NEWS - Tuesday, May 21, 2002
Sega Sports Lineup Announced!
SEGA REINFORCES ITS COMMITMENT TO BECOMING A LEADER IN SPORTS VIDEO GAMING SEGA Sports Set to Explode in 2002 with Cross-Platform Launches, Online Sports Games, New Athletes and Key Alliances LOS ANGELES – Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) – (May 21, 2002) – Accounting for more than 50 percent of SEGA of America, Inc.’s revenue, SEGA Sports ., the brand that continues to set new standards in sports video gaming, remains a cornerstone of SEGA’s business. To reaffirm the company’s commitment to SEGA Sports, SEGA will concentrate on a four-tiered approach to maintain the momentum and success of this unparalleled sports brand. In 2002, SEGA Sports will deliver all key sports to all key platforms; continue to sign A-list cover athletes; listen to the consumer to make SEGA Sports games the most realistic and authentic on the market; and execute an innovative sports marketing program that resonates with the consumer. “Last year we launched our critically acclaimed SEGA Sports games across all new console systems and proved to the competition that we’ve ‘come to play’ as a dominant force in sports content,” said Peter Moore, president and COO, SEGA of America, Inc. “Since sports games make up approximately half of our revenue, we are more committed than ever to delivering what the consumer wants and making our sports franchises the best on the market.” As part of its commitment to delivering all key sports to all key platforms, SEGA Sports will ship a compelling roster of new sports titles such as “SEGA Sports (tm) NFL 2K3,” “SEGA Sports (tm) NBA 2K3,” “SEGA Sports (tm) NHL 2K3,” “SEGA Sports (tm) NCAA ® College Football 2K3,” and hoops newcomer “SEGA Sports (tm) NCAA ® College Basketball 2K3” for the PlayStation ® 2 computer entertainment system, the Xbox (tm) video game system from Microsoft ® and Nintendo GameCube (tm) . In addition, “SEGA Sports NFL 2K3,” “SEGA Sports NBA 2K3” and “SEGA Sports NCAA College Basketball 2K3” will be playable online on Xbox and PlayStation 2. “SEGA Sports has always been one step ahead of the rest