NBA Superstars Kobe Bryant and Carmelo Anthony to Faceoff Live in Virtual Arena
VERSUSSPORT PRESENTS KOBE BRYANT AND CARMELO ANTHONY COMPETING LIVE, IN THE SOON-TO-BE-RELEASED, NBA(R) 2K10
VersusSport previews its interactive online community today. The first of its kind, this social networking forum provides fans with the opportunity to support their favorite athletes and entertainers through a unique, interactive, virtual community.
On September 18, 2009, VersusSport will present its inaugural event, featuring NBA superstars Kobe Bryant and Carmelo Anthony competing head-to-head in the soon-to-be-released NBA 2K10. Members of the VersusSport community will receive exclusive online access to attend the live webcast of this much anticipated faceoff, and have the exciting opportunity to see NBA 2K10 in action before it hits retail stores in October. VersusSport provides the ultimate spectator experience. Fans can not only watch their favorite superstars compete live, but also interact with celebrities and fellow fans before, during and after the event. Two lucky fans will be selected to attend the Kobe vs. Carmelo premier event through contests hosted by VersusSport.
Microsoft Tag and VersusSport have joined forces for this exclusive, star-studded occasion. Invitations are enhanced with Microsoft’s Tag technology, which links guests to exclusive pre-event content on their mobile devices. Microsoft Tag can also be found on VersusSport.com, offering fans access to behind-the-scenes event content. The free application for Microsoft’s Tag technology can be downloaded at http://gettag.mobi/.
Through blogs, forums, and shared video content, VersusSport bridges the gap between athlete and fan. The advanced internet portal creates an unparalleled, intimate online experience which allows athletes and entertainers to connect more effectively with online members. “VersusSport has developed a really innovative way for me to connect with my fans,” says Carmelo Anthony. “They are not going to want to miss this competition.” VersusSport.com offers unprecedented live access to the life and celebrity style of athletes and entertainers. “I’m really looking forward to working with VersusSport,” says Kobe Bryant. “They combine my passion for competition while providing the fans with a great online experience.”
HDNet Fights Presents: M-1 Global Breakthrough
LIVE, Friday, August 28 at 10:00 p.m. ET
Event features a Fedor vs. Mousasi exhibition and the U.S. debut of ‘King Mo’
HDNet will feature exclusive coverage of “HDNet Fights Presents: M-1 Global Breakthrough,” LIVE from the historic Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Missouri, Friday, August 28 at 10:00 p.m. ET.
In a special feature attraction, Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko – the pound-for-pound best fighter on the planet – makes his live U.S. television debut in a grappling exhibition against newly crowned Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion, Gegard “The Dreamcatcher” Mousasi.
In the main event of the evening, the former NCAA wrestling champion and undefeated MMA star Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal makes his U.S. debut against another former NCAA Champion Mark “The Smashing Machine” Kerr. The fight is an unparalleled opportunity for Kerr, a former star in both the UFC and PRIDE, to launch a major comeback on national television.
“It is indeed special to have two of the top fighters in the world in Fedor and Gegard – with a combined record of 56 wins and 3 losses – put on a grappling exhibition for HDNet’s MMA fans,” said Andrew Simon, CEO of HDNet Fights. “There has also been a lot of buzz internationally about King Mo and Karl Amoussou and I’m pumped that fans will get to see them LIVE on HDNet!”
The rest of the card features some of the most promising international prospects in MMA.
In other action, Lucio “Spartan” Linhares (12-4, Finland) meets Mikhail Zayats (8-3, Russia), Jessie Gibbs (8-2, Holland) squares off with Rob Broughton (10-4-1, England), Karl “Psycho” Amoussou (10-2-1, France) faces “The Iron Bull” John Doyle (9-8, Philadelphia, PA), Lloyd “Kadillac” Marshbanks (17-8, San Diego, CA) collides with Michael Kita (5-3, Poland), plus Daisuke Nakamura (19-10, Tokyo, Japan) tangles with Ferrid “The Hurricane” Kheder (14-3, Los Angeles, CA)
Source: HDNet
Tiger Woods Wins Second Annual Notah Begay III Foundation Challenge
Native American Youth True Winners
Tiger Woods, the world’s No. 1 golfer, outshot an all-world foursome that included Camilo Villegas, Mike Weir and Notah Begay III to win the second annual Notah Begay III (NB3) Foundation Challenge. Taking nine skins and $230,000 during the 18 holes played on Monday, Woods successfully outplayed both the field and the challenging Atunyote Golf Club course at Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Verona, N.Y. The tournament raised at least $750,000 for the Notah Begay III Foundation.
