1st & Give Charity Flag Football Tournament Returns on May 6

SHREVEPORT, La. (March 7, 2023) – The Independence Bowl Foundation will host its annual 1st & Give Charity Flag Football Tournament for the third year. The tournament will be played on Saturday, May 6 at Independence Stadium. The tournament supports various non-profits throughout the Shreveport-Bossier City area, as each participating team will play on behalf of their chosen charity. 

“We are excited to be hosting the 1st & Give Charity Flag Football Tournament again this year,” said Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl Executive Director Missy Setters. “This is a unique event that provides us the opportunity to support multiple charities in our local community.”

Teams can register for the tournament through April 24, and the entrance fee for each team is $350 – with all $350 being donated to a 501(c)3 charitable organization that each team designates that they would like to donate to. Teams can register for the tournament by emailing the Director of Events and Operations, Jennifer Rider, at [email protected]. The winning team of the seven-on-seven flag football tournament will have more money donated to the charity they choose to support.

“With the help of some of our amazing partners, we were able to grow this event last year in its second year. We hope to continue hosting more teams and raising more money for non-profit organizations throughout the Shreveport-Bossier City area with this fun event,” continued Setters. “We hope that even if people can’t play in the tournament, they can help us expand the reach by creating teams for their organizations or donating to the tournament’s prize fund.”

Teams for the tournament must consist of at least seven players, as play will be seven-on-seven, but alternate players are recommended. All players must be at least 14 years old.

The tournament play will begin at noon on Saturday, May 7. The format for the tournament will be double-elimination bracket-style, with each team guaranteed at least two games. Each game will be 20 minutes of run-clock, and the field of play will be 40 yards long. The team that wins the tournament will have additional funds donated to the charity they are contributing to. Second and third-place teams will be awarded a trophy.

With the Community Foundation’s annual Give for Good Day four days before the tournament, all funds donated to the Independence Bowl Foundation through Give for Good will be donated to the winning team’s charity. Fans can contribute to the Independence Bowl Foundation through Give for Good beginning on April 18 at www.giveforgoodnla.org/organization/indybowl.

Last year’s tournament comprised nine teams and helped raise $4,468 in donations for nine local charitable organizations. The winning team, Community Support Programs, had $1,668 donated to them. 

ABOUT THE RADIANCE TECHNOLOGIES INDEPENDENCE BOWL™

Established in 1976, the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl™ is college football’s 11th most-historic bowl game – celebrating its 47th edition in 2023. The Houston Cougars defeated the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns 23-16 in the 46th playing of the bowl in 2022. The Independence Bowl Foundation announced a one-year extension with Radiance Technologies – ensuring they will be the title sponsor through 2025. The bowl’s conference, team, and television agreements also run through the 2025 season. Army West Point and BYU are slated to match up against a rotation of the Pac-12 Conference, American Athletic Conference and Conference USA, which will be televised on an ESPN network.

The Independence Bowl Foundation is prevalent in the Shreveport-Bossier City area throughout the year, hosting events to help enhance our community’s economic impact and growth. The Mission of the Independence Bowl is to attract and provide quality, nationally recognized football competition oriented to the Ark-La-Tex region. For more information, visit RadianceTechnologiesIndependenceBowl.com or follow the bowl on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @IndyBowl.