Brian of Pizzaspotz
Once again, pizza athletes will skills under the lights and TV cameras as the U.S. Pizza Team holds its Summer Trials in Haverhill, Massachusetts June 25th.
Pizza makers from all over will gather at the New England Pizza Conference to compete in Freestyle Acrobatics, Fastest Pie Making, Largest Dough Stretch, and Fastest Box Folding categories (this writer isn’t too bad at box folding, but those other events, I’d be doomed). The event is open to all acrobatic competitors. The winner of the Freestyle Acrobatics category will earn a grand-prize trip to compete as a U.S. Pizza Team member in the European Pizza & Pasta Show November 13-15 in London, England.
Every minute of the competition will be broadcast live on ESPN3 in conjunction with broadcast partner Go Live Sports Cast.
This pizza sports season’s two previous events, the Winter Trials and Spring Trials, produced two champions. In January, Scott Volpe of Fiamme Pizzeria Napoletana in Tucson, Arizona, won the Winter Trials held at the Mid America Restaurant Expo. Volpe snagged a grand-prize trip to Italy, where he went on to become a world champion by winning gold at the World Pizza Championship.
The Summer Trials will be the third USPT event broadcast live by ESPN3 this year, marking a new era for pizza sports, according to PMQ publisher Steve Green, who founded the USPT. “This is a huge step forward for pizza sports and for all of those independent operators looking for a way to set themselves apart from their competitors, especially the big chains,” Green said. “ESPN’s coverage has opened the door to new branding and exposure opportunities for pizzeria owners looking for a unique marketing slant. You or one of your pizza makers could be the next Tom Brady of pizza sports.”
I can see the marketing materials now for those pizza makers who become part of the U.S. Pizza Team, can’t you?
“As more pizzeria owners join us and help us promote these competitions to their customers and brand fans, I can envision pizza sports growing in popularity and moving up quickly from ESPN3 to ESPN2 and, eventually, ESPN itself,” Green added.
The U.S. Pizza Team (USPT) was founded in 2000. The goal was to found a team to help bring competition and excitement to the pizza industry. Since its founding, the USPT has participated in an international event every year, most frequently at the World Pizza Championship in Parma, Italy.
There are many great sponsors who help make the U.S. Pizza Team possible. Those sponsors include Galbani, Grain Craft, Ferrarelle, Real California Milk, Gordon Food Service, LaNova, Paradise Tomato Kitchens, MFG Tray, Molini Spigadoro, Burkett Restaurant Equipment and Supplies, Bag Solutions, Lillsun, Univex, Presto Foods and Sofo Foods.
Don’t miss out on any of the action June 25th. To watch the broadcast, tune in at 1pm EST or visit: http://www.golivesportscast.com
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