“Today the whole thing was about bringing awareness to what Notah is trying to do,” said Woods shortly after the Challenge concluded. “It’s great to see what he’s doing. He’s put his heart, soul and passion into it.”
Featuring some of the world’s top golfers, this year’s event created expectations of an exciting day of golf. The players involved did not disappoint, thrilling the crowd of 3,000 with thunderous drives and dazzling short iron play. Early on, it was tournament host Begay III who drew some of the loudest cheers with great chips on both the first and third hole. It was near the middle of the round, when the group halved five consecutive holes starting with the ninth, that the intensity of play began to pick up. A great second shot from 75 yards out and a 10-foot birdie putt by Villegas broke the game open, giving him six skins and $180,000 with a single shot on the 15th. Now trailing, Woods birdied three consecutive holes following Villegas’ move to the top, reclaiming the lead with only the daunting 18th left to play. With Villegas and Woods both playing to seal up the victory, it was fitting that Begay III, at his own Foundation’s tournament, played a great chip from the fringe and followed with a birdie putt to take the final skin and $70,000.
While Woods took home the most skins during today’s round, the true winners of the NB3 Foundation Challenge are the Native American communities that benefit from the Foundation’s efforts to improve the health and wellness of youth on Indian reservations nationwide.
Funds raised during the NB3 Foundation Challenge are used to develop and promote sustainable and innovative sports and wellness programs to fight the disproportionate incidence of obesity and diabetes among Native American youth. To date, the Foundation has implemented year-round soccer and golf programs engaging hundreds of Native American youth in New Mexico alone.
“It’s time we do more to stop the obesity and diabetes epidemic among Native American youth,” said Begay III. “Through the Challenge, we have a unique opportunity to shine a national spotlight on this issue. Our goal is to create a national youth health and wellness movement among tribal nations, and I am excited about the momentum for change I have seen today.”
The NB3 Foundation Challenge is made possible by a collaboration between the Oneida Indian Nation and the San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission Indians, two tribal nations donating time and resources to create a more promising future for Native American youth.
“The event was a rare opportunity for the entire central New York region to shine in the international spotlight as four premier athletes put their mark on the Atunyote Golf Club,” said Oneida Indian Nation Representative and CEO Ray Halbritter. “As with our own upcoming Turning Stone Resort Championship, all proceeds went to charity. It is gratifying to be able to host an event that showcases our region, provides an economic boost to businesses throughout our community, and at the same time raises hundreds of thousands of dollars for much needed charities. The Oneida Indian Nation was proud to host this historic event.”
“This tournament is a demonstration of the commitment that Indian tribal nations have made to elevate health and wellness in their communities across this nation,” said Chairman James Ramos, San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission Indians. “Our efforts today will have a positive impact on the health and well being of future generations of Native people and our communities.”
For more information on the Foundation and the Challenge, visit: www.notah.com.
Source: Notah Begay III Foundation
PUMA Smashes Sprint World Records With Usain Bolt at World Championships in Athletics in Berlin
As the sponsor of the Jamaican track & field team at the World Athletics Championships 2009 in Berlin, Sportlifestyle company PUMA achieved a tremendous track record by endorsing sprint hero Usain Bolt who wrote sports history in Germany’s capital when he smashed the 100m and 200m world records.
Three-time Olympic gold medallist Usain ‘Lightning’ Bolt broke the 100m world record with an amazing time of 9.58 seconds, when he seemingly effortlessly blew away his own world record of 9.69 seconds by 0.11 seconds that he set in last year’s Olympic Games in Beijing exactly a year ago to the day. The PUMA athlete manifested his reputation of a sprint superstar when he smashed his 200 meter world record of last year to become the World Champion in 19.19 seconds. With the Jamaican team coming in first in the 4×100 relay in 42.06 seconds on Saturday night, he finished an amazing race week by adding another gold medal and World Championship title to his track record.
“Usain Bolt wrote again sports history at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin when he shattered his own two world records in amazing times and went home with three world championship titles,” said Jochen Zeitz, CEO and Chairman of PUMA. “We are thrilled to have been Usain’s partner since he was 16 and congratulate him on his incredible success. He pushed the limits of speed and power and stepped into Jesse Owens footsteps who became a legend at the Olympic Games in the same stadium in 1936. Through the enormous brand visibility, that has an estimated media value of several hundreds of millions of US Dollars, PUMA clearly strengthened and further expanded its position as one of the leading running brands.”
