, Dorothy Fothergill, Mildred Ignizio, D.D. Jacobson, Betty Kuczynski, Aleta Sill, Judy Soutar, Lisa Wagner and Dorothy Wilkinson.

Only six bowlers have won multiple titles with Wendy Macpherson and Ignizio the only three-time winners. Macpherson won in 1988, 2000 and 2003 and Ignizio won in 1967, 1970 and 1971. The other multiple winners whose titles came in back-to-back years include Adamek (1979-80), Fothergill (1972-73) and Japan’s Katsuko Sugimoto (1981-82). Sill won two titles which came in 1983 and 1985.

USBC Senior Queens: Conducted concurrently with the Queens, the 9 th annual USBC Senior Queens will be conducted at Skore Lanes in Taylor, Mich..

The Senior Queens features approximately 150 of the world’s top women players 50 years and older.

MAJOR NATIONAL DODGEBALL TOURNAMENT TO BE HELD IN CANTON, TEAM REGISTRATION NOW OPEN

DETROIT (Jan. 23, 2008) – The Detroit Metro Sports Commission (DMSC) announced today that the DMSC will host a national Duck ‘N Dodge tournament on Saturday, March 8, at High Velocity Sports in Canton, Mich.

Duck ‘N Dodge (www.duckndodge.com) is a national dodgeball tour with previous stops in Richmond, VA; Orlando, Fla.; and San Antonio, Tex.; among other locations.

Team registration is $125 before Feb. 15, and $150 after Feb. 15. Teams must have a minimum of six players and a maximum of 10 players age 16 and over.

There will be one Open division. The winning team will receive a cash prize of $500, and the second place team will receive $250. Each team is guaranteed to play at least 10 games. Competition will begin at High Velocity Sports at 11 a.m. All players will receive a Duck ‘N Dodge t-shirt. Registration information is available at www.detroitsports.org.

“The Detroit Metro Sports Commission welcomes Duck ‘N Dodge to Canton for what will be a very fun and exciting event,” said Dave Beachnau, DMSC executive director. “The sport of dodgeball has evolved from being a staple of school gym classes, to a rapidly growing team sport played by college students and young adults who prefer to combine recreation and sport with fun and camaraderie.”

About the DMSC (www.detroitsports.org)

The Detroit Metro Sports Commission is a subsidiary of the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau that was formed in 2001 to bring regional, national and international amateur sporting events to metro Detroit.

AMATEUR BOWLING STAR TO APPEAR AT USBC WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIPS AT SUPERBOWL LANES

WHAT: In less than three months, the Detroit area will become a bowling mecca for tens of thousands of women from across the country when the United States Bowling Congress conducts three of its major championships — the USBC Women’s Championships, USBC Queens and USBC Senior Queens — beginning in April.

WHO: Amateur bowling star Shannon O’Keefe will appear at Superbowl Lanes in Canton, Mich. on Wednesday, January 23 at 4 p.m. as part of a media promotion for the Women’s Championships and Queens tournament.

WHEN: Wednesday, January 23, 4 p.m.

WHERE: Superbowl Lanes, 45100 Ford Road, Canton, Mich. 48187

BACKGROUND: Beginning April 10, the first of approximately 40,000 women (approximately 8,000 teams) from throughout the country will descend upon the Superbowl Lanes in the Detroit suburb of Canton, Mich. for the Women’s Championships. They will compete in five-player team, doubles and singles competition in five average divisions.

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The Motor City announced that Purdue University Boilermakers will face the MAC Champion Central Michigan Chippewas on Wednesday, December 26 (7:30 p.m., ESPN) in Detroit.

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NCAA SETS UNVEILING DATE FOR THE DETROIT 2009 FINAL FOUR LOGO

DETROIT ---The National Collegiate Athletic Association will unveil the 2009 Final Four® logo at a ceremony at 9 a.m., Wednesday, November 28 in the Wintergarden at the GM Renaissance Center.

According to Bill Ryan, Executive Director of the Detroit Local Organizing Committee, the event will feature comments from NCAA Executive Vice-President Tom Jernstedt, and Tom O’Connor, Chair of the NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Committee. Also speaking will be Rick Wagoner, Chairman & CEO of General Motors Corporation, and Executive Chair of the Detroit Local Organizing Committee.

The 2009 Men’s Division I Basketball Championship, known worldwide as the Final Four®, is one of the most prestigious tournaments in collegiate sports. Detroit was awarded the bid in 2003 with the University of Detroit Mercy as its host. The Final Four® Championship will be played April 4-6, 2009 and will be preceded by Detroit’s hosting of the Midwest Regional Tournament, March 28-30, 2008. Both the 2009 Final Four® and the 2008 Midwest Regional will be played at Ford Field in Detroit.

