989 Sports® Puts on the Pads and Gears Up for Football Season by Signing Two All-Pro NFL Players to Represent NFL GameDay™ Franchise

989 Sports Also Inks All-Time Penn St. Single Season Rushing Leader, Larry Johnson, to Front NCAA® GameBreaker™ 2004

PRNewswire
FOSTER CITY, Calif.
05/23/2003

Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. announced today that it signed two of the best players in the National Football League to assist in promoting NFL GameDay™ 2004 for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and the PlayStation® game console. San Diego Chargers All-Pro running back LaDainian Tomlinson and Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker and NFL Defensive Player of the Year Derrick Brooks each signed three-year deals. Tomlinson will be the cover athlete for NFL GameDay™ 2004 for PlayStation 2 and PlayStation, both due out in stores this August, while Brooks will be working with the company as a contributor consultant, and spokesperson. Brooks will appear on the cover of the esteemed football game at some point during his three-year deal. In addition, former Penn St. running back, and future NFL running back, Larry Johnson, joins the 989 Sports family to be cover athlete for NCAA® GameBreaker™ 2004.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000510/SFW104-a )

In just his second season in the NFL, Tomlinson has emerged as one of the game's top running backs. The former Texas Christian University standout was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the first round (5th overall) of the 2001 NFL draft. The five-foot, ten-inch, 221-pounder burst onto the scene in his rookie campaign, setting Charger single-season and Charger rookie records for yards from scrimmage (1,603) and rushing yards (1,236) respectively. Tomlinson capped off the 2001 season with his selection to the NFL All-Rookie Team. The Waco, Texas native continued his assault on NFL defenses this season, setting a Charger team record with 1,683 rushing yards. Along with accumulating the second highest number of rushing yards in the NFL, Tomlinson finished 4th in the League in Touchdowns (15) and 12th in the AFC in receptions (79). Awarded for his impressive 2002 season, the second-year back was named team MVP for the second consecutive season and selected for his first trip to the NFL Pro Bowl.

Brooks joins the 989 Sports team after winning Super Bowl XXXVII and 2002 NFL Defensive Player of the year, cementing his status as one of the best defensive players in the League within the past decade. Brooks was among the NFL leaders in tackles with 118 (3rd in the NFC) and interceptions with 5 (tied for 4th in the NFL). Drafted by Tampa Bay in the first round (28th overall) of the 1995 NFL Draft, the Pensacola, Florida native led the NFL, and tied a team record, with three interception returns for touchdowns. In addition, the six-foot, 235-pounder not only led the eventual Super Bowl Champions in tackles for the 5th consecutive season, but also he was selected to the Pro Bowl for the 6th straight year, earned All-Pro Honors from the Associated Press for the 4th consecutive year, and named team MVP for the 4th straight season.

"Signing these incredible football players is a tremendous opportunity for 989 Sports," said Ami Blaire, director, product marketing, Sony Computer Entertainment America. "Tomlinson and Brooks are each arguably the best player at his position, and their enthusiasm, talent, and knowledge of the game will be a great addition to the NFL GameDay franchise. We are equally excited about welcoming Larry Johnson into the 989 Sports family as he had an exceptional season last year for Penn St. and will no doubt be a great running back in the NFL."

Johnson is projected to be the first running back selected in the 2003 NFL draft after completing a record setting year at Penn St. The six-foot, two- inch, 214 pound tailback became the first player in Penn St. and Big-Ten history, and just the ninth player in NCAA Division I-A history, to rush for more than 2,000 yards. Johnson's 2,087 rushing yards netted him seventh place in the all-time NCAA rushing record book, as the State College, Pennsylvania native won the Doak Walker Award for the Nation's top running back and was selected as a Heisman Trophy finalist. The first team All-American will grace the cover of the popular college football video game, NCAA GameBreaker 2004, due out in stores this August.

The independent Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rates NFL GameDay 2004 and NCAA GameBreaker 2004 "RP" for Rating Pending. For more information about the ESRB visit www.esrb.org.

About 989 Sports

989 Sports® is the sports software brand of Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. Known for its top-selling sports franchise titles such as NFL GameDay™, MLB™, NBA ShootOut, NHL FaceOff™, NCAA® Final Four® and NCAA® GameBreaker™, 989 Sports is committed to developing authentic and innovative sports games to appeal to both the professional athlete and hard- core sports videogame fan.

About Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.

Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. continues to redefine the entertainment lifestyle with its PlayStation® and PS one™ game console, and the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system. The PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system is set to revolutionize the home entertainment market, offering the most compelling interactive content and the capability to be used as a network terminal in the coming broadband era.

Recognized as the undisputed industry leader, Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. markets the PlayStation family of products and develops, publishes, markets and distributes software for the PSOne game console and the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system for the North American market. Based in Foster City, Calif. Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. serves as headquarters for all North American operations and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Visit us on the Web at http://www.989sports.com/ .

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000510/SFW104-a
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, 1-888-776-6555 or +1-212-782-2840

SOURCE: Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.

CONTACT: Ben Schechter of Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.,
+1-858-824-5689, or ben_schechter@playstation.sony.com; or Rick Heineman,
+1-310-274-7800, or rheineman@bncpr.com, for Sony Computer Entertainment
America Inc.

Web site: http://www.989sports.com/