Inside the I-Bowl Newsletter: May 2024

MAY 2024

NEWS FLASH

OVER $3,300 RAISED THROUGH GIVE FOR GOOD WITH HELP FROM FLYING HEART

Give for Good 2024 is in the books, and the Independence Bowl Foundation partnered with Flying Heart Brewing & Pub this year to drive more donations. Flying Heart donated $2,000 to the Independence Bowl Foundation through Give for Good, and including online donations, the Independence Bowl Foundation raised over $3,300 through Give for Good.

The focus of Give for Good this year was its partnership with the College Football Playoff Foundation's Extra Yard for Teachers initiative. Each year, the Independence Bowl Foundation partners with Extra Yard for Teachers, which provides funding to local educators. The College Football Playoff Foundation matches 100 percent of all donations funded by the Independence Bowl. Extra Yard for Teachers Week is September 14-21, and the Big Day is Tuesday, September 17. The Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl has donated over $85,000 to local teachers and education over the past three years.

Flying Heart honored teachers for “Teacher Tuesdays” on April 16, 23 and 30, and Give for Good Day on May 7, donating a percentage of sales from each night to the Independence Bowl Foundation’s Extra Yard for Teachers fund.

IT'S TIME TO RENEW YOUR TICKETS FOR THE 2024 INDEPENDENCE BOWL!

Ticket renewals have been sent out, and it is time to renew your seats for the 2024 Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl! To secure your seats for this year's game, tickets must be renewed by July 31

Public tickets will go on sale in mid-August, and at that point, all un-renewed tickets will be release to the public. Click the button below to contact Ticketing Director Avrielle Steward with any questions.

TICKET QUESTIONS?

ON THE DOCKET

WE NEED YOUR HELP! VOLUNTEER FOR THIS SATURDAY'S YOUTH CLINIC!

Volunteers are what make our events so special and successful! We need your help in making these kids' day more special at our 13th Annual Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl Youth FREE Football Clinic this Saturday, June 1st! Click the button below to volunteer

Available Volunteer Opportunities

• Registration (6:30 – 8:30 AM) – Check-in participants & confirm waivers

• Lunch/T-Shirt Distribution (10:30 AM – 12:00 PM) – Pass out lunch and shirts to participants

13th ANNUAL YOUTH CLINIC HITS THE FIELD THIS SATURDAY, JUNE 1st!

The 13th annual Independence Bowl Youth Football Clinic hits the field this Saturday, June 1 at Independence Stadium from 8-11 AM! It is FREE for boys and girls aged 5-13 (incoming 8th graders).

Campers will get to learn from Centenary head coach Byron Dawson and coaches and staffers from LSU, Louisiana Tech, Northwestern State, Sam Houston State and Southern University-Shreveport.

Check-in will begin at 7 a.m. on event day at the stadium’s southwest entrance. Participants will receive instruction from regional college coaches, a free t-shirt, and lunch following the clinic!

Registration is full with over 425 kids signed up. Spots may open up on the day of the event, so anyone who did not pre-register can still come at 7 a.m. on Saturday to try to claim a spot in the clinic. All participants must complete a waiver upon arrival on the day of the event. Email Director of Events and Operations Jennifer Rider (jennifer@independencebowl.org) with any questions about the clinic!

INSIDE THE I-BOWL PODCAST

TUNE INTO THE INSIDE THE I-BOWL PODCAST!

The Inside the I-Bowl Podcast, presented by The Shreveport-Bossier City Advocate, is the official podcast of the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl and Independence Bowl Foundation. We keep you updated on all the I-Bowl news throughout the year, as well as college football news. We also talk to former players and coaches of the bowl, featuring their stories on their I-Bowl and college football experiences. Finally, it highlights our proud Independence Bowl Foundation volunteers and sponsors who work hard to make the bowl and our events as great as they are. Click the buttons to subscribe and listen!

WATCH THE FULL PODCAST EPISODE ON YOUTUBE!

The Inside the I-Bowl Podcast, presented by The Shreveport Bossier City Advocate, is now on YouTube!

Watch the full episodes of the podcast on the official YouTube Channel of the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl! WATCH FULL EPISODE

ALUMNI IN THE NFL

INDY BOWL ALUMNI COLLECT OVER $325 MILLION IN NFL FREE AGENCY

Free agency in the National Football League (NFL) opened on March 13, and Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl alumni have signed some of the largest contracts of the offseason – totaling over $325 million in value.

Former Florida State Seminole Brian Burns, who played in the 2017 Independence Bowl, signed the largest contract of the group – inking a five-year, $150 million contract with the New York Giants after being traded from the Carolina Panthers. Louisiana Tech’s L’Jarius Sneed signed the second-largest deal of an Independence Bowl alumni. He was traded from the Kansas City Chiefs to the Tennessee Titans and signed a four-year, $76.4 million contract with the Titans. The Minden-native was a leader on the Bulldogs’ defense that recorded the first shutout in Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl history in 2019 against Miami.

In all, 40 former Independence Bowl players inked new contracts this offseason – ranging from lucrative multi-year deals to one-year reserve/future contracts. A number of notable Independence Bowl alumni still remain unsigned and will likely find homes prior to training camps opening later in the summer, including former All-Pro safety Justin Simmons (Boston College, 2013), former All-Pro edge rusher Justin Houston (Georgia, 2009), running back Cam Akers (Florida State, 2017) and quarterback Ryan Tannehill (Texas A&M, 2009).

There are 106 former Independence Bowl players who were on NFL rosters at some point during the regular season last year, and another six players were drafted in the 2024 NFL Draft.

The full list of all of the former Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl players that have signed contracts this offseason can be found by clicking the button below.

Brian Burns (Florida State, 2017)