March 27, 2008
IOWA CITY – The first-ever BlackBerry® Gridiron Bash Ultimate Fan Competition is entering its final three weeks, and the University of Iowa stands in sixth place with ticket sales, text and online votes combining for more 14,000 points.
The University of Alabama is in the lead with Texas A&M and Penn State University in second and third, respectively. In the past several days, South Carolina has jumped from 11th place to fourth.
Daily school standings are being posted at Grirdiron Bash.com. Also there is information on how to place a vote for the Iowa Hawkeyes and details about the BlackBerry Gridiron Bash event featuring two-time Grammy Award-winner Kelly Clarkson inside historic Kinnick Stadium on Friday, April 18.
Results are also being displayed in weekly national advertisements in both the Sports and Life sections of USA Today. Fans of Hawkeyes cast a vote for the UI by purchasing tickets, texting IOWA to 23909, or placing an online vote.
“Alabama’s fans are outshining all others,” said Shawn Garrity, president of MSL Sports and Entertainment and creator and producer of BlackBerry® Gridiron BashTM nationwide.
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The first-ever BlackBerry® Gridiron Bash Ultimate Fan Competition is entering its final three weeks, and the University of Iowa stands in sixth place with ticket sales, text and online votes combining for more 14,000 points.
Daily school standings are being posted Grirdiron Bash.com. Also there is information on how to place a vote for the Iowa and details about the BlackBerry Gridiron Bash event featuring two-time Grammy Award-winner Kelly Clarkson inside historic Kinnick Stadium on Friday, April 18. |
“But that could change quickly as we enter the home stretch of the competition. We watched how Iowa fans supported the Hawkeyes’ ESPN’s Pontiac Game-Changing Performance competition two football seasons ago, so we know this race is a long way from over. Hawk fans are great and we expect them to step up in support of their football team.”
Tied to spring football games and including pep rallies and live concerts with nationally known names at football stadiums, the BlackBerry® Gridiron BashTM fan competition – being billed as the USA TODAY Bash for Cash SeriesTM – will be based 70 percent on fan attendance at BlackBerry® Gridiron BashTM events and 30 percent on text in and online votes. The winning school receives $1 million; second place receives $500,000 and third place earns $250,000.
All except for three of the schools have three weeks to close the gap, as the events are being held April 18th, the Friday before spring games. LSU’s BlackBerry® Gridiron BashTM is April 4th, and Alabama’s is April 11th.
Fans of the Hawkeyes should be watching closely over the coming days for several announcements regarding additions to the lineup of entertainers to take the stage at Kinnck when the UI celebrates the start of another college football season in Iowa City.
“We’re very pleased with what we’re assembling locally to complement the appearance of Kelly Clarkson. Some of it will be `Black and Gold’ and other pieces will be talented young people we think our friends and fans will enjoy,” said Rick Klatt, associate athletics director for external affairs at the UI.
“Of course, we’re excited about the opportunity to be in the mix in the `Bash for Cash’ competition and would invite all friends and alumni of the UI and fans of the Hawkeyes to cast their vote in support of the University of Iowa.”
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