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University of Minnesota Athletics
Big Ten Kickoff Luncheon Sold Out
7/16/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
The Big Ten Conference office announced Thursday that the 2009 Kickoff Luncheon is officially sold out. More than 1,700 fans are scheduled to attend the event on Tuesday, July 28, at the Hyatt Regency Chicago.
The festivities will begin at 10 a.m. CT with the annual players and coaches autograph and photo session, open to all fans with tickets to the luncheon. The luncheon is set to follow at 11:30 a.m. CT. Highlighting the luncheon will be an address from Minnesota wide receiver Eric Decker, who will be speaking on behalf of all the Big Ten players. Coaches from each of the conference’s 11 teams will also address the crowd.
“The Big Ten is thrilled to be able to celebrate the beginning of the 2009 college football season in front of another sellout crowd at the 38th Annual Kickoff Luncheon,” Big Ten Associate Commissioner Andrea Williams said. “The luncheon is the greatest preseason promotion of the sport in the nation, and we are excited to once again welcome our great fans, television partners and corporate sponsors to this outstanding event in downtown Chicago.”
The Big Ten Kickoff Luncheon annually draws some of the most interesting and talented names in college sports. The list of former Kickoff Luncheon attendees includes coaching legends like Bo Schembechler and Woody Hayes, along with each of the Big Ten's Heisman Trophy winners since 1970 - Archie Griffin, Desmond Howard, Eddie George, Charles Woodson, Ron Dayne and Troy Smith.
In all, more than 700 of the conference's finest players, more than 50 head coaches and nearly 42,000 supporters have made the Big Ten Kickoff Luncheon a yearly stop in their preseason college football schedules.
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