United Football League Announces TV Announcers for VERSUS UFL Telecasts

United Football League Announces TV Announcers for VERSUS UFL Telecasts

Dave Sims, Doug Flutie, Kordell Stewart & Anita Marks to Lead Broadcast Team

RUTHERFORD, N.J., Sept. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- The United Football League announced today that four highly talented broadcasters will lead the television coverage of the UFL on VERSUS. Veteran play-play announcer Dave Sims joins the broadcast booth with color analyst and former NFL standout Doug Flutie. Former Steelers Quarterback Kordell Stewart and radio and television host Anita Marks will serve as sideline and features reporters.

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"We have assembled a top-notch team to lead our inaugural telecasts on VERSUS," said Frank Vuono, COO of the UFL. "The combined football experience and knowledge of Dave, Doug, Kordell and Anita will help us provide unprecedented access to professional football while allowing the home viewer prime viewing position that will truly make them feel like they are part of the action."

A two-time Emmy Award winning sportscaster, Dave Sims is best known as the television play-by-play voice for the Seattle Mariners and the radio play-by-play announcer for Westwood One's NFL Sunday Night Football. In addition, Sims continues to be a mainstay on the college sports scene where he has been calling basketball games for ESPN since 1991. A veteran of the local New York sports scene, Sims worked at WCBS-TV as a reporter/anchor, has hosted talk shows at Madison Square Garden Network and WFAN-AM Radio and spent seven years as a sportswriter for the New York Daily News. In addition to his Emmy Awards, Sims accolades include the 2005 Big East Conference Media Award and the American Football Foundation's 2003 Lindsey Nelson Outstanding Sportscaster Award.

A phenomenal college football player who rose to prominence during his playing days at Boston College, Doug Flutie is probably best remembered for his 1984 "Hail Mary" touchdown pass. A Heisman Trophy and Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award winner, Flutie has had experience playing at all levels of professional football including the USFL, the NFL and the CFL. Flutie led the CFL's Toronto Argonauts to back-to-back Grey Cup victories and was named CFL's Most Outstanding Player a record six times and MVP in all of his three Grey Cup victories. As a member of the NFL's Buffalo Bills, he earned Pro Bowl and NFL Comeback Player of the Year honors. In 2006, Flutie was the top ranked CFL Player. In 2007, Flutie was named to the College Football Hall of Fame and Canada's Sports Hall of Fame, the first American born player to be inducted. In combining his CFL, NFL and USFL statistics, Flutie ranks sixth among the all-time pro football passing leaders in attempts, completions and touchdowns.

Kordell Stewart joins the UFL broadcast team as sideline reporter. As quarterback at the University of Colorado, Stewart is also heralded for his "Miracle at Michigan" pass which led the Buffaloes past the University of Michigan 27-26 in 1994. He became one of the most prolific quarterbacks in school history, setting several records including most completed passes, most passing yards and most touchdown passes. In Kordell's first season as a starting quarterback in the NFL, in 1997, he led the Steelers to an 11-5 record and the AFC Championship Game. In 2001, Stewart led the Steelers to a 13-3 regular-season record and the top seed in the AFC playoffs. He had the best professional season of his career throwing for over 3,000 yards, completing 60 percent of his passes and attaining a passer rating of 81.7. Stewart threw for 14 touchdowns and ran for five more. Stewart's year culminated with his being elected to the Pro Bowl and being named Steelers MVP. Among NFL quarterbacks, Stewarts' 38 rushing touchdowns ranks second all-time behind Steve Young's. Stewart was given the nickname "Slash" early in his career due to his abilities as utility player playing running back/wide receiver/punter. Most recently, Stewart served as studio host on ESPNews for its college broadcasts.

Anita Marks learned about football by playing the sport competitively. She fine-tuned her football skills and dominated the Collegiate Flag Football Circuit for four years while attending the University of South Florida (USF) where she graduated with a Communications degree. Upon graduation from USF, Marks transferred her passion for sports into a career as a sports producer for the local CBS affiliate in Miami. The opportunity to return to the gridiron and play professional football occurred in 1999 when Marks served as quarterback for the Miami Fury, a women's professional football team, for four years and the Florida Stingrays for one year. Known for her incredible arm strength and pinpoint accuracy, Marks developed a reputation for being one of the best QB's to ever play women's professional football. Upon conclusion of her playing days, Marks transitioned back to the media and currently hosts her own afternoon sports talk show on 1057 The FAN in Baltimore, which is also simulcast on television's Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN). Marks also hosts the Ravens pre- and post-game shows and has her own television show on MASN called Fantasy Blitz.

The United Football League is a new professional football league that will kick off its "Premiere" season this October. Featuring high-quality traditional football played by world-class athletes and led by former NFL coaches, the UFL's "Premiere" season teams include the California Redwoods, Florida Tuskers, Las Vegas Locomotives and New York Sentinels. The UFL's goal is to provide fans with affordable, innovative and entertaining game-day experiences.

The UFL previously announced that VERSUS, one of the fastest growing sports cable networks in the country, will air eight of the League's "Premiere" season games. VERSUS' first game will air on October 8th at 9:00 PM EST. Each live telecast will be approximately three hours and all games will be produced and available in HD. The complete schedule for UFL games on VERSUS follows:

   -- Oct. 8    California Redwoods at Las Vegas Locos    9:00 PM (EST)   -- Oct. 14   Florida Tuskers at Las Vegas Locos        9:00 PM (EST)   -- Oct. 22   California Redwoods at Florida Sentinels  7:00 PM (EST)   -- Oct. 29   Las Vegas Locos at Florida Tuskers        7:00 PM (EST)   -- Nov. 4    Las Vegas Locos at New York Sentinels     7:00 PM (EST)   -- Nov. 12   Florida Tuskers at New York Sentinels     7:00 PM (EST)   -- Nov. 19   Florida Tuskers at California Redwoods    9:00 PM (EST)   -- Nov. 27   Championship Game in Las Vegas            3:00 PM (EST)   

Tickets are now on-sale in all markets and can be purchased by calling 877.UFL.2009 or visiting www.ufl-football.com.

About The UFL

The UFL was developed to fulfill the unmet needs of football fans in major markets currently underserved by professional football by providing a high quality traditional football league comprised of world class professional football players. The UFL will serve the communities with pride, dedication and passion, and uphold a leadership role in the development of football worldwide. The UFL will provide every fan with an affordable, accessible, exciting and entertaining game experience. Scheduled to debut in October 2009, the UFL's headquarters is in New York, N.Y. and has satellite offices in Jacksonville, Fla. and Rutherford, N.J. The UFL is led by Commissioner Michael Huyghue, COO Frank Vuono and is being funded by a consortium of investors including UFL Founder Bill Hambrecht, Tim Armstrong, Bill Mayer, Paul Pelosi and the Tampa Bay Rays. For more information on the UFL and how to purchase tickets for the UFL's "Premiere" season, please visit www.ufl-football.com. For group ticket sales, please call 877.UFL.2009.

   Contact:  Rachel Gary             (973) 477-8439             Rachel.Gary@ufl-football.com  

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Source: United Football League

CONTACT: Rachel Gary, +1-973-477-8439, Rachel.Gary@ufl-football.com

Web Site: http://www.ufl-football.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment