OLN® Names Copper Mountain Host of the 2005 Winter Gravity Games
October 11, 2004
Outdoor Life Network announces that its Winter Gravity Games will be
hosted by Colorado's Copper Mountain from March 3rd - 6th, 2005. The
event will feature approximately 175 of the world's best athletes
competing in nine medal events, including: Men's and Women's Snowboard
Halfpipe, Men's and Women's Boardercross, Men's and Women's Snowboard
Slopestyle, Men's Ski Halfpipe, Men's Skiercross and Men's Ski
Slopestyle.
"We acquired the Gravity Games because we believe
action sports is a growth category and Gravity is a best-in-class
property," said Gavin Harvey, President of OLN. "Our experience in
Cleveland reinforced this belief, especially after all of the positive
feedback from the athletes, fans and sponsors. By adding a winter
component, we're building equity in the franchise and generating new,
compelling programming for our audience."
Copper Mountain is
the largest resort in Summit County, located just 75 miles west of
Denver. The location's existing facilities and infrastructure will
provide an ideal backdrop for the 2005 Winter Gravity Games.
"Copper
Mountain is a world-class winter resort and a perfect location for a
best-in-class event like the Gravity Games," said Harvey. "The
enthusiasm and support we've received from Copper, Copper's parent
company Intrawest and Summit County has been great and we're looking
forward to bringing this event to Colorado."
Coverage of the
Winter Gravity Games will include competitive action and athlete
profiles. It will also highlight the personalities, music and
lifestyles of the people who are passionate about winter action sports.
Qualifying criteria for each medal event will be announced shortly,
while competitions may also be added to the schedule.
"We're
anticipating a great event, with amazing competitions, activities, free
concerts and so much more," said Steve Paccagnan, Vice President and
General Manager of Copper Mountain Resort. "The impact the Gravity
Games will have on the community will be tremendous, not only for
Copper Mountain, but for Summit County as a whole."
Winter
Gravity Games is a major extension of the franchise, following the 2004
Gravity Games, which were held in Cleveland, OH from Sept 15th - 19th.
The event featured 121 athletes and more than 125,000 fans in
attendance. Additionally, OLN attracted a younger male demographic to
the network. Ratings for men aged 18-34 were up 71% from the prior
eight-week average, and up 150% from the same week a year ago. The
Median Age of the Gravity Games in Primetime was 31 years, almost 20
years younger than the prior eight-week average (49 years Median Age).
OLN
recently added Gravity Games H2O as well, which take place off
Australia's western coast city of Perth in October. The event includes
wakeboarding, kitesurfing and a tow-in surfing competition.
Copper
Mountain Resort is the largest resort in Summit County with unique,
naturally divided terrain, four alpine bowls, and world-renowned
terrain parks. Copper is a brand new base village with shops,
restaurants and lodging that combine elements of the resort's cherished
past with it's progressive vision of the future. For more information
on Copper Mountain Resort, call (866) 841-2519 or visit
www.coppercolorado.com.
The 2005 Winter Gravity Games will
include world-class competition, music from today's hottest acts, a
festival village featuring Gravity Games sponsors and partners and
family-oriented interactive areas. Admission to the 2005 Winter Gravity
Games will be free of charge. Please log on to OLNTV.com for more
information.
Outdoor Life Network is the leader in outdoor
adventure and action sports television. Now in more than 61 million
homes, OLN is the home of best-in-class events like The Tour de France,
The Gravity Games, Professional Bull Riders (PBR), and USSA Skiing. The
Network offers exclusive programming in four primary areas: Outdoor
Adventure, Action Sports, Field & Stream® and Bulls & Rodeo.
OLN is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout
the continental United States and Hawaii.
