PHILADELPHIA FLYERS FANS CAN GROW HOCKEY PLAYOFF BEARDS TO HELP LOCAL CHARITIES

PRESENTED BY VW OF LANGHORNE

AUTOGRAPHED FLYERS WINTER CLASSIC JERSEY AMONG PRIZES TO WIN

Philadelphia, PA – April 12, 2010 – The Philadelphia Flyers are encouraging fans to participate in one of hockey’s most visible traditions – “the playoff beard’ – by either growing one or by sponsoring one of the Flyers players during the playoff drive.  Players participating include Flyers’ Daniel Carcillo, Jeff Carter, Simon Gagne, Claude Giroux, and Ian Laperrière. 

Flyers fans who participate in the Flyers Beard-A-Thon, presented by VW of Langhorne, can invite family members, friends, and business associates to pledge money for their playoff beard.  Proceeds from Flyers Beard-A-Thon will support Flyers Charities, a division of the Comcast-Spectacor Foundation, who in turn will distribute the proceeds to numerous non-profit groups and organizations throughout the Greater Philadelphia Region.

“The intensity both on and off the ice is raised to a whole new level in the playoffs. The Flyers Beard-A-Thon allows our fans a chance to show their Flyers passion and pride and raise money for a very worthy cause at the same time,” said Shawn Tilger, Flyers Senior Vice President of Business Operations. 

The Flyers fan who collects the most money will win an autographed Flyers Winter Classic jersey.  All donations to the Flyers Beard-A-Thon are tax deductible. 

To enroll in the Flyers Beard-A-Thon, log onto www.beardathon.com/flyers.

A playoff beard is the superstitious practice of a National Hockey League player not shaving his beard during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.  The player stops shaving when his team enters the playoffs and does not shave until his team is eliminated or wins the Stanley Cup.  In recent years, other sports and other players have claimed the playoff beard tradition, but it is, and always will be, a hockey tradition. 

FLYERS FANS GREW ONE FOR THE TEAM!

More than 300 Philadelphia Flyers fans “grew one for the team” during the first annual Beard-A-Thon charity fundraiser.  Held in conjunction with the Flyers run during the 2009 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs, fans were able to register online and invite family, friends and business associates to pledge their playoff beard…all in the name of charity.

Congratulations to Jim Britt, who raised the most money and won a five-day Royal Caribbean Cruise to Bermuda!

Over the course of the Flyers playoff run, the team’s Beard-A-Thon website had over 130,000 hits giving fans a fun way to be involved in the excitement of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs.  Over $7,500 was raised for Flyers Charities through the Beard-A-Thon.  The money raised goes to various non-profits in the Greater Philadelphia Region.

“We were excited to have a fun new way to help raise money for charity and include all Flyers fans in the excitement of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs,” said Mary Ann Saleski, Senior Vice President of the Comcast-Spectacor Foundation.

Fans who did not wish to or were unable to grow a playoff beard could participate by pledging a donation for their favorite Flyers player.  Proceeds from Flyers Beard-a-thon benefit Flyers Charities of the Comcast-Spectacor Foundation, which supports various non-profit groups and organizations throughout the Greater Philadelphia Region.

A playoff beard is the superstitious practice of a National Hockey League player not shaving his beard during the Stanley Cup playoffs.  The player stops shaving when his team enters the playoffs and does not shave until his team is eliminated or wins the Stanley Cup.  In recent years, other sports and other players have claimed the playoff beard tradition, but it is, and always will be, a hockey tradition.