FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NFL                         7/12/04
 

JAKE DELHOMME, CARSON PALMER AND MARK BRUNELL AMONG NFL STARS PARTICIPATING IN 989 SPORTS® QUARTERBACK CHALLENGE

 

Annual Event Showcasing  NFL Quarterbacks in Head-to-Head Competition

Set to Air July 17-18, on CBS Sports

Some of the NFL’s top quarterbacks including JAKE DELHOMME (Carolina Panthers), CARSON PALMER (Cincinnati Bengals), and MARK BRUNELL (Washington Redskins) will participate in a series of challenges that test their various football skills when they appear in the 989 SPORTS® NFL Quarterback Challenge, set to air nationally as two, one-hour specials on Saturday, July 17, from 5-6 p.m. ET/2-3 p.m. PT and Sunday, July 18, from 2-3 p.m. ET/11-12 p.m. PT, on CBS Sports. The event is produced by the NFL, PLAYERS INC and NFL QB Greats.

Currently in its 15th consecutive year, the competition tests the NFL’s premier quarterbacks in four different skills competitions, including accuracy, speed and mobility, distance, and “No Huddle.” Other current quarterbacks featured in the taped event, which took place in Santa Monica, Calif. earlier this year include MARC BULGER (St. Louis Rams), TRENT GREEN (Kansas City Chiefs), JOEY HARRINGTON (Detroit Lions), MATT HASSELBECK (Seattle Seahawks), BYRON LEFTWICH (Jacksonville Jaguars), and JOSH MCCOWN (Arizona Cardinals).

Added in 2003, this year’s event will again feature top NFL wide receivers including TORRY HOLT (St. Louis Rams), KEENAN MCCARDELL (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), ANQUAN BOLDIN (Arizona Cardinals), and TROY BROWN (New England Patriots).  Quarterback Greats RANDALL CUNNINGHAM (Philadelphia Eagles), JIM KELLY (Buffalo Bills), WARREN MOON (Houston Oilers), as well as BOOMER ESIASON (Cincinnati Bengals), who will be pulling double-duty when
he also participates as part of the CBS Sports broadcast team, also will be featured participants in this year’s event. Joining Esiason on the telecast are NFL on CBS broadcast teammates GUS JOHNSON and sideline reporter BONNIE BERNSTEIN.

In addition to the visibility of having 989 Sports brand as part of the official event name, the sponsorship package includes eight television commercial spots during the on-air event.  The 989 Sports brand also will be visible with logos integrated throughout the program in such areas as the field, leaderboard, and awards presentation.  Print ads also will display the 989 Sports logo and will be located in both Sports Illustrated and USA Today  

The associate sponsors of the show are Bayer Pharmaceuticals Corporation and GlaxoSmithKline, co-marketers of Levitra, Champs and Foot Locker.

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 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.

About PLAYERS INC
Formed in 1994, PLAYERS INC is the for-profit licensing and marketing subsidiary of the NFL Players Association (NFLPA). Representing more than 1,800 active and 3,000 retired NFL players, PLAYERS INC “takes the helmets off” the players and markets them as personalities as well as professional athletes. PLAYERS INC activities include retail licensing, corporate sponsorships, special events, radio and television projects, publishing and other promotional programs.  PLAYERS INC schedules more than 2,500 NFL player appearances each year.  For more information, please visit www.nflplayers.com.

 

About QB GREATS
Launched in 2003, NFL QB Greats (QBG) is a retired athlete organization, officially licensed by the National Football League, which assigns rights when its members are used in groups of three (3) or more.  QBG’s membership includes some of the top signal callers from the past 20 years; Jim Kelly, Warren Moon, Steve Young, Boomer Esiason, Randall Cunningham, Phil Simms and Bernie Kosar are all shareholders in the organization.  QBG is the successor company to the original NFL Quarterback Club, formed in 1991.  For more information please contact Ted Dalton at 201.635.8004.  
 

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Contacts:         Brian McCarthy (NFL)—212.450.2069
                      
mccarthyb@nfl.com 
                       Lara Potter (Brener Zwikel & Associates) – cell: (310) 849-2620                                                     
                       larap@bzapr.com
                       Christy Moran (Players Inc) - (202) 496-2885
                      
Christy.moran@nflplayers.com
                       Ron Eagle (PlayStation) – (858) 824-5585
                       
Ron_Eagle@playstation.sony.com