Pro Football Hall of Fame and Allstate Insurance Announce Partnership to Honor "Hometown Hall of Famers"

CANTON, Ohio, Sept. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Pro Football Hall of Fame and Allstate Insurance Company today announced "Hometown Hall of Famers," a national program that will honor the hometown roots of the sport's greatest players with special ceremonies and plaque dedication events in local communities.

"Hometown Hall of Famers presented by the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Allstate" is the Hall of Fame's first nationwide plaque program and will lead into the celebration of its 50th anniversary in August 2012.

The program will host its first event today where Hall of Fame member and national spokesperson Howie Long will be honored in his hometown of Charlestown, Mass.  The former all-pro defensive end for the Oakland and Los Angeles Raiders will receive the commemorative plaque at the Charlestown Boys & Girls Club.  Long spent countless hours at the Boys & Girls Club while growing up in the greater Boston area.

"Honoring the hometowns that helped create the foundation for Hall of Famers' pathway to the Hall will be truly special as these plaques will live forever in their hometown communities," said George Veras, Pro Football Hall of Fame Enterprises president and CEO.  "The Hall of Fame is pleased that Allstate has recognized the significance of this program and given all of us – the players, their communities and the Pro Football Hall of Fame – a chance to celebrate the hometown stories of these legendary professional football players."

The Pro Football Hall of Fame and Allstate will host 10 events in the fall of 2011, and will honor as many as 50 Hall of Famers in their hometowns in 2012. There will be a plaque dedication ceremony honoring former New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath in his hometown of Beaver Falls, Pa., on Sept. 12.

Other Hall of Fame members that will be recognized as part of the program in 2011 include Bart Starr (Montgomery, Ala.), Sonny Jurgensen (Wilmington, N.C.), Barry Sanders (Wichita, Kan.), John Madden (Daly City, Calif.), Walter Payton (Columbia, Miss.), Roger Staubach (Cincinnati) and George Halas (Chicago).

"To be part of a program that brings the prestige and tradition of the Pro Football Hall of Fame to cities and towns across America is an honor for Allstate, our agents and employees," said Beaver Falls, Pa. native Mark LaNeve, Allstate executive vice president, marketing and sales operations.  "Allstate is proud to partner with the Pro Football Hall of Fame to keep alive and protect the hometown legacies of some of the most iconic names in pro football history."

Following each presentation, the plaques will live permanently at a designated local venue in the Hall of Famer's hometown community.  In Charlestown, the plaque presented to Howie Long will live at the Boys & Girls Club, while the Joe Namath plaque will be on display at City Hall in Beaver Falls.  In select markets, the former players will also have commemorative "Hometown Hall of Famer" road signs displayed in their hometowns.

For more information on "Hometown Hall of Famers presented by the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Allstate," fans can visit www.profootballhof.com.  

About the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enterprises

Pro Football Hall of Fame Enterprises is a for-profit organization established in 2006 to represent the Pro Football Hall of Fame and its members in the creation of commercial ventures, featuring Hall of Famers and the marks and logos of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, for television shows, new media, merchandise, sponsorships and events. Enterprise thus serves the mission of the PFHOF to enable football fans and the general public to have greater access and interactions with Hall of Famers and the Hall of Fame.

The Allstate Corporation

The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation's largest publicly held personal lines insurer known for its "You're In Good Hands With Allstate®" slogan. Now celebrating its 80th anniversary as an insurer, Allstate is reinventing protection and retirement to help nearly 16 million households insure what they have today and better prepare for tomorrow. Consumers access Allstate insurance products (auto, home, life and retirement) and services through Allstate agencies, independent agencies, and Allstate exclusive financial representatives in the U.S. and Canada, as well as via www.allstate.com and 1-800 Allstate®.

SOURCE Allstate Insurance Company