“Berlin has been so welcoming to me and to the entire Jamaican team,” said Usain Bolt on the closing day of the 12th IAAF World Championship. “What an experience to come here, the place where barriers were broken by Jesse Owens in the 1936 Olympics and be able to set new world records. Winning the 4 x 100 on Saturday night as a team was the perfect way to end this race week. Thanks to all of Berlin, the fans worldwide and my sponsor PUMA who have supported us.”
The currently fastest man on earth has joined the group of successful PUMA athletes and teams, whose outstanding performances strongly influenced international sports through innovative PUMA products and creative marketing initiatives during the last 60 years.
The Theseus Pro sprint spike, dubbed the PUMA YAAM, that propelled Usain Bolt to victory was developed by a team of PUMA designers and technicians who studied and measured Bolt’s stride and foot form. With this information and ongoing track-testing, they created a custom-made sprint spike that best suits Usain’s unique body kinetics. The vibrant orange color was chosen to contrast the Olympic Stadium’s signature blue track. The shoe is designed to provide power, speed and stability. The “engine” of the show is a carbon plate, which adds speed and power but no weight. PUMA has also designed an athletic, low-profile version of Usain’s signature track spike, called the PUMA STREET YAAM, which will be available at select retail locations later in the year.
PUMA’s activities around the World Championships were accompanied by the global PUMA marketing campaign “Who faster?” which included several marketing initiatives focussing on in store and viral marketing.
On August 23rd, at the conclusion of the World Championships, the city of Berlin said “Thanks” to Usain when the capital’s mayor Klaus Wowereit, handed over an original piece of the Berlin Wall 20 years after its fall to the fastest man on earth. The unique souvenir has a height of about 3.60 meters and a width of 1.20 meters and weighs 2.7 tons. It was designed exclusively for Usain Bolt and the front displays him on his way to break the 100 m world record on the legendary blue of the Berlin tracks.
Other teams that PUMA sponsored at the World Athletics Championships were Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Uganda, Botswana and the Czech Republic.
Source: PUMA AG Rudolf Dassler Sport
Volkswagen Gives Young Soccer Players a Shot at the International Stage with Junior Masters Soccer Tournament
Once in a Lifetime Opportunity for Youth Soccer Players to Represent U.S. Leading up to Prestigious 2010 World Cup
Volkswagen of America, the official automotive partner of Major League Soccer, launched the Volkswagen Junior Masters, a 20-country, international youth soccer tournament. Created by Volkswagen AG, the international competition is the first of its kind in the U.S. One team will have the honor of representing the U.S. (and will enjoy an all expenses paid trip) at the Volkswagen Junior World Master Finals in May 2010 prior to the FIFA World Cup in South Africa. The Volkswagen Junior Masters tournament runs from July 20th through October 2009 and builds upon the company’s global commitment to the sport.
“As a long-time global supporter of soccer, Volkswagen is taking its U.S. soccer presence to new heights by giving young soccer players the chance to compete on the world stage,” said Tim Ellis, Vice President of Marketing for Volkswagen of America, Inc. “The Volkswagen Junior Masters extends our growing commitment to soccer in the U.S. and complements our existing U.S. soccer initiatives including our sponsorship of MLS, D.C. United and The Footballers’ Clubhaus youth soccer tour.”
The Volkswagen Junior Masters kicked off with a preliminary tournament July 18th and continues on across the East Coast to: Fort Dix, NJ; Downingtown, PA; Winston Salem, NC; Lancaster, PA; Richmond, VA; and, Parsippany, NJ on October 11. Twelve total teams from the preliminary tournaments will be invited to compete in the U.S. finals in Washington, D.C. on October 17 – 18. All youth soccer clubs and school teams that meet the specified age requirements are eligible to participate in the Volkswagen Junior Masters. The winning U.S. team will then go on to compete in the Volkswagen Junior World Master Finals against 19 other teams in Cape Town, South Africa May 26 – 30, 2010.
“Major League Soccer is proud to partner with Volkswagen on a tournament like the Junior Masters that encourages fun and competitive soccer, especially among younger players,” said Kathy Carter, executive vice president of Soccer United Marketing, MLS’ marketing arm. “We look forward to the various competitions that lay ahead and to the excitement that this event will generate among soccer fans across the United States and internationally.”
“It’s exciting to see Volkswagen demonstrate such a profound commitment to developing young Hispanic soccer players through initiatives like the Junior Masters Tournament,” said Jaime Moreno, Major League Soccer’s all-time leading scorer and an official spokesperson for the Volkswagen Junior Masters in the U.S. “Volkswagen, through the Junior Masters Tournament, has created the opportunity of a lifetime for emerging young Hispanic talent everywhere.”
