CANTON, Ohio – February 24, 2021 – Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company (“HOFV” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: HOFV, HOFVW), the only resort, entertainment and media company centered around the power of professional football and owner of the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls (“the Destination”), today announced it has signed a multi-year partnership with the Women’s Football Alliance (“WFA”). The WFA, represented by WaV Sports & Entertainment in the negotiations, will host its four division championships at the Destination’s Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium beginning this year. This summer’s WFA Championship Weekend will take place on Friday and Saturday, July 23 and 24.
Founded in 2009, the WFA is the largest, longest running and most competitive women’s tackle football league in the world. Its mission to help women get involved in the game and develop the skillsets they need to compete professionally aligns with HOFV’s vision to grow the sport and provide opportunities for women to excel both on-and-off the field.
“Sharing our world-class facilities with such an important and transformational organization in the Women’s Football Alliance is a true honor,” said Michael Crawford, President and CEO of HOFV. “We are passionate about inspiring the next generation of athletes and believe the future of professional football is one where women are equally celebrated for their successes on the gridiron and provided with the same opportunities for advancement as males. We are excited to work closely with the WFA going forward and are very much looking forward to Championship Weekend at Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls this July.”
The WFA has allowed numerous female athletes to break barriers and achieve new heights. It was the first women’s football league to play a national championship game in an NFL stadium and have its games broadcast on national television. Additionally, more than 15 of the league’s players have earned coaching and scouting positions in the NFL, including Katie Sowers (San Francisco 49ers), the first female to coach in a Super Bowl, Lori Locust, the first female coach to win a Super Bowl (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Callie Brownson (Cleveland Browns), the first female position coach in an NFL game, and Jennifer King (Washington Football Team), the first female African-American coach in the NFL.
Women’s tackle football leagues have existed for over four decades, yet growth and interest in the sport has exploded over the past five years. The level of competition in women’s tackle football is the strongest it’s ever been, while the number of teams are at an all-time high.
“As a league, we are indebted to the multiple organizations that have helped women’s football grow to where we are today and couldn’t be more excited to partner with Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company at the birthplace of professional football in Canton Ohio, and to be able to host our championships at their world class facilities,” said Lisa King, WFA Commissioner. “We came in with a plan to take the game to another level, and are proud of our efforts so far. This partnership allows us to continue to increase the popularity of the sport and level of competition as we shine a light on our league in the place where football was born.”
“WaV Sports is honored to represent WFA and the hundreds of athletes that help make WFA the most successful women’s professional football organization in North America. We believe in all that they stand for and are thrilled to be a part of the process to further advance the mission of their organization,” said WaV Sports CEO Brian Klaasmeyer.
About the Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company
The Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company (NASDAQ: HOFV, HOFVW) is a resort and entertainment company leveraging the power and popularity of professional football and its legendary players in partnership with the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Headquartered in Canton, Ohio, the Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company is the owner of the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls, a multi-use sports, entertainment and media destination centered around the Pro Football Hall of Fame's campus. Additional information on the Company can be found at
www.HOFREco.com.
About the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls
Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls is a multi-use sports, entertainment and media destination centered around the Pro Football Hall of Fame's campus in Canton, Ohio. It currently has over $250 million worth of assets under management and is one of the largest ongoing construction projects in Ohio. Phase I of the project entailed the construction of the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, a world-class 20,000 seat, sports and entertainment stadium, and the National Youth Football and Sports Complex. Phase II, currently under construction, will add the Constellation Center for Excellence, the Center for Performance, a Retail Promenade, the Hall of Fame Waterpark and a Hilton Tapestry Hotel. Phase III is currently in planning stages. For more information, visit
www.HOFVillage.com. About Women’s Football Alliance
The Women’s Football Alliance is the largest, longest-running, and most competitive women’s tackle football league in the world. With 60 teams and over 2,000 players, the WFA has created opportunities for women to compete and learn the game at the highest level. The professionalism and success of the WFA has been recognized by major corporate sponsors and it’s recent television network agreement with Eleven Sports will expand its audience reach across the country. For more information, visit
www.wfaprofootball.com.
About WaV Sports and Entertainment LLC
WaV Sports & Entertainment is a global sports marketing firm that specializes in sports property representation, brand side representation, and the management and production of unique sporting and entertainment events. WaV exclusively represents the Women’s Football Alliance. Additional information on the Company can be found at
www.WaVsports.comForward-Looking Statements
Certain statements made herein are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words and phrases such as “opportunity,” “future,” “will,” “goal,” and “look forward” and other similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results, and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are outside the Company’s control, that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Important factors, among others, that may affect actual results or outcomes include the inability to recognize the anticipated benefits of the business combination; costs related to the business combination; the inability to obtain or maintain the listing of the Company’s shares on Nasdaq; the Company’s ability to manage growth; the Company’s ability to execute its business plan and meet its projections; potential litigation involving the Company; changes in applicable laws or regulations; general economic and market conditions impacting demand for the Company’s products and services, and in particular economic and market conditions in the resort and entertainment industry; the potential adverse effects of the ongoing global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on capital markets, general economic conditions, unemployment and the Company’s liquidity, operations and personnel, as well as those risks and uncertainties discussed from time to time in our reports and other public filings with the SEC. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
Media/Investor Contacts:
For Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company
Media Inquiries: public.relations@hofreco.com
Investor Inquiries: investor.relations@hofreco.com