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Latest News
For immediate release March 31, 2005
CENTRAL FLORIDA AND DISNEY'S WIDE WORLD OF SPORTS COMPLEX TO HOST
2005 ESPN GREAT OUTDOOR GAMES
ORLANDO, Fla. - Many of the world's most talented outdoors athletes
will converge on Central Florida and Disney's Wide World of Sports
Complex to compete in the ESPN Great Outdoor Games presented by
Dodge. Officials from ESPN Outdoors and Disney Sports Attractions
announced today that the Games will be staged July 7-10, 2005 and
broadcast July 13-17, 2005 on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC Sports.
"We're looking forward to our best Games ever," said Christine
Godleski, Vice President and General Manager of ESPN Outdoors.
"After successful events in Lake Placid, N.Y., Reno, Nev., and
Madison, Wis., we've grown awareness in the Northeast, the West and
the Midwest. Now we're bringing the event to the South and Disney's
Wide World of Sports Complex."
Godleski summed up the Games and their new location with one
sentence.
"It'll be great competition, compelling television, and we expect to
draw large crowds," she said.
ESPN Outdoors considered a number of possible locations for the
Great Outdoor Games and eventually selected Central Florida because
it is a world-class travel destination that also offers a number of
popular outdoor sports.
"We are thrilled to partner with ESPN Outdoors to host the Great
Outdoor Games this summer at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex,"
said Reggie Williams, Vice President of the Disney Sports
Attractions. "As a world-class sports and recreation destination, we
strive to attract new and exciting events, and the Great Outdoor
Games - with everything from timber events to sporting dog
competitions - will provide some of the most entertaining
competitions we have ever hosted."
With the exception of the rifle and shotgun target-sport events, all
of the Great Outdoor Games events will be held at Disney's Wide
World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Rifle and shotgun
events will be held at the Tenoroc Range in Lakeland, Fla.
"The Tenoroc Range will provide a terrific backdrop for our target
sports," added Godleski. "It's rustic looking and just a short drive
away from Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex."
The ESPN Great Outdoor Games is the ultimate championship for
outdoor sports and in 2005 will introduce ATV skills competition to
the list of disciplines showcased over the four-day event. Target
sports, timber events and sporting dogs will return this summer,
while fishing will not.
"We are very excited to be introducing ATV's to the Games at
Disney's Wide World of Sports this summer," added Godleski. "ESPN
Outdoors will continue to feature an enormous amount of fishing
throughout the year with BASS, Salt Water Sundays and a variety of
other platforms."
ESPN Outdoors is proud to partner with Bright House Networks in
bringing the Great Outdoor Games to Central Florida.
"Bright House Networks is excited to have ESPN's Great Outdoor Games
being taped within driving distance of our two largest divisions:
Central Florida (Orlando) and Tampa Bay," said Kena Lewis, Group
Director, Public Affairs & Communications. "We know this program is
very popular with our customers and we're pleased that many of them
will have the opportunity to experience the Games live and in
person."
Spread over 220 acres in the heart of the Walt Disney World Resort,
Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex plays host to more than 170
events each year for professional and amateur athletes in some 30
sports. The state-of-the-art facility includes nine venues and is
home to more than 40 Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) National
Championships, Atlanta Braves Spring Training, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Training Camp, the Sports Experience interactive area and the All
Star Cafe sports-themed restaurant.
Since its inception in 2001, ESPN Outdoors has strived to inform and
entertain anglers, hunters, campers and people of all ages who enjoy
the outdoors. ESPN Outdoors is committed to increasing awareness of
outdoor activities, a direction best exemplified by daily television
programming totaling nearly 1,000 hours annually on ESPN and ESPN2.
Each year, ESPN Outdoors stages more than 30 marquee events
including the CITGO Bassmaster Classic and the ESPN Great Outdoor
Games. ESPN Outdoors comprises BASS, the worldwide authority on bass
fishing that sanctions more than 20,000 events through the BASS
Federation. ESPN Outdoors also features Bassmaster.com,
ESPNOutdoors.com, a weekly outdoors show on ESPN Radio as well as a
growing array of promotions and activities that deliver a clear
message of conservation and ethical sportsmanship.
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