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af2 enters SE Connecticut

by af2 Press Release
July 19, 2001 - arenafootball2 (af2)


arenafootball2 Comes to Southeastern Connecticut

af2 Press Release

New team will begin play in Mohegan Sun Arena in April 2002

UNCASVILLE, Conn. -- Mohegan Sun, in association with arenafootball2 (af2) announced today that Dr. Eric Margenau, co-owner of the New Haven Knights hockey team, has been awarded a new af2 franchise in Uncasville, CT, which will begin play in the new Mohegan Sun Arena in April 2002. The team will be owned and operated solely by Dr. Magenau.

"We are excited to bring Arena Football to southeastern Connecticut," said Paul Munick, vice president of sports and entertainment, Mohegan Sun. "This demonstrates our commitment to bringing high caliber sports and entertainment to the region."

arenafootball2 is in its second season, operating with a record high 28 teams throughout the Midwest, Southeast, and Northeast. The league is designed to develop the game of Arena Football at a grass roots level, focusing on local talent and creating regional rivalries. This season 33 former af2 players are now making impacts on AFL rosters and nine former af2 players have moved up to the NFL.

"We are very pleased to be able to bring the hard-hitting, fast-paced game of arenafootball2 to southeastern Connecticut and its enthusiastic sports fans," said af2 Executive Director Mary Ellen Garling. "Dr. Margenau has a proven track record in the sports industry and the game will be a perfect fit for the fans and community of Southeastern Connecticut."

Dr. Margenau, one of the premier minor league sports operators in the country, is co-founder of United Sports Ventures, Inc. (USV), a sports management company located in New York City. USV owns and operates minor league professional sports franchises. In Connecticut, Dr. Margenau is co-owner of the New Haven Knights hockey team. The Knights are members of the 16-team United Hockey League, which has teams in 11 states and stretches as far north as Elmira, New York, as far south as Asheville, North Carolina and as far west as St. Charles, Missouri.

"Arena Football is an exciting indoor sport. I am looking forward to building a championship football team here at Mohegan Sun," said Dr. Eric Margenau, President/Chief Executive Officer, United Sports Ventures, Inc. "This area is already known for intense boxing action; next year, it will also be recognized for hard-hitting football excitement."

Expansion plans for af2 call for the addition of 10-14 teams for the 2002 season. Uncasville is the fourth expansion team to be announced in the Northeast region for play in the 2002 season. Previous teams announced were Albany, NY; Manchester, NH; and New Haven, CT.

This year's Championship Game, ArenaCup 2001, will again be televised in primetime on TNN, on Friday, August 10th at 8:00 ET/PT.

Upon completion in October 2001, Mohegan Sun Arena will host a wealth of legendary entertainment and major sporting events. With its state-of-the-art lighting and sound system, Mohegan Sun Arena will become the premier entertainment venue in southeastern Connecticut.

Owned by the Mohegan Tribal Nation, Mohegan Sun is one of the largest, most distinctive and spectacular destinations in the United States. It is situated in scenic southeastern Connecticut on 240 acres along the Thames River in the town of Uncasville. Within easy access of New York, Boston, Hartford and Providence, as well as a wealth of popular activities and attractions in Mystic Places, Mohegan Sun is already renowned as a legendary gaming and entertainment center. It is now evolving into a multidimensional destination featuring 1,200 hotel rooms, premier meeting and convention space, a 10,000-seat arena and a world-class spa - making it ideally suited for discerning business and leisure travelers. For information visit www.mohegansun.com or call 1-888-226-7711.

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