BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN AND THE E STREET BAND will perform in the BRIDGESTONE SUPER BOWL XLIII HALFTIME SHOW on NBC at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa on Sunday, February 1, the NFL and NBC announced tonight.

The Super Bowl halftime show is annually the most-watched musical performance. More than 148 million viewers in the U.S. watched last year’s show. The Super Bowl and halftime show will be broadcast worldwide in more than 230 countries and territories.

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band join an esteemed list of recent halftime acts that includes the Rolling Stones, U2, Paul McCartney, Prince and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

The BRIDGESTONE SUPER BOWL XLIII HALFTIME SHOW is an NFL NETWORK PRODUCTION and will be executive produced by Ricky Kirshner and Glenn Weiss of WHITE CHERRY ENTERTAINMENT and by DON MISCHER PRODUCTIONS. Don Mischer also will serve as director.

http://www.brucespringsteen.net/

Source: NFL

Former NFL star and avid outdoorsman Steve Bartkowski is taking his passion for sports into the wilds of Montana this fall and inviting sports enthusiasts to join him.

The former Atlanta Falcons quarterback and longtime ESPN outdoor TV host will lead a Sportsman’s Getaway October 21-26 that will include two days of premier fly fishing on Paradise Valley’s Yellowstone River; two mornings or afternoons of wing shooting; and daily horseback riding, hiking and yoga. The excursion is being hosted by Mountain Sky Guest Ranch, Montana’s top-rated guest ranch and resort well-known for its natural surroundings, hospitality, accommodations and cuisine.

“For people who love the outdoors - but don’t mind being a little pampered, too - it really doesn’t get any better than this,” Bartkowski said. “This is the perfect blend of outdoor sports coupled with great amenities like authentic Western lodging, excellent dining and spectacular natural surroundings. We’ll shoot, fish, ride, share stories, hang out - and we’ll get to do it all in one of the most breathtaking places on Earth.”

The Sportsman’s Getaway package includes:

• Two days of fly fishing on the Yellowstone River - some of the nation’s most sought-after waters, and an easy drive from the ranch

• Two mornings or afternoons of wing shooting, including a warm-up round of shooting clays

• Daily horseback riding, enjoying scenic rides through some of the most beautiful terrain in the U.S.

• Daily hiking to explore the beauty of majestic rock overlooks, historical sites, and Montana’s natural splendor

• Lodging in the rustic elegance of private cabins that feature fireplaces, large picture windows and porches to fully capture breathtaking mountain views

• Five-star cuisine from Mountain Sky’s renowned culinary staff - all meals included

The five-night Sportsman’s Getaway is priced at $2,700 per person. For a full itinerary and more details, or to make a reservation call Mountain Sky Guest Ranch (1-800-548-3392) or log on to www.mtnsky.com.

About Mountain Sky: Located in Emigrant, Montana, Mountain Sky Guest Ranch is nestled within 9,000 acres of beautiful, rugged countryside alongside Big Creek in Paradise Valley. Known for its rustic elegance, majestic scenery, peaceful atmosphere and outdoor adventure activities, the ranch has served as a working and guest ranch since 1929. It offers authentic Montana adventure and superb guest services to families, couples, singles, groups and corporate teams seeking to reconnect with the land … and each other.

Source: Mountain Sky Guest Ranch

As Butch Davis prepares his second Tar Heel football team for its Atlantic Coast Conference home opener against Virginia Tech, eight Chapel Hill area organizations have united to produce the “Touch Downtown Chapel Hill” campaign with the shared goal of bolstering the community, hometown spirit and economic activity during football weekends in 2008.

The Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau, Chapel Hill Downtown Partnership, Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce, Town of Chapel Hill, UNC Department of Athletics, The UNC Rams Club, Tar Heel Sports Properties and UNC General Alumni Association have contributed more than $150,000 to this campaign that is an extension of the “Fifth Quarter Chapel Hill” promotion that had a soft rollout in 2006 and full implementation last year.

“Touch Downtown Chapel Hill” strives to encourage football fans, both residents and visitors, to start early and stay late in Chapel Hill after the game ends and enjoy nearly 100 restaurants, 50 specialty stores and a mile of family cultural attractions.

Local officials will utilize many more marketing vehicles this season. Magazine, radio and interactive ads. Street banners. A dedicated web site TouchDowntown.com. Email blasts. Brochures. Concerted communications and publicity push. Plus numerous cross promotions.

“We hope the campaign increases economic activity around Chapel Hill and generates even greater interest in Carolina Football,” said UNC Director of Athletics Dick Baddour. “There is a great deal of excitement about the Tar Heels and it’s encouraging to see all these groups come together to promote football Saturdays. There’s no better place to watch a college football game than Kenan Stadium, and we also want our fans to make it a full day or even a weekend with all that Chapel Hill and the surrounding areas have to offer.”

“As its name implies, we want the tens of thousands of fans to touch our community by staying and playing on game day instead of making a beeline for the bus or car and departing town,” said Laurie Paolicelli, Executive Director of the Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau. “We hope to encourage safe, extended activity downtown and around town after the game ends.”

“We expect the economic impact of each home football game to exceed $6 million,” said Aaron Nelson, President and CEO of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce. “And with a coordinated effort like this one, we look forward to seeing local spending grow, supporting local businesses and our important local government services.”

The partners are committed to enhancing both the gameday and destination experience when North Carolina faces Virginia Tech on September 20, Connecticut on October 4, Notre Dame on October 11, Boston College on October 25, Georgia Tech on November 8 and North Carolina State on November 22.

Chapel Hill Transit offers bus transportation from six Park & Ride lots before and after 2008 Tar Heel football games. Rather than sitting in traffic on I-40, 54, 15-501 and other roads, two of the six lots offer Tar Heel Express service three hours before kickoff and three hours after the game with drop-off points including Franklin Street, Tar Heel Town and Kenan Stadium, so coming early or staying after to enjoy Downtown Chapel Hill has never been easier.

The drop-off site for all six routes is one block from Kenan Stadium and Tar Heel Town. The costs for all Tar Heel Express buses are $5 round trip and $3 one-way.

According to the Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau, visitors typically spend $285 a day/per person when visiting overnight. Day-trippers, who come for just the game, tend to spend $78 per day, per person and the Bureau would like to see that money spent throughout the destination. Tourism dollars make an annual impact of $147 million in Orange County, NC.

Additional information is available at 919-968-2060 or 888-968-2060 or www.TouchDowntown.com.

Contact: Laurie Paolicelli, Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau 888-968-2060

Martin Armes, 919-608-7260

Source: Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau