LADYDRAGON.COM - Sega Sports Named Official Sponsor of the Las Vegas Bowl; ABC to Televise the ``Sega Sports Las Vegas Bowl'' on Christmas Day 2001

Thursday September 06, 2001

Sega Sports Named Official Sponsor of the Las Vegas Bowl; ABC to Televise the ``Sega Sports Las Vegas Bowl'' on Christmas Day 2001

One of the biggest bowl games is now getting one of the biggest names in sports video gaming. Sega Sports(TM), the brand that continues to set new standards in sports gaming, today announced that they will be teaming up with the Las Vegas Bowl as the title sponsor for the bowl game which will be held on Christmas Day. Dubbed the "Sega Sports Las Vegas Bowl," this sponsorship puts Sega Sports in the same category as other renowned bowl sponsors such as Nokia and Tostitos(R). This sponsorship is all part of an aggressive new Sega Sports brand marketing campaign that is aimed to target gaming enthusiasts and sports fans alike.

The Las Vegas Bowl presents numerous opportunities for Sega Sports to reach its core audience. As the title sponsor of the Las Vegas Bowl, Sega Sports will be incorporated into the official bowl logo and receive on-site exposure via signage, program advertising, VIP/hospitality packages and other in-game promotional elements. Sega Sports will also receive television inventory and be recognized as the title sponsor on ABC's telecast of the Las Vegas Bowl.

Last year's Las Vegas Bowl was played before a record crowd of 29,112 and a national television audience on ESPN 2. The game was the second highest rated bowl game in the network's history. Recently, the bowl signed a multi-year agreement with ABC Sports to televise the game.

"With the strong television ratings and captive audience that this bowl has enjoyed in the past, the Sega Sports Las Vegas Bowl will allow us to speak directly to thousands of our sports gaming consumers," said Chris Gilbert, executive vice president of sales and marketing, Sega of America. "This, along with many other elements of our marketing mix, will help the Sega Sports message 'be everywhere' during our industry's biggest selling season -- the fourth quarter and early Q1."

"We are delighted to announce the partnership with Sega Sports. Every year we search for ways to elevate the stature of the Las Vegas Bowl, and this sponsorship is an important component in our growth," said Tina Kunzer-Murphy, Las Vegas Bowl executive director. "Partnering with such a recognizable and dynamic property as Sega Sports will add a new dimension to the Las Vegas Bowl for the next two years."
"We are pleased to have Sega Sports as the title of the Las Vegas Bowl and join us in our mutual commitment to bring this event the national exposure we believe it deserves," said Chuck Gerber, executive vice president and general manager of ESPN Regional.

ABC Sports will air the Sega Sports Las Vegas Bowl live from Sam Boyd Stadium at 12:30 p.m. PST on Monday, Dec. 25, 2001. This game will match the fifth selection from the Pac-10 Conference against the second selection from the Mountain West Conference (MWC).

For more information on the Las Vegas Bowl, visit the official website at www.lvbowl.com. To learn more about Sega Sports, visit www.segasports.com.

About Sega

Sega(R) of America is the American arm of Tokyo, Japan-based Sega Corporation, responsible for the development, marketing and distribution of Sega video game systems and video games in the Americas. Sega Corporation is a nearly $2.5 billion company recognized as the industry leader in interactive digital entertainment media, offering interactive entertainment experiences both inside and outside the home. Sega of America's World Wide Web site is located at www.sega.com.