ROUND ROCK, Texas - Gaming software mega-giant Electronic Arts claims "It's in the game," and now with its newest release available at local retailers the Austin Wranglers can claim the same. EA's Arena Football: Road to Glory hit shelves Thursday, Feb. 22 with even higher expectations of its inaugural title Arena Football which reached more than 500,000 units sold since its release in spring of 2006 thus expediting a sequel originally scheduled for 2008.

Electronic Arts Inc., headquartered in Redwood City , Calif. , is the world's leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, EA posted revenue of $2.95 billion and had 27 titles that sold more than one million copies in 2006.

Road to Glory, under the EA Sports brand which includes Madden NFL and NCAA Football, is available on the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system and features the only arena football game available for indoor football enthusiasts. Road to Glory brings all the thrills and chills of what is commonly referred to as the "50-yard war."

Unlike its predecessor, Road to Glory features teams from both the AFL and arenafootball2 - Arena's minor league little brother. More than 80 teams are available and for the first time, fans can play as their favorite af2 franchise.

"Sales are really picking up now that the season has started," said Daniel Hortick, GameStop sales representative of Round Rock. "Arena Football did better than anticipated and with the addition of af2, Road to Glory should do even better. But this title will sell just because it's EA Sports, plus it gives gamers waiting for the next Madden a much needed football fix."

This is not AFL's first foray into the video gaming market.

In 2000, Midway debuted Kurt Warner's Arena Football Unleashed, but poor game play and an underdeveloped Arena market resulted in poor sales and a cease in production. Not even cover boy and namesake Kurt Warner, former quarterback of the now-defunct Iowa Barnstormers, could save the title even with a Super Bowl championship and MVP award with the St. Louis Rams five months earlier.

"We are looking forward to the public reaction of Road to Glory," said Jon Dean, EA Sports Executive Producer. "It was important for EA to create a title that stood alone and not become just another version of Madden or NCAA. We accomplished this with our first title, and with more features, more teams and a bigger audience we are certain to be successful with the second."

The game release comes just weeks after ESPN purchased a minority ownership stake in the AFL. The network and league entered into a five-year agreement that includes extensive multimedia rights and a minimum of 26 televised games per season.

"Things are certainly looking up," said Doug MacGregor, President of the AFL's Austin Wranglers. "The video game provides us with a broader audience while teaching the nuances of the sport. I feel that our relationship with EA Sports has been more beneficial for our league than any other media partnership in the past, including the former television deal with NBC."

"EA Sports and ESPN are both part of the American culture … it's a lifestyle," said Dean. "These are meaningful, credible advances in the progression of a league that is entering its 21st year, and I can say EA SPORTS is very fortunate to be a part of it."

ROUND ROCK, Texas. March 7, 2007 - Virginia's Ben Rubeor was mentioned as "stock rising" in the latest Nike Tewaaraton Tracker at Inside Lacrosse on Wednesday. Each week, Inside Lacrosse presents the Nike Tewaaraton Tracker to highlight the top players in lacrosse around the nation.

Rubeor, a junior attackman, was instrumental in the Cavs' come-from-behind win over Syracuse during the inaugural Inside Lacrosse Face-Off Classic at Baltimore's M&T Bank Stadium on Saturday in front of a record regular season crowd of 20,180. Rubeor received the Sportexe Player of the Game for scoring three goals en route to Virginia's 11-8 win.

The Classic featured double-header action that included Johns Hopkins defeating Princeton 7-6 in double overtime.

Other players mentioned in the poll along with Rubeor include: Matt Danowski, Duke; Frank Resetarits, Albany; Eric Pittard, Cornell; and Paul Rabil, Johns Hopkins.

by Victor AndersonCSTV BlogMarch 7th 2007

UCF Intramural Sports has been recognized around the nation for their All-American officials and National Championship flag football teams. Now, they have something else they can hang their hat on; brand-new playing turf. The new RWC Turf Fields opened for limited use on July 10th and have been receiving nothing but rave reviews ever since the opening. The fields, which are located behind the current IM Sports Grass fields, provide yet another outlet and playing arena for students to use. Although the official grand opening of the RWC Fields will not take place until early-September, the current use of these fields are setting the pace for what should be a huge year for Intramural Sports and UCF Recreation and Wellness.

The thought process for having these turf fields began back when Brian Battles was SGA Student Body President and he formed a committee with Kevin Peters to look into getting new fields on the UCF campus. RWC Associate Director Jim Wilkening was one of the figureheads in charge of getting a field that was suitable to meet the needs of the participants of Intramural Sports.

