Local Football Players Join Consulate Staff for Super Bowl

Group photoOn February 2, eighteen players of the Wild Pandas, Vladivostok’s American football team, led by U.S. coach and NCAA star Bobby Rome, came to the Consulate for a live Super Bowl party. The event was indeed a spectacular one: participants had a chance to enjoy the 9:30 AM local time kick off of the premier sporting event of the year. The atmosphere in the Consulate mirrored the one at the Phoenix stadium: both the young Russian football players and the Consulate staff cheered and shouted at the screens at every touchdown, interception, and hard hit, while coach Bobby Rome used the broadcast to explain nuances of the pro game for the eager Russian players. While a slim majority of the players were Seattle fans, New England supporters were led by Wild Pandas captain Roman Fatyanov,dressed in his Tom Brady jersey. The Wild Pandas followed the game with a presentation to consulate staff detailing their team’s impressive progress in just the last year and discussed opportunities for further cooperation with the Consulate.