USA Football: Play Football - it's more than a game
Overview:
The national Play Football campaign promotes participation in youth and high school football and champions the values and life-skills our game bestows to its young players. "Play Football – it's more than a game" is not just a call to action, it is an emotional bridge that connects the game's values to parents, coaches, officials, administrators, former players and prospective participants. In 2008, the Commemorative Ball Tour, NFL Team Celebrations, "I Played" and Captains Initiatives will grow Play Football into a year-round campaign.
Timing:
In April, USA Football launched the first annual Commemorative Ball Tour – a nationwide, web-interactive promotion that follows the trail of a special-edition NFL football. As the ball travels around the country, it will represent our game's past and future; the valuable skills that are learned on and off the field; and the camaraderie of current and prospective participants, fans and families.
The NFL Team Celebrations will honor current youth football participants by inviting them to NFL pre-season games, where in-stadium "Play Football – it's more than a game" banners, on-field stencils and video messaging will reinforce our message during youth football registration months.
USA Football's "I Played" campaign will spotlight those who played youth or high school football and used its disciplines to help them attain success in their careers and/or communities. A supporting "I Played" television commercial will reach millions of prospective football participants and will stress behaviors that mold individual character like teamwork, perseverance, tolerance and integrity.
The "I Played" campaign will make a smooth transition into USA Football's Captains Initiative, which will give youth football coaches the opportunity to reward players who demonstrate "captain's characteristics" with USA Football captain's patches and helmet decals. For more information, log on to www.usafootball.com.