Soul to play in Boardwalk Bowl in Atlantic City

Soul QB Dan Raudabaugh

ATLANTIC CITY – The Philadelphia Soul will face off with the AFL's  newest franchise, the Las Vegas Outlaws, in the inaugural DraftKings Boardwalk Bowl at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City on May 30.

“The game will be the centerpiece for a weekend of entertainment and commerce for the community,” said Ron Jaworski, the former Eagles quarterback and co-owner of the Soul. “We’re excited to bring our brand of high flying, high scoring arena football to Atlantic City and we are eager for residents and visitors to join the fun.”

Billed as the “Brawl at the Hall,” the game is the first top-level sporting event brought to the city by the newly formed Atlantic City Sports Commission (ACSC). The state’s Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) has provided support in the form of a special event grant.

According to another Soul co-owner, Saints wide receiver Marques Colston, playing a game in Atlantic City this season is the Soul’s way of participating in the revitalization of the Boardwalk.

“We’ve seen what football can do to help rejuvenate a community,” said Colston, who  knows something about turnarounds having been in New Orleans for the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.. “That’s why we are so pleased to be able to bring the arena game to our many loyal fans in the Atlantic City area.”

In addition to DraftKings, the title sponsor, the Tropicana Casino & Resort has signed on as the official hotel.

“We also hope to host a networking event, a pep rally and a post-game party at Chickie's and Pete's Crab House and Sports Bar, ESPN’s No. 1 Sports Bar in North America," Tropicana President Tony Rodio said.

Atlantic City Mayor Don Guardian said the game involving the country’s two best known gaming centers was a chance to showcase the City’s visitor assets for a large national audience.

“We’re really grateful to Ron Jaworski and the Arena Football League for helping put the DraftKings Boardwalk Bowl on their 2015 schedule,” he said. “This also represents a strong start for the Sports Commission, which was formed earlier this year to bring these kinds of events to our shore.”

For Boardwalk Hall, the “Brawl” marks another milestone in the history of the iconic facility, which hosted the first-ever indoor college football game in 1930. Home to political conventions, the Miss America Pageant, and a host of international celebrity concerts, the Hall will now once again host professional arena football.