Globally, Volkswagen has been a long time supporter of soccer. The brand is the title sponsor of Volkswagen arena in Wolfsburg and owns the VFL Wolfsburg football club at its global headquarters. In the U.S., Volkswagen of America is the official automotive partner of Major League sponsor and is a sponsor of D.C. United. The brand also recently launched the Footballers’ Clubhaus presented by Volkswagen and MLS, a 19-city mobile marketing tour showcasing Volkswagen’s product family at local youth soccer tournaments.
For more information on the Volkswagen Junior Masters, visit http://www.vwjrmasters.com/.
A New Chapter of Historic Racing at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca Begins
The Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula (SCRAMP) announced that it will be producing the historic races at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in 2010, and that General Racing, Ltd., the creator and producer of the Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races for the last 36 years, will no longer be producing the event.
SCRAMP will produce an event that reflects the prestige, integrity and quality that fans and participants expect of the vintage automobile races held at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. SCRAMP has contracted for the use of the trademark Monterey Historic Automobile Races for 2010 and General Racing will assist SCRAMP for this transitional year.
“This has certainly been a long and rewarding relationship with Steve Earle and General Racing,” said Gill Campbell, CEO/general manager for Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. “SCRAMP has always admired Mr. Earle’s creation, which has brought historic car racing to the enthusiast on such a level. We look forward to our 2010 event, scheduled from August 13-15, and beyond with the mission of continuing the tradition of historic automobile racing here while enhancing the enjoyment factor for the fans, participants and sponsors.”
SCRAMP has operated Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, the site of the Monterey Historic Automobile Races, for more than 50 years and, as a not-for-profit organization, has donated more than $12 million to the communities in and around the Monterey Peninsula.
“SCRAMP is proud to continue the legacy General Racing began,” Campbell added, “And we are excited about the prospect of opening a new chapter in historic racing at America’s premier road racing circuit.”
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca was established in 1957. The world-renowned raceway has been operated since its inception by the Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula (SCRAMP), a not-for-profit 501C(4) corporation. Each race season, SCRAMP donates its net proceeds to the volunteer groups that help put on the races.
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca’s world-class 2009 racing schedule includes the Monterey Sports Car Championships featuring the American Le Mans Series October 9-11.
Source: Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
Inside MMA Knocks Out One Hundred Episodes on HDNet
Bas, Kenny and Ron to celebrate milestone episode with a look back at some of the program’s memorable moments – Friday, August 21 at 9:00 p.m. ET
“Inside MMA,” HDNet’s original weekly program devoted completely to news and highlights from the world of Mixed Martial Arts will celebrate 100 episodes with a special installment on Friday, August 21 at 9:00 p.m. ET.
The program, which launched in September of 2007, filled a gap in the world of sports news and has since become the primary news for all things MMA.
“I’m certainly thrilled by, but not surprised at, the success of ‘Inside MMA,’” said Mark Cuban, chairman and co-founder of HDNet. “Launched as the first and only program of its kind, ‘IMMA’ has quickly become THE source for MMA, thanks especially to the hard work of the program’s outstanding staff.”
“Inside MMA’s” Kenny Rice and Bas Rutten have played host to some of the biggest stars in MMA including Fedor Emelianenko, Tito Ortiz, Anderson Silva, Georges St-Pierre and Chuck Liddell – all who have taken part in the program’s panel discussion segment.
“Inside MMA” also includes features like ‘Kruck’s Korner’ where co-host Ron Kruck covers the unique people and in-depth stories from the world of mixed martial arts, a news segment providing up-to-the-minute news, and ‘Toe-to-Toe with El Guapo,’ where co-host Bas Rutten answers viewer questions about the sport and its fighters.
Over the program’s nearly two year run, “Inside MMA” has covered 135 different promotions in 39 different states and 12 different countries, bringing the worldwide and wide ranging sport of MMA right into viewers’ homes. “Inside MMA” has also covered some of the biggest stories in the business, including the recent downfall of Affliction, Seth Petruzelli’s upset win over Kimbo Slice – and the Florida State Athletic Commission’s investigation of that fight, the fall of Elite XC and Brock Lesnar’s suggestion that Frank Mir was embellishing an injury to avoid facing him.
The special 100th episode of “Inside MMA” airs Friday, August 21 at 9:00 p.m. ET on HDNet.
Source: HDNet