AUGUST 2026 EDITION
NEWS & NOTES GRANT DUGAS NAMED DIRECTOR OF TICKET SALES & OPERATIONS Working alongside ticket sales and operations partner Taymar Sales U., the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl has named Grant Dugas as the Director of Ticket Sales and Operations. As Director of Ticket Sales and Operations, Dugas will lead the Independence Bowl’s ticket sales and operations efforts in the Shreveport-Bossier City community and throughout the Ark-La-Tex, expanding outreach to Independence Bowl fans throughout the area. Dugas brings over six years of ticket sales experience to the Independence Bowl. He graduated from LSU in 2022 with a degree in Sport Administration. As a student, Dugas worked in the LSU Ticket Office and was a member of the Golden Band from Tigerland. He spent the last four years as an Account Executive for LSU. In his free time, Grant enjoys spending time with family and friends, and he enjoys golf, fishing and traveling to stadiums around the country. With ticketing questions, fans can email Dugas at grant@ independencebowl.org.
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BOWL STAFF TRANSITION OFFICIALLY TAKES PLACE ON AUGUST 15 The Independence Bowl Foundation announced transitional changes to its organizational structure on June 15, with the transition officially taking place on August 15. Former Director of Communications, Erik Evenson, has been elevated to the Executive Director position, and Missy Setters, the longtime executive director, transitions into a newly created role as Chief Operating Officer (COO). Setters and Evenson each retain many of their existing job responsibilities but will begin transitioning in areas of conference and key partnership relations. This transition, initiated by Setters, comes as she addresses a health matter and reflects a commitment to the long-term strength of the organization. It also creates an opportunity for Setters and Evenson to work closely together, ensuring a seamless leadership transition while continuing to safeguard the future of both the Independence Bowl Foundation and the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl as the organization celebrates its 50th anniversary and looks beyond this milestone year.
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InsidE ThE I-BOwL NEWsLETTEr // August 2026
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IN THE COMMUNITY MUSIC, FOOTBALL & GOOD TIMES AT FISH 'N FOOTBALL ON SEPTEMBER 19 Join us for our annual Fish 'N Football at Provenance Town Center on Saturday, September 19 from 5-9 pm! Music from The Noah Grant Band will kick us off at 5 pm! LSU-Ole Miss Watch Party on the big screen at 6:30 pm! Free and open to the public, but Independence Bowl Foundation members get the VIP treatment with: • Catered fish fry by Johnny’s Catfish & Seafood from 5:307:30 pm • Complimentary drinks from Coca-Cola and Eagle Distributing • Access to an exclusive members-only section. Bring the whole family because there will be games, inflatables, and fun for all ages! We’ll have a cash bar for adult beverages for non-members. Thank you to the event sponsors: Carter Credit Union, Eagle Distributing, KSM Marketing Agency, Sonic & Xfinity!
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HELP RAISE MONEY FOR LOCAL TEACHERS! The Independence Bowl Foundation and Flying Heart Brewing & Pub are teaming up to support the Bowl's 2026 Extra Yard for Teachers initiative! Flying Heart is hosting five Pizza & Pints for a Purpose nights between May and September. The final one is Wednesday, September 9. On these nights, Flying Heart will donate a portion of the proceeds from each night to the Independence Bowl's Extra Yard for Teachers initiative, and teachers who present their teacher ID will receive 10% off pizzas! Through this initiative, the Independence Bowl has donated $142,000 to local educators since 2021, supporting 164 classrooms and approximately 25,000 students. Join us at Flying Heart for a great night, and help support local teachers!
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InsidE ThE I-BOwL NEWsLETTEr // August 2026
IN THE COMMUNITY BOWL HOSTS 2ND ANNUAL HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL MEDIA DAY, PRESENTED BY XPRESS CAR WASH The Independence Bowl hosted the 2nd annual Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl High School Football Media Day, presented by Xpress Car Wash, on Tuesday, August 4 in the Club Level at Independence Stadium, providing an amazing platform to promote local high school football programs and their student-athletes. Student-athletes and coaches proudly representing their programs to local media helping tell the stories of high school football across North and Central Louisiana, the energy was undeniable. This was the perfect way to kick off the 2026 season. A huge thank you to presenting sponsor Xpress Car Wash, our player merch sponsors (Camp Fuego, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Fire Tech Solutions, National Football Foundation, Raising Cane's and Sports World), all 36 programs from across 13 different parishes that attended, our media partners and amazing volunteers for making this event such a success! Check out some of our favorite moments from an unforgettable day below!
