Sony Computer Entertainment America Sponsors ESPN X Games X

Action Sports and Videogames Celebrate Mainstream Popularity and Mass Appeal

PRNewswire
FOSTER CITY, Calif.
07/28/2004

Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. announced today its sponsorship of ESPN's X Games in Los Angeles. Celebrating its 10th anniversary, X Games X will feature more than 150 of the world's best action sports athletes as they migrate to Southern California August 5-8. With 17 world-class competitions across six action sport categories, this year's X Games promises to entertain everyone with competitions in Aggressive In-Line Skate, Bike Stunt, Moto X, Skateboard, Surfing, and Wakeboard.

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

New for X Games X, live telecasts will be available on both ESPN and ABC during the games, including a Sunday night primetime window on ABC August 8. In addition, ESPN's "SportsCenter," the leading sports news and information program, will report live from X Games X with host Linda Cohn. As an ESPN X Games associate sponsor for the fourth year in a row, Sony Computer Entertainment America benefits from widespread on-air presence including more than 100 advertising spots on ESPN and ABC during the telecast. The multimillion-dollar sponsorship also includes category-exclusive brand representation in ESPN The Magazine, full-page, four-color ads in the on-site program, substantial signage and hospitality opportunities during the event, and full-service banner rotation throughout both ESPN.com and EXPN.com Web sites.

"As a sponsor of the X Games, it has been amazing to see the growth of the event over the past 10 years -- action sports such as skateboarding, BMX and surfing have become part of mainstream pop-culture lifestyle," said Ami Blaire, director, product marketing, Sony Computer Entertainment America. "Our business growth and expansion in the past 10 years since the launch of the original PlayStation mirrors that of the X Games, taking culturally relevant entertainment and evolving its reach into the mass-market audience."

Providing a break from the competition for action sport fans with interactive entertainment, the PlayStation® 2 Touring Attraction, a 77-foot truck featuring 31 interactive kiosks, will showcase the latest titles at this year's X Games such as Gran Turismo™ 4, Hot Shots Golf® Fore!, Ratchet & Clank™: Up Your Arsenal, Sly 2: Band of Thieves™, ATV Offroad Fury® 3, and Athens 2004 -- ESRB ratings E-T. In addition, Sony Computer Entertainment America will have interactive kiosks in the athlete registration area and VIP lounges, where X Games athletes can fine-tune their eye-hand coordination before entering the spotlight.

Sony Computer Entertainment America will also be giving action sports fans the chance to meet world champion PlayStation-sponsored athlete, Shaun White, who will greet fans and sign autographs at the PlayStation 2 Touring Attraction on Friday, August 6 from 2 p.m. -- 3 p.m. On Thursday, August 5, White will compete in the Skateboard Vert event for the second straight year and will look to improve on last year's performance, a sixth-place finish. White made X Games history when he became the youngest athlete to compete in both the Summer and Winter X Games in 2003. White collected his third Winter X Games gold medal earlier this year in the Snowboard Slopestyle competition.

For more information about X Games X, please visit www.expn.com.

The independent Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) has rated the software titles being shown at the X Games "E" for Everyone or "T" for Teen. For more information about the ESRB visit www.esrb.org.

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 PS one 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.us.playstation.com/ .

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000510/SFW104-a
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SOURCE: Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.

CONTACT: Janette Barrios, +1-650-655-5583, or
janette_barrios@playstation.sony.com, or Drew McGuire Milam, +1-650-655-5305,
or drew_milam@playstation.sony.com, both of Sony Computer Entertainment
America Inc.

Web site: http://www.expn.com/

Web site: http://www.playstation.com/