04/25/2001

World's Best Athletes Promote 2001 Goodwill Games in On-Air Promotional Spots
More Than 14,000 Spots to Run On Turner Networks in Cross-Promotional Campaign

Eight of the world's top athletes took part in a promotional shoot for on-air vignettes for the 2001 Goodwill Games, Monday, April 23, and Tuesday, April 24, in Los Angeles, Calif. The shoot featured some of the top athletes from the 14 sports featured in this year's Games, which will be hosted by Brisbane, Australia. Stars from athletics, swimming, gymnastics, beach volleyball, diving and basketball participated.

Five-time Olympic gold medalist and Goodwill Games champion Michael Johnson participated in his second and final promotional campaign for the Games. Johnson will be making the 2001 Goodwill Games his final competition before retiring. The fastest man and fastest woman in the world, Olympic gold medalist and Goodwill Games champion Maurice Greene and five-time Olympic medalist and Goodwill Games champion Marion Jones also took part in the campaign. Representing diving was Olympic gold medalist and Goodwill Games champion Laura Wilkinson, and representing swimming was Olympic gold medalist and Goodwill Games team gold medalist Misty Hyman. The Olympic gold medalists from Down Under, Kerri Ann Pottharst and Natalie Cook, not only represented beach volleyball but also 2001 Goodwill Games' host country of Australia. Young NBA star Jason Terry of the Atlanta Hawks represented basketball's Team USA in the vignettes. Terry is one of the 12 members of Team USA, which will be comprised of NBA players for the first time in the history of the Goodwill Games. Two-time Olympian, five-time U.S. national champion and Goodwill Games medalist Blaine Wilson participated on behalf of USA gymnastics.

"We are thrilled to have secured a select group of the world's best athletes to represent the various 2001 Goodwill Games' sports for our marketing campaign," said Rick McNerney, vice president of marketing for the Games. "The campaign is designed to highlight the caliber of athletes that will be included in this year's event and to promote the exciting competition. Multi-sport competition is so exciting because you watch and see which world class athletes will rise to the top and shine above the other superstars. It is truly the best of the best."

The promotional vignettes will feature the athletes separately, in various action poses relative to their sports, backdropped against footage of their past competitions. The vignettes will highlight the athletes' performances while also setting the stage for their upcoming participation in the 2001 Goodwill Games competition. The vignettes will capture all the emotion, conflict and drama as the world's greatest athletes face off against their closest rivals.

Over 14,000 units will run on-air across all Turner Networks, including TNT, TBS, CNN, Headline News, CNNSI, CNN International and CNN Airport Network. The on-air marketing campaign will be supplemented by print, radio, publicity and on-line advertising component to create a fully integrated campaign.

The 2001 Goodwill Games will take place Aug. 29-Sept. 9, and will feature 14 sports during 12 days of competition. The Goodwill Games will host an elite field of competitors in athletics, basketball, beach volleyball, boxing, cycling (track), diving, figure skating, gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, surf lifesaving, swimming, trampoline, triathlon and weightlifting.

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