ShrinerMagazineFall2021

Viva Las Vegas

THE EAST-WEST SHRINE BOWL WILL BE PART OF NFL PRO BOWL WEEK

After being sidelined for a year because of COVID-19, the East-West Shrine Bowl, America’s longest- running college football all-star game, is back.

At press time for this edition of Shriner Maga- zine , a fully executed contract with our Las Vegas headquarters hotel had not yet been completed. Visit shrinebowl.com for the latest informa- tion on hotel and ticket information for the 2022 event in Las Vegas. You can also call the East-West Shrine Bowl at 813-281-8686 . A History of Service and Opportunity “The East-West Shrine Bowl is exemplary of the values of football, as all involved have the opportunity to inspire and encourage the children and families at Shriners Hospitals,” said Troy Vincent, NFL executive vice president of football operations. “In addition to community service and engagement, student athletes get an early start on the evaluation of their skills and coaches also showcase their talent, develop professionally, and network with colleagues, which is invaluable to the future of football.” Throughout the 97-year history of the East-West Shrine Bowl, former players in the legendary game have made more than 500 NFL Pro Bowl appearances. The 2022 game will mark the first time that the Shrine Bowl and Pro Bowl align during the same week, strengthening the relationship between the two events. The move to Las Vegas this February comes after the Shrine Bowl was played in St. Petersburg, Florida, for the past 10 years. Thousands of East-West Shrine Bowl all-stars have gone on to the NFL, including 78 who have been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Some of the many alumni of the game include Tom Brady, Gale Sayers, John Elway, Lawrence Taylor, Pat Tillman, Brett Favre, Dick Butkus, Mike Ditka, Frank Gifford and Roger Staubach.

OUR SIGNATURE, STORIED CONTEST will be played on Thursday, Feb. 3, 2022, at the home of the Las Vegas Raiders as part of NFL Pro Bowl week. The game will be played in Allegiant Stadium, one of the nation’s premier professional stadiums, in Las Vegas, Nevada, and will be televised nationally during primetime on NFL Network. “This is a historic day for the East-West Shrine Bowl™ and Shriners Hospitals for Children,” said Bob Roller, director of national sports management for Shriners Hospitals. “Our goal was to expand the reach and mission of our health care system and to hold a world-class sporting event, and this partnership with the NFL and Pro Bowl Week greatly enhances our ongoing mission that has helped more than 1.5 million children since opening in 1922.” The event will bring together approximately 125 of the nation’s top collegiate football players to be coached by NFL staff mem- bers for a week of preparation in front of hundreds of NFL scouts, professional agents and media, all leading up to the 2022 NFL Draft, which will also be held in Las Vegas. New Director of Operations Earlier this year, Eric Galko came onboard as director of football operations and player personnel for the game. Galko directs all phases of player recruitment and selection for the East-West Shrine Bowl, working closely with partners within the NFL and its operations office, as well as professional teams, collegiate teams and the scouting and agent industry. He also works with Bob Roller to promote the life-changing mission of the organization.

5

shrinersinternational.org