STAY TUNED FOR NEW KICKOFF DINNER DATE The Kickoff Dinner featuring Tyrann Mathieu, originally scheduled for Monday, August 17 at the Shreveport Convention Center, was postponed due to Mathieu being unable to attend the event because of an illness. The Independence Bowl will provide more information on the rescheduled event as soon as possible. With questions about the Kickoff Dinner, fans can call the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl office at (318) 221-0712.
@IndyBowl // #IndyBowl50
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HALF A CENTURY OF INDY BOWL GET YOUR OWN PIECE OF INDEPENDENCE BOWL HISTORY! To help celebrate half a century of the Independence Bowl, Craig Routh designed an INCREDIBLE 50th anniversary commemorative painting! You can purchase a signed and numbered, limited edition print for $120 by clicking the button below! Purchase one today and get your hands on a special piece of Independence Bowl history!
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GET YOUR OWN PIECE OF INDEPENDENCE BOWL HISTORY! As the nation celebrates America 250, three organizations in Shreveport – the Independence Bowl, Red River Revel and Shreveport Regional Arts Council (SRAC) – celebrate 50 years, and the three legacy organizations have partnered to honor their history with 50-Year Reflection: A Historic Exhibit beginning on Saturday, August 22 at artspace. The milestone exhibit, curated by Bruce Allen, will take visitors through the storied history of all three organizations – celebrating the important people, pivotal moments and unforgettable memories of the past 50 years. Taking place at artspace at 708 Texas Street, the 50-Year Reflection will offer insight into how the Independence Bowl, Red River Revel and SRAC have been intertwined into Shreveport’s culture and helped shape the community. The exhibit will run from August 22 through October 9 and feature rare photographs and memorabilia from the last half century. 50-Year Reflection: A Historic Exhibit is free and open to the public during artspace gallery hours. For more information about the exhibit, visit artspaceshreveport.com.
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InsidE ThE I-BOwL NEWsLETTEr // August 2026
HALF A CENTURY OF INDY BOWL SPORT YOUR OWN THROWBACK & 50TH ANNIVERSARY MERCH! Fans are now able to sport their favorite Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl 50th anniversary gear, as the official 50th anniversary merchandise and throwback t-shirts are now available on the bowl's online shop. Anyone who would like to purchase official 50th anniversary gear of the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl can visit IndependenceBowl.shop. The shop features unique "vault" throwback Comfort Colors tees and a variety of items featuring the 50th anniversary logo, including polos, t-shirts, pullovers, sweatshirts and hats.
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InsidE ThE I-BOwL NEWsLETTEr // August 2026
HALF A CENTURY OF INDY BOWL INDEPENDENCE BOWL REVEALING TOP 50 PLAYERS IN GAME'S HISTORY With such a long and rich history, there may be no better way to celebrate 50 years of Independence Bowl than to celebrate the stars who have come through Independence Stadium throughout the first 49 years of the game and helped fans create the memories they still talk about. The Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl began revealing the top 50 players in the game’s history on July 6, counting down from 50 until revealing the number one player in the history of college football’s 11tholdest bowl game. Players 50 through 20 have been announced to date, and players will be announced individually every Monday, with No. 1 being announced on Monday, December 7. Selection & Ranking Criteria The list of the top 50 all-time players was compiled by a committee that included local media members and Independence Bowl representatives. Players were nominated and evaluated based on the following criteria: • 40 percent weight based on their Independence Bowl performance(s) • 30 percent based on their college career and accolades • 30 percent based on their pro career and accomplishments
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SHARE YOUR FAVORITE INDEPENDENCE BOWL MEMORIES WITH US! Another aspect of the Independence Bowl's 50th anniversary celebration, currently open for fan participation, is the Fan Memory Submissions. Fans can submit their favorite Independence Bowl memories by clicking the button below or scanning the QR code:
CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR MEMORY
Select memories will be posted online and will be shown during the 50th Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl on Tuesday, December 22 at 7:30 p.m.
@IndyBowl // #IndyBowl50
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50th Anniversary SPONSORS
Shop Now!
Tuesday, December 22, 2026 // 7:30 p.m. CsT RadianceTechnologiesIndependencebOwl.com @InDyBOwL
MEDIA CONTACT:
Erik Evenson – Executive Director M: 404.368.7481 O: 318.221.0712 E: erik@independencebowl.org