June 28, 1999

Continuing coverage of the 1999 X Games on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC Sports (June 27-July 5) will feature a new wrinkle -- guest celebrities taking part in the telecasts. The celebrities will be on site at different times throughout the fifth annual X Games in the new venue of San Francisco, June 25-July 3. ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC will combine to televise nearly 30 original hours from the signature alternative sports competition.

The celebrities will provide viewers with a behind-the-scenes look at specific sports when appropriate (e.g. - if those celebrities have a specific interest in a X sport, they will host a behind-the-scenes look at the athletes and competitions in the X Games).

In other cases, the celebrities will visit the "X Zone," ESPN's new host set, which will offer viewers a "backstage pass to the ultimate X Games clubhouse" by showcasing the X Games experience.

During the telecasts, the host set will be an active environment featuring a restaurant where athletes, friends and guests eat, an interactive area where guests can chat online and play video games (such as Sony Playstation), an athlete screening area where competitors can watch their events on video and more. The "X Zone" was be developed in partnership with ESPN Zone, the network's sports-themed dining and entertainment centers launched by Disney Regional Entertainment.

Expected celebrities
(probable order of appearance) Name, role and sport
Melissa Joan Hart (Sabrina, the Teenage Witch) Snowboarding
Thomas Ian Nicholas (upcoming movie American Pie) Bicycle Stunt Riding
Vincent Young (Beverly Hills 90210) X Zone guest
Rebecca Gayheart (upcoming TV series, Wasteland) X Zone guest
Sasha Alexander (upcoming TV series, Wasteland) X Zone guest
Dennis Miller (Dennis Miller Show) X Zone guest
Eminem (Rap star) X Zone guest
Zachary Ty Brian (Home Improvement) Aggressive In-Line Skating
Jason Biggs (upcoming movie American Pie) Athlete Party
Van Halen (rock stars Eddie and Alex Van Halen) X Zone guests

Note: Auto racing star Jeff Gordon, who was in Northern California for a NASCAR Winston Cup race, visited the X Games to watch the events and meet skateboarder Tony Hawk.