X Games: June 25-July 3
(telecast dates: June 27-July 5)
After two successful years in San Diego, the X Games, the signature extreme sports competition, will be moving north to San Francisco for the fifth annual X Games. The 1998 X Games attracted a record 250,0000 spectators. The X Games, created and organized by ESPN, Inc., will gather more than 400 of the world's top alternative sports athletes to compete for prize money/medals in nine sports categories.

Nine sports categories
Aggressive In-line Skating, Bicycle Stunt Riding (including Dirt Jumping), Freestyle Moto-X (new), Skateboarding, Skysurfing, Snowboarding, Sport Climbing, Street Luge Racing, Wakeboarding.

Event venues
Piers 30-32, Embarcadero, (Aggressive In-line Skating, Bicycle Stunt Riding, Freestyle Moto-X, Skateboarding, Snowboarding, Sport Climbing); Point Lobos Avenue and The Great Highway (Street Luge); Clipper Cove, Treasure Island (Wakeboarding), Skydive Monterey, Monterey, Calif. (Skysurfing).

Increased prize money
Nearly $1 million (166% increase from 1995 Games).

Emmy awards for X Games
ESPN/ESPN2 recently captured its fifth Emmy Award for X Games coverage, the fourth straight year (in four years of eligibility) the networks have been recognized for the X Games. For the 1998 Games, ESPN/ESPN2 captured the award for Technical Team Remote.

Television coverage
Overall: 28.5 hours
ESPN: 19 hours, including primetime and late-night programs
ESPN2: 7.5 hours, including primetime coverage
ABC Sports: Two hour-long Wide World of Sports shows, July 3 & 4
ESPN International: 13.5 hours of coverage worldwide in 16 languages

Television host
Chris Fowler

Production highlights
Point-of-view cameras, including HelmetCam, LugeCam and PlaneCam; "MaXair" graphic system (illustrates the heights achieved by athletes in different events); new multi-media elements (see ESPN.com); and a new "X Zone" host set (in cooperation with Disney Regional Entertainment's ESPN Zone; provides viewers with a unique inside look at X Games culture).

ESPN.com
Several new features planned for on-air tie-ins, including:
Pick the Trick - medalist in the skateboarding best vert trick event will be determined by online voting.
X Games Raw - live streaming video of X Games action at ESPN.com (at least one hour daily).
Chat Crawl - live chat room crawl will appear on the bottom of the television screen during X Games coverage.
Viewer Photos - viewers will be encouraged to send digital photos of themselves participating in X sports for a feature that will air as part of the telecasts.
Other - daily results, on-site reports, features, analysis, background information on the sports, on-line video and audio, etc.

ESPN The Magazine
Eight-page preview featuring top X athletes in the June 28 issue (on sale Wednesday, June 16)

Gold sponsors (all incumbents)
Adidas America, 1-800-CALL-ATT, Mountain Dew, Chevy S-10 Pickup/Pontiac Sunfire, Taco Bell and Snickers and Starburst

Associate sponsors
Visa, United States Marine Corps, Lee Dungarees, Heineken, Playstation, Walt Disney Pictures Presents Tarzan, Speed StickG UltimateS, Sony MD, Milk and the Office of National Drug Control Policy

Official first aid sponsor
Curad Extreme Lengths

X Games merchandise
A variety of 1999 X Games products (listed below) will be available at retail outlets nationwide, including J.C. Penney, Kohl's, Mervyn's and Target.

Gear/Sporting Goods: Skateboards, skateboard backpacks, in-line skates, snowboards, helmets and GT bikes.
Games/Toys: Yo-yos, fingerboards and Uno (card game).
Gifts/Stationery: Mugs, calendars, pocket folders and planners/organizers.
Home furnishings: Blankets, sheets and beach towels.
Apparel/Accessories: Sportswear (T-shirts, shorts, board pants, fashion tops), watches, boxers, hats, sunglasses and sleepwear.
Audio/Video/Print: Several products from last year will remain on sale including the X Games soundtrack (CD), books, video game and home video.

Xtreme stamps
To kick off the 1999 X Games, U.S. Postage will issue more than 150 million stamps (beginning June 25 in San Francisco), recognizing BMX biking, in-line skating, skateboarding and snowboarding.

Household / reach
ESPN: 76 million households
ESPN2: 64.4 million households
ESPN International: Approximately 171 million households worldwide

Winter X Games
The fourth annual Winter X Games will be held this winter at the new venue of Mount Snow, Vermont, February 3-6.