ORLANDO – The Florida Citrus Sports Foundation (FCSF) and the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) have announced a partnership with Cingular Wireless and ABC Sports to present the Cingular/ABC Sports All-America Team Celebration. This year's event will be held at the ABC Theater in the Disney/MGM Studios on Friday, Dec. 10 and will include a taping of the awards presentation with a dinner reception following. The nationally-televised portion of the evening will air on Saturday, Dec. 11 at 2 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT) on ABC.

The Cingular/ABC Sports All-America Team Celebration will include the presentation of the Cingular/ABC Sports All-America Team, which is voted on by the FWAA, as well as the Cingular/ABC Sports All-America Player of the Year award, which is voted on by college football fans nationwide.

The Cingular/ABC Sports All-America Team honors the nation's 25 best players (11 offensive, 11 defensive and three specialists) as selected by a panel of national college football writers. Last year, 19 selected All-Americans attended the then-FWAA All-America Team Celebration in Orlando. The team is the second-oldest continuously published team in college football, originally published by famed sportswriter Grantland Rice in 1944.

The Cingular/ABC Sports All-America Player of the Year recognizes the fans’ choice as the best college football player in America. Voting for the Cingular/ABC Sports Player of the Year begins on Dec. 1 and will continue until Dec. 8. Fans will get to choose from among five finalists – voting by either text messaging "PLAYER" to "64444" on their wireless phone or online at www.abcsportsallamerica.com or espn.com (keyword: cingular).

Tickets for the Cingular/ABC Sports All-America Team Celebration will cost $150 for premium seating at the taping and the reception, with premium seating at the taping alone costing $25. Tickets are on sale now and are available through the Florida Citrus Sports office (407-423-2476). All proceeds from the event will benefit the Florida Citrus Sports Foundation.

Formally known as the FWAA All-America Team Celebration, the event had been held in a clear-top, climate controlled tent on the field of the Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium. Accompanying a silent auction and a reception, the dinner benefited the Florida Citrus Sports Foundation.

"The agreement with Cingular and ABC Sports will allow even more of the proceeds from this event to support our community initiatives," FCS Foundation Executive Director Shannon Clark said. "This event has been wildly successful each of the past two years, and we hope to continue to build upon that success with both Cingular and ABC Sports on board."

Florida Citrus Sports (FCS) is a not-for-profit membership organization dedicated to increasing community spirit and pride, promoting tourism, stimulating economic development and ultimately benefiting charities, educational institutions and the quality of life in Central Florida. FCS strives to reach these goals through its seven signature events, the Capital One Bowl, Cingular/ABC Sports All-America Team Celebration, The Villages Gridiron Classic, Tangerine Bowl, OUC Half Marathon & 5K, Orlando Citrus Parade and Walt Disney World Florida Classic. For more information, visit the FCS web site at www.fcsports.com.

Contacts:
Florida Citrus Sports: Joe Galbraith (407-423-2476)
FWAA: Steve Richardson (972-713-6198)
Cingular Wireless: Jamie Sims (770-955-1300)
ABC Sports: Maxine Lewis (212-456-4748)