"I was a chair (man) of a program committee to put together the field project for the student and the committee consisted of both students and staff," Wilkening mentioned. "Within the next year, Peters became Student Body President and that actually continued the momentum of the fields getting built."

These fields were funded by student CITF funds costing 3.2 million dollars for the first phase which is the three fields that are complete. The next phase of this plan will cost 2.8 million dollars and the majority of this will come from the SGA. The final phases cost and funding is currently unknown and will not be known until the first two phases are completed. Within the next 5 years, you will be witness to more expansion and more growth of the Intramural Sports program.

About The FieldsThe new turf fields aren't the same Astroturf fields you grew up watching on television on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. These brand new fields are Momentum 51 fields made by Sportexe, which is the same company who made the fields for the Baltimore Ravens, New Orleans Saints, and the University of Southern Mississippi. The "grass" portion of the turn consists of 70 percent rubber and 30 percent sand which is on top an infilled surface which is made up of 100 percent ground rubber. This turf plays similar to grass, as the rubber and sand mixture that provides a consistent and safe playing surface, unlike previous generations of artificial turf. If you would like more information on the fields, log on to www.sportexe.com. Sportexe is the company that was responsible for building the Omnigrass turf that was installed for the fields.

"What we were looking for is to be a close to grass as we can get and Sportexe provided the best product for us to meet that expectation," Wilkening mentioned.

Intramural Sports Graduate Assistant Steve Anderson (no relation) mentioned how this turf is much safer than the current grass field IM Sports uses.

"We invested in these new fields due to the fact that the current fields couldn't be maintained well enough leading to sandpits and dead grass," Anderson stated.

The problem with dead grass and sandpits was not only true for the grass fields behind the Barbra Ying Center, but also for the IM Softball Fields as well. Players would consistently inform the referees and supervisors about the multiple holes on the playing field and these fields will surely help ease those fears of being hurt on inadequately maintained fields. Along with the brand new playing surface, the fields are also equipped with a new drainage system which is called Draincore. Wilkening discussed the advantages of having a system like this installed underneath the fields.

"It (Draincore) is hooked in across the entire field and then the drainage is sent to different places based on the drainage system," Wilkening mentioned. Draincore is a chain of circular rounds underneath the infill area and it allows for a faster facilitation of drainage than on the current grass fields. Not only does this new field have one the best and safest playing surfaces in the world, but the addition of lights allow 7 on 7 flag football to be played at nighttime.

Nighttime Is The Right TimeDuring 7 on 7 flag football's tenure here at UCF, games would usually be played between 4-6pm from Monday to Friday and from 9 am to 1pm on Saturdays. With the new lights installed, Wilkening sees the eventual shift to full-time football under the lights. "Around the country, that's not a traditional time to run your Intramural program," Wilkening declared. "We'll probably see a slow progression into the evenings and the timing will be based on the number of teams. You could see flag football being run between 5-11pm Monday through Thursday."

With the increased availability to play at night, don't be surprised if IM Sports gains at least 50 more teams for this upcoming season based on the nighttime capability alone. Steve Anderson confirmed this possibility when I talked to him last week.

"There will definitely be an increase (in teams) because there won't be any waiting list teams like in the past. We used to have a cap on the number of teams," Anderson acknowledged. "Although the increase is definite, we're not sure the exact numbers to predict."

Last season, almost 150 teams played flag football and this season that number should be near 200 or over.

"I would not be surprised to see us top 200 simply because we have a good playing surface and the ability to play in the evenings," Jim Wilkening said.

Not only will the nighttime capability benefit the players, but it will also benefit WKNT Knightcast who covers IM Sports. Eric Lopez, host of The Sports Guys, is looking forward to WKNT's debut of flag football under the lights.

"Flag football is without question our most popular and most requested Intramural Sport that we broadcast and the fact they'll be playing at night will only make that fact even stronger," Lopez confirmed. "The players, their friends, and parents will now be able to listen to them almost immediately after they play on the new fields. That is the part which is most exciting."

Into The FutureThe creation of these new turf fields are only the start to a 3-phase plan which will include more fields, restroom/storage facilities, and remodeling of the current grass fields and softball fields.

"It's all about people finding out and this story will be a benefit to this cause," Wilkening mentioned. "Eventually, we still won't have enough fields to accommodate everybody. However, what we lack in quantity we surely lack in quality with the turf fields."

In the long run, students and staff will understand that having these fields will only strengthen and enhance the credibility for UCF and their Recreation Services. People I have talked to about the fields who are gone for the summer said that they can't wait to have their teams and friends take their first steps on the soft, rubbery surface when they return for the fall semester.

