HAMPTON — Former New England Patriots players will arrive in Hampton Beach over Labor Day weekend as part of a tour of two-time Super Bowl champion Tully Banta-Cane's Beach Football League.
Banta-Cain, who won Super Bowl championships with the Patriots in 2003 and 2004, announced last year that he was launching a new professional football league on the beach, with former NFL players and rookies who want to try out joining the team. The first tryout event will be held in Hampton Beach on Aug. 31, and registration is now free online. Registration will be $50 starting July 30, according to the website.
The day will feature former Patriots players such as Jamie Collins and Devin McCourty, as well as other former professional football players, and will include social gatherings and exhibition tackle and flag games. The event is co-sponsored by the Hampton Beach Village District and the Hampton Area Chamber of Commerce.
Banta Cain, a recent Hampton Beach fan, said he's fallen in love with the “vibe” at Ocean Boulevard, and he plans to make the beach a regular stop for upcoming Beach Football League tournaments, which feature 8-on-8 tackle football games.
“Hampton Beach would definitely come out on top in that regard,” Banta-Cain said.
Smutty Nose Brewery celebrates 30 years:The grand celebration is scheduled as follows:
Banta Cane brings beach soccer to Hampton Beach
Banta-Cane said his new beach football league is establishing itself in the world of sandy athletics where other sports are growing in popularity. He pointed to the growing popularity of beach volleyball, which has been an Olympic sport since 1996, and beach soccer, which has its own FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup.
“Why not football now?” Banta-Cain said.
Banta-Cain had long wanted to create an opportunity for players to host their own football games and decided the Beach Football League would be that opportunity. He came up with the idea in 2019 while living near Manhattan Beach and running along the sand. He asked his peers for feedback and held private tryouts and exhibitions in 2021 to prove the league could be successful.
The Beach Football League was trademarked and announced for 2023. That year, former NFL players such as Terrell Owens and Adam “Pacman” Jones signed on to join the league, and the opening event in the Bahamas was scheduled for February but was postponed.
“That will help sort out some of the other things a little bit,” Banta-Cain said.
The games are currently scheduled to be played in 2025, with the first draft taking place in Hampton Beach on Aug. 31.
“This Hampton Beach event is really our first public event,” Banta-Cain said. “It's still early days for this event, but having it sanctioned by the state of New Hampshire and actually having an event in Hampton is a big thing for us.”
Tryouts in Hampton begin at 9 a.m. with a series of drills, including cone drills, the 30-yard dash and the long jump. One-on-one drills include the “Oklahoma Drill,” in which wide receivers run routes against defensive backs and pass rushers run against defensive linemen.
“It's going to be like a mini combine,” Banta-Cain said.
According to Banta-Cain, practice will be followed by an evaluation process where the top 40 players will be drafted by the two different teams participating that day. The two teams will then play against each other in an exhibition game to conclude the day.
The team will have NFL players “integrated” into the gameplay. Banta-Cain said current Patriots player Kendrick Bourne may be a part of it, but that could depend on the NFL preseason. He said former Patriots players such as Patrick Pass and Patrick Chung may also be involved, and he plans to reach out to some of New England's biggest stars.
“We're going to start looking at Gronk, Edelman and Brady,” Banta-Cain said.
Banta-Cain said unknown players who attend the league's tryouts should not be dismissed, as some talented players don't get the right opportunities and he has seen players thrive in tryouts despite being inexperienced.
“There's talent all over the place,” Banta-Cain said. “This is another opportunity and we should see a good level of talent.”
North Beach secret spots reopen:Owners thrilled by community support after fire
Banta Cane discovered Hampton Beach through a former Patriot.
Banta-Cane found his way to Hampton Beach through former Patriots offensive lineman Max Lane, who played for the Patriots from 1994 to 2000. Lane lives in Newburyport, Massachusetts, and is known to frequent The Goat in Hampton Beach and the new location in Newburyport.
“He's one of my favorite customers,” Goat owner Al Fleury said of Lane.
Banta-Cain said Lane told him Hampton Beach was a great place to hold the event. He went there and visited Barney's the Goat and Wally's, also owned by Fleury. He said he enjoyed the bustling Ocean Boulevard, where tourists stroll along the boardwalk, and the wide beach, big enough for a football game.
“We saw the vibe of the people there and the layout of the beach and we just decided to do it,” Banta-Cane said. “We just decided to do this and it's going to be a hit.”
Playing on sand slows the game down a bit, giving players more time to think about their next move, Banta-Cain said, and players also enjoy the softer landings in a full-contact sport.
Banta-Cain said he knows some Patriots fans might frown on the sand after 1998 first-round draft pick Robert Edwards injured his knee during a rookie Pro Bowl flag football game on the beaches of Hawaii. He noted that players like Charles Woodson played in that game and had successful careers, and said it doesn't prevent other professional athletes from enjoying playing football on the sand.
“Soccer in general, if you're not comfortable playing soccer on sand or grass, you have to be concerned about injuries,” Banta-Cain said.
Banta-Cain is originally from California but currently lives in Rhode Island. He played for the San Francisco 49ers before returning to the Patriots from 2009 to 2010. He said the opportunity to spend time with New England fans in the Beach Football League is meaningful.
“I'm blessed to have had the opportunity to play here,” Banta-Cain said. “It's an honor to be able to give back to a place that has given me so much.”
