For Immediate Release – Monday, April 29, 2024
An Evening With Champions, Saturday, June 1
Four EIU Football Legends Back For An Exciting Evening
The “EIU ROAD TO SUCCESS” featuring Mike Shanahan, Sean Payton, Tony Romo and Jimmy Garoppolo.
Saturday, June 1, 2024
A casual conversation among friends with Mike, Sean, Tony and Jimmy live on stage, sure to be an entertaining event to be held in the Groniger Arena, at the Lantz Complex of Eastern Illinois University.
Emcee: Bret Behrens,WCIA Sports Anchor
DINNER and CASH BAR
LIVE AUCTION EXPERIENCES – NFL packages, fireworks, French Lick golf experience, and more
Auctioneer: Trent Duckett, Local Celebrity
Tickets: $300 pp/$500 couple or $2,000 table of eight (Save $400 on individual pricing with table purchase.)
Photo Opportunity: $100 pp/$150 couple
Business Casual Attire
The Evening’s Itinerary:
4:30 PM:
Registration opens for pre-event photo opportunity participants only. It is recommended to be on time for the pre-event. A personalized photo pass will be given at registration which will allow access to the pre-event.
5:00-6:00 PM:
Pre-event photo opportunity opens. An exclusive event for a photo with all four EIU legends. $100 pp/$150 per couple with single/couple evening ticket purchase.
With your printed photo, you will receive an exclusive, autographed program by Mike, Sean, Tony and Jimmy.
This photo opportunity is not available as a stand-alone event or for purchase at the door. Limited spots are available.
5:00 PM:
Registration opens for the evening on the main concourse of the Lantz Complex.
Cocktail hour with cash bar and hors d’oeuvres on the First-Mid Court.
6:15 PM:
Welcome
Buffet style dinner will be catered by Keller Convention Center, Effingham.
Dessert will be catered by a local favorite, and dessert sponsor, Kathy’s Cookies, Charleston.
7:15 PM:
The “EIU Road To Success”, entertaining stories as told by Mike Shanahan, Sean Payton, Tony Romo and Jimmy Garoppolo.
Q&A portion follows. Included in your registration packet will be a card to write in a question for one of the legends. The cards will be picked up prior to the program start at 7:15. If your question is picked, you will be asked to stand and the emcee will announce your name and read your question.
Student-athletes share their “EIU Road To Success” stories.
8:15 PM:
Live auction begins including once-in-a-lifetime weekend experiences from the NFL legends, St. Louis Cardinals – suite and first pitch opportunities (always a fan favorite), vacation packages, fireworks package and more…
Fund-a-Need for the general support of Panther Athletics / Paddle Drop
Note: Out of respect for the evening’s guests please, no outside memorabilia will be allowed. Thank you.
2024 Sponsorship Opportunities
This will be an entertaining evening with an anticipated 400 prospective customers in attendance, (including Mike Shanahan, Sean Payton, Tony Romo and Jimmy Garoppolo).
Your sponsorship allows your brand to be visible throughout the evening (based on sponsorship level), via digital display on the electronic video boards and/or ribbon boards.
The event program will be utilized for details of the evening and will host a listing of live auction items allowing your brand to be viewed throughout the evening by all who are in attendance.
$5,000 – Presenting Sponsor
– Two (2) priority reserved tables, sixteen (16) seats total
– Reserved parking (8 spots) in “J” lot
– Logo on digital video board and ribbon boards at event
– Logo on event site on eiupanthers.com
– Logo on back page of program
– Full page ad in the auction program
– Support of EIU Student-Athletes
$2,500 – Title Sponsor
– One (1) priority reserved table, eight (8) seats total
– Reserved parking (4 spots) in “J” lot
– Logo on digital video board and ribbon boards at event
– Logo on event site on eiupanthers.com
– Full page ad in the auction program
– Support of EIU Student-Athletes
$1,500 – VIP Sponsor
– Four (4) tickets, four (4) seats total
– Logo on digital video board and ribbon boards at event
– Half page ad in the auction program
– Support of EIU Student-Athletes
$1,000 – Blue Sponsor
– Two (2) tickets, two (2) seats total
– Logo on digital ribbon boards at event
– Quarter page ad in the auction program
– Support of EIU Student-Athletes
$500 – Panther Supporter
– Quarter page ad in the auction program
– Support of EIU Student-Athletes
$300 – Individual ticket or $500 per couple to enjoy the biggest event in EIU Athletics history.
For more information on sponsorship, please contact:
Mike Murray, Associate Athletic Director/Development: 217.246.5991, or
Seth Higgins, Development Coordinator: 217.218.2265
This evening in its entirety is for the benefit of the EIU Athletic department and it’s 450 student-athletes. Your donation, less premiums, will be receipted through the EIU Foundation and a tax statement will be mailed to the address provided. Thank you for your most generous support.
This once in a lifetime night will be highlighted by the Who’s Who when you think of Eastern Illinois football and its success both at O’Brien Field but also in the National Football League.
There are countless Super Bowl Rings and appearances among this group with all four elected to the Eastern Illinois Athletic Hall of Fame.
Mike Shanahan began his career on the EIU football team but following an injury in spring practice, his football life and fortunes changed as he was provided the opportunity to grow and display his talents as one of the top offensive minds in the game. Shanahan returned to EIU as an assistant coach guiding the team to the 1978 NCAA Division II National Championship. He went on to a successful career as an NFL head coach, most notably with the Denver Broncos where he won two Super Bowls. Shanahan was a semifinalist for induction into the NFL Hall of Fame last year and his coaching legacy can still be seen today with several former assistant coaches currently leading NFL franchises.
Sean Payton was the pilot on the Eastern Airlines offense of the mid-1980’s that led the Panthers to the FCS playoff quarterfinals. He would set nearly every EIU passing record during his time under center for the Panthers earning second team All-America honors. Following a professional career as a player, he made his name as a brilliant offensive mind as an assistant coach before becoming the head coach of the New Orleans Saints. Payton would lead the franchise to a resurgence following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina with his success and philanthropic giving earning him the NCAA Silver Anniversary Award. The Saints had great success under Payton’s leadership including winning their lone Super Bowl. He currently is in his second season as the head coach of the Denver Broncos.
Tony Romo became the face of Eastern Illinois football in the early 2000’s becoming the only player to ever win three straight Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year awards. He led EIU to three straight FCS playoff appearances each of those seasons setting both EIU and OVC passing records. He capped his career in 2002 becoming the school’s first winner of the Walter Payton Award given to the top FCS offensive player in the nation. Romo would sign with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent and go on to have success as the Cowboys signal caller setting franchise records while also earning Pro Bowl honors. Following his playing career, Romo was hired as the color commentator by CBS serving on the network’s top broadcast team with Jim Nantz with the pair already calling several Super Bowl broadcasts. Romo became the first EIU player to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Jimmy Garoppolo was the latest in a string of success stories by Eastern Illinois quarterbacks as he smashed his way through the EIU and OVC record books. Garoppolo led the Panthers to back-to-back FCS playoff appearances reaching the quarterfinals as a senior with the team ranked as high as No. 2 during the regular season. He would go on to become the second winner of the Walter Payton Award from Eastern Illinois in 2013 and in the spring of 2014 became the school’s highest NFL Draft selection as the second-round pick of the New England Patriots. Garoppolo would collect Super Bowl rings with the Patriots behind Tom Brady and then lead the San Francisco 49ers to his own Super Bowl appearance as a starter. During this past off-season Garoppolo signed a free agent contract with the Los Angeles Rams to play for head coach and former Mike Shanahan assistant – Sean McVay.