In the past, they were looking forward to the future. Ladies and Gentlemen, the future is here for UCF Intramurals, and right now, it's just as green (if not more) as that grass on the other side of the fence. That is without all the ants and pesticides to deal with.

DEVONSHIRE, Bermuda. March 7, 2007 - The Bermuda National Sports Centre located in Devonshire will play host to the Pan American Games field hockey qualifier with the USA men's national team facing off with Mexico for the final spot at this summer's Pan Am tournament in a best-of-three qualifying series beginning Thursday.

Both teams will meet in matches March 8-11 with the winner joining Argentina, Canada, Chile, Cuba, Netherlands Antilles, Trinidad & Tobago and host Brazil at the Pan American Games, July 15-25 in Rio de Janeiro. The Pan Am Games serve as the continental qualifier for the Olympic Games with the winner of the competition earning the continents automatic berth in Beijing in 2008.

The BNSC, which houses the only facility dedicated to field hockey in Bermuda, features the Sportexe synthetic turf system specifically designed for field hockey and "approved" by the F餥ration Internationale de Hockey (FIH). Sportexe is also the official synthetic turf provider for the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA).

"What is achieved when you combine a world class tourism destination and a world class field hockey facility? You make available a destination that field hockey enthusiast from around the globe will flock to," said Bermuda Hockey Federation Vice President Grainne Sweeney. "The National Sports Centre through building the hockey playing facility with Sportexe engineering has enabled Bermuda to now be seriously looked upon by the outside world as world class sports destination. Bermuda, its people and the National Sports Centre should be very proud by its achievements to date and long may their hard work and vision continue."

The winner will not only advance to the Pan Am Games, but would also keep alive the team's Olympic qualifying hopes. Teams placing 2nd-5th at the Pan Am Games will earn spots in one of three six-team Olympic Qualifying Tournaments in 2008. The winners of each of the qualifying tournaments will advance to the Olympic Games.

BALTIMORE. March 5, 2007--Attackmen Steven Boyle of Johns Hopkins and Ben Rubeor of Virginia each earned Sportexe Player of the Game honors for their efforts in the season-opening lacrosse doubleheader at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore on Saturday.

Four elite college teams met in the inaugural Inside Lacrosse Face-Off Classic over the weekend that drew the largest crowd to watch a regular-season match when 20,180 attended.

Johns Hopkins defeated Princeton 7-6 in double overtime in the first game at M&T Bank Stadium. Virginia beat Syracuse 11-8 in the second game.

All four teams are ranked in the top 10 nationally, and they have won every NCAA Division I championship since 1992.

Boyle scored three goals on the day, including two big first-half goals that took the score to 2-1, then to 3-3, respectively. He also scored in the third quarter to tie the game at 5-5. Boyle, a freshman who played at Pinkerton Academy in New Hampshire, entered the season with the most hype, ranking No. 2 on Inside Lacrosse's 2007 Blue Chip recruit rankings.

Rubeor, who finished with three goals and two assists, tied the game at 8-8 in the second half en route to the Cavs' come-from-behind victory.

"The event was simply awesome," said John Burke, Sportexe Director of Lacrosse. "Inside Lacrosse did a great job with this event and it showed with a record crowd. No one could have asked for better performances than those given by Boyle and Rubeor. They both exemplified the same qualities that make Sportexe the world's top synthetic turf brand."

Sportexe, the synthetic turf system used by M&T Bank – home of the NFL's Baltimore Ravens, sponsored the Classic's player of the game award.

M&T Bank Stadium will also host the NCAA men's lacrosse championships during Memorial Day weekend in May.

ROUND ROCK, Texas. March 1, 2007 - Adalius Thomas of the Baltimore Ravens and alumnus of the University of Southern Mississippi - both Sportexe synthetic turf system users, is once again hosting his free one-day football camp at the USM on April 21.

Thomas, an NFL Pro-Bowl linebacker, will be the featured instructor for his non-contact football camp and will stress the basic fundamentals of football and have guest speakers talking on a variety of subjects. Campers will receive a camp t-shirt, autographed photo of Adalius, goodie bag from our sponsors and lunch.

Registration is Saturday, April 21, at M.M. Roberts Stadium between 8:30 a.m. and 9:15 a.m. The camp will begin immediately after registration and will end around 1:30 p.m.

The camp is open for boys between the ages of 9-17.

Call 601-270-0762 or email rosalea@b-c-sports.com for more information.