TOP TABLE SOCCER PLAYERS FROM ACROSS THE USA TO COMPETE IN THE $25,000 TEXAS STATE FOOSBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas – Once again, a most unique brand of top athletes are beginning to arrive in the D/FW area from all across the United States, as they prepare to compete in the 16th annual “Legends of Foosball” Texas State Championships. To be held May 23-26th at the Ramada Inn in Irving, TX, the event is expected to draw up to 300 table soccer (a.k.a. "foosball") enthusiasts and professionals, including several members of the U.S. National Team.

The competition is likely to draw match-ups between numerous top-ranked players, like D/FW hometown favorites David Radack and Mike Archer, against defending doubles champions Tracy McMillin of Houston, TX and Robert Mares of Denver, CO. Singles will feature legendary players such as Foosball Hall of Fame member Steve Murray of Ft. Worth, TX against a number of “future legends” like World Junior Champion Ryan Moore of Lexington, KY. Women’s competition will include some of the best in the world as well, with noted champions Gena Murray of Ft. Worth, TX and Dusty Bambenek of Canal Fulton, OH leading the field.

At the Master level, players are competing not just for $25,000+ in cash and prizes at the event, but also for qualifying points to compete at the ITSF World Championship Finals in Italy later this year. This means world-ranked players from countries such as Canada, Costa Rica, Germany, and the United Kingdom are also expected to shoot for the singles and doubles titles. And, with many Masters playing exceptionally strong after foosball’s recent U.S. Open and Hall of Fame Classic tournaments in Atlanta and Las Vegas, respectively, the matches at Texas State should be extremely intense!

Opening events begin at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, May 23rd. Competition will include numerous categories for men and women from beginner levels through Master, and specialty events such as “Draw Your Partner Doubles” and “Goalie War.” Sunday the 25th will also feature announcement of this year’s inductees into the “Texas Legends of Foosball,” followed by finals matches both Sunday and on Monday the 26th. The tournament is open to press and spectators, and there is no admission fee to enter the tournament area. Players of every skill level can register for events on site, and all competition will take place on more than 50 individually lighted Tornado Table Soccer™ tables made by Texas’ own Valley-Dynamo division of Brunswick.

Sponsors of the event include the Ramada Inn D/FW Airport (4440 W. Airport Freeway in Irving, TX; tel: 1-972-399-1010 for reservations), D/FW area Clicks Billiards, Speed’s Billiards and JJ Dakota's Billiards. Sponsors of the U.S. National Team include Brunswick’s Tornado Table Soccer™, Bonzini™ USA, Borden Milk Products of North Texas, Sebastian Custom Warm-ups and Foosball.com. Video and live web-streaming will be provided by InsideFoos Productions (InsideFoos.com).

Other USTSF/ITSF 2008 World Tour events in the United States are scheduled to take place in North Carolina, Colorado, and Las Vegas, Nevada. Meanwhile, table soccer players from over 50 countries are gearing up for further ITSF competition in Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, India, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Poland, Romania, UAE and the UK, among others. In fact, this year’s 56-tournament, five-continent tour will be the largest worldwide table soccer pro tour ever!

For additional details about the event and the sport of table soccer, see the following websites:

www.ustsf.org - USTSF official web site/U.S. National Team sponsorship opportunities
www.table-soccer.org - ITSF official web site/international rankings/news
www.foosball.com - General information about the sport of table soccer
www.vifa.com - Tournament/league information site

For more information, photos, or for an electronic version of this release, please contact:
Steve Murray, Tournament Director, Tel: 1-817-223-0408; Email: murst@touchtunes.com
Larry Davis, Executive Director, USTSF, Tel: 1-563-580-9485; Email: larry.davis@ustsf.foosball.com