According to Ryan, “ Detroit is the perfect setting for this championship. We have the finest facility and the greatest sports fans in the world. We have proven time and time again that this city is the number one sports city, and we’re ready to demonstrate it again. The City of Detroit, University of Detroit Mercy, and Ford Field stand ready to host the largest attendance for an NCAA Final Four.®”

DETROIT METRO SPORTS COMMISSION PREPARES FOR 2008 AAU JUNIOR OLYMPIC GAMES AND 2009 NCAA MEN’s FINAL FOUR®

The Detroit Metro Sports Commission (DMSC) announced today that Sean Krabach has been promoted to Senior Manager, Event Operations effective immediately.

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NCAA SELECTS DETROIT FOR 2009 BOWLING CHAMPIONSHIP

The NCAA Women’s Bowling Committee has selected Detroit as the host site for the 2009 NCAA Women’s Bowling Championships as announced today by the NCAA, the University of Detroit Mercy and the Detroit Metro Sports Commission (DMSC).

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MAJOR NATIONAL DODGEBALL TOURNAMENT TO BE HELD IN CANTON

The Detroit Metro Sports Commission (DMSC) announced today that the DMSC will host a national Duck ‘N Dodge tournament on Saturday, September 29, at High Velocity Sports in Canton, Mich.

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5TH ANNIVERSARY ONLINE CONTEST WINNERS ANNOUNCED

The Detroit Metro Sports Commission received more than 500 entries for its first online contest.  Six winners were randomly selected. The contest was created in celebration of our 5th anniversary and to increase awareness of the Sports Commission and its mission.

The contest resulted in five individuals receiving five tickets each to the NFL Experience at Cobo Center, and one lucky grand prize winner will select his choice of 4 tickets to a future Detroit Lions; Pistons; Red Wings or Tigers game. Congratulations to the winners and thank you to all those who participated!

Ellie Copciac - Livonia, MI
Andrea Hickman - Detroit, MI
Andrew Jevicks - Hastings, MI
Judith Pfeiffer - Warren, MI
Carolyn Tully - Ecorse, MI
GRAND PRIZE WINNER: Leonard Gyselinck - Farmington, MI

Detroit Selected to host ncaa men's frozen four in 2010

Detroit has been selected to host the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Men's Frozen Four hockey tournament in 2010, the Detroit Metro Sports Commission (DMSC) announced today. The games will be held at Ford Field and are tentatively scheduled for April 8 and 10.

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2005 Motor City Bowl Announced

Motor City Bowl officials announced today that the 2005 Motor City Bowl will return to dowtown Detroit's Ford Field on Monday, December 26, 2006 at 5:30pm.

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Comcast Local to Sponsor Big Day Prep Showdown

The Detroit Metro Sports Commission (DMSC) announced today that Comcast Local will be the presenting sponsor of DMSC's inaugural high school football event, the Big Day Prep Showdown.

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Finalist for 2009-2011 Men's Frozen Four Announced

The NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Committee annouced today the finalist to host the Men's Frozen Four from 2009-2011.

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MHSAA Football Finals Heading To Ford Field

The Michigan High School Athletic Association has entered into a multi-year agreement with Ford Field to host its Football Finals beginning with the upcoming 2005 playoffs.

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Tickets for John Hancock All-Star FanFest On Sale February 1

Tickets for John Hancock All-Star FanFest, the interactive baseball theme park which will make its first-ever stop in Detroit as part of the 2005 Major League Baseball All-Star Week, go on sale February 1.

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Detroit Metro Sports Commission, Michigan AAU Receive Salutes

The Detroit Metro Sports Commission (DMSC) and Michigan Association of the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) have been recognized for excellence in hosting and serving outstanding events and programs.

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University of Michigan, Detroit Metro Sports Commission and Palace of Auburn Hills partner on successful bid

he NCAA Wrestling Committee has selected Detroit as the site of the 2007 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships.

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More than 42,500 Bowlers to Roll into Metro Detroit

Delegates at the 2004 Women's International Bowling Congress (WIBC) Annual Meeting today selected Detroit as the host for the 2008 WIBC Championship Tournament and Annual Meeting.

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Detroit Super Bowl Xl Host Committee Announces Big Plans For Motown Winter Blast

Detroit Super Bowl XL Host Committee, Chairman Roger Penske and Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick announced big plans for the Motown Winter Blast, a signature wintertime event created for Super Bowl XL.

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Detroit Super Bowl Xl Host Committee Projects Big Win For Region – Economic Boost To Exceed $300 Million For 2006 Super Bowl

The Detroit Super Bowl XL Host Committee released the results of an economic impact study that forecasts a significant boost of $302 million to the Detroit metropolitan economy when 120,000 visitors come to town for the 2006 Super Bowl.

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