World Bowl XIII To Be Staged at Düsseldorf's LTU Arena On June11
It will be the fourth time that the Fire has hosted World Bowl, which has become one of Europe’s most important sporting events, reaching an estimated worldwide television audience of 200 million, including a live audience in the US on FOX.
The Fire will return to play in the newly-built LTU Arena when the 2005 season kicks off in April, having played for two years at the Arena AufSchalke, Gelsenkirchen, site of the Berlin Thunder’s victory over the Frankfurt Galaxy in World Bowl XII last June.
JIM CONNELLY, Managing Director of NFL Europe, said: “We are very excited about staging our showpiece event, World Bowl XIII, in the magnificent new LTU Arena. It is one of the finest sporting venues in Europe and offers a great setting for World Bowl, which has become established as one of the premier sports and entertainment events in Europe.
“The Rhein Fire has a reputation of staging spectacular events, including three previous World Bowls. With the outstanding support of the city of Düsseldorf we expect this to be another memorable occasion for the NFL Europe League.”
Rhein general manager SAMMY SCHMALE, who served as Director of Operations for the previous World Bowls hosted by the Fire in 1999, 2002 and 2004, said: “In 2002 we said farewell to Düsseldorf and the old Rheinstadion with World Bowl X in front of more than 53,000 spectators.
“Now we are proud to celebrate our homecoming with World Bowl XIII and very excited about staging the first big championship game at LTU Arena.”
Looking forward to the third World Bowl to be staged in his city, Düsseldorf Lord Mayor JOACHIM ERWIN said: “The decision to stage World Bowl XIII in Düsseldorf shows our importance as a ‘City of Sports’. It also demonstrates the great relationship between the NFL, Rhein Fire and the City of Düsseldorf.”
World Bowl XIII will be preceded by a week of festivities and events in the Düsseldorf area, while gameday itself will feature a full line-up of specially-themed entertainment.
The LTU Arena will become the tenth venue to stage World Bowl following Wembley Stadium, London (1991); Olympic Stadium, Montreal (1992); Olympic Stadium, Amsterdam (1995); Murrayfield, Edinburgh (1996); Estadi Olimpic, Barcelona (1997); Waldstadion, Frankfurt (1998, 2000); Rheinstadion, Düsseldorf (1999, 2002); Amsterdam ArenA (2001); Hampden Park, Glasgow (2003); Arena AufSchalke, Gelsenkirchen (2004).
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