Tanzania: TTB Bracing for First Ever American Football Game

Tanzania Daily News (Dar es Salaam)

Masembe Tambwe

13 May 2011

PREPARATIONS for the much awaited arrival of the Global Kilimanjaro Bowl that will host Drake University from Iowa and the CONADEIP All Stars from Mexico in the first ever American football game on Arusha and African soil are in top gear.

“The stage is set; the organising committees that were formed are tying their final knots, we are all anxiously waiting to give the world a taste of Tanzania,” Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) Senior Public Relations Officer, Geofrey Tengeneza said.

Tengeneza told a press conference in Dar es Salaam yesterday that as part of their preparations in accommodating the 260 entourage comprising of the team, coaches and media and the football’s president, Patrick Steenberge, they had printed 2000 magazines for the occasion, 200 posters and 300 bags for promotional materials.

He assured the group and other well wishers coming to watch the historical game that security concerns have been well looked into and that the Arusha Regional Commissioner has personally stepped onto the preparations.

Tengeneza said that the group is scheduled to arrive in Arusha on May 18, and will hold training clinics for 1,000 youths who will be the pioneers of the game since one of the objectives of the tour is to introduce the sport to the country.

The clinics will take place at the Tanzania Game Tracker facility in Arusha and on May 21, the game will take place at the Sheikh Amri Abeid stadium from 1.15pm to 4.00pm, which will broadcast live via the Discovery TV Network and there will be commentary on BBC radio and Channel 4 by Mike Carison and followed by Twitter, Facebook and U-tube.

“We are all thrilled that the teams have decided to play here and are calling on everyone in the country to come and join us experience America’s most expensive game being played on our turf,” he urged.

On the following day, the group will venture to Tarangire National Park and this will be conducted in three groups between May 22 and May 24 and the next day proceed to Moshi to visit various orphanages managed by IRS and STEMM.

Tengeneza revealed that on the same day the group will start scaling the imposing 19,341 feet high Mount Kilimanjaro in two groups, where the Mexican one will ascent via the Machame – Mweka route and the US one via the Rongai – Marangu route.

The group is expected to reach the roof of Africa on May 28 and descend on May 30, where they will travel back to Arusha ready to fly out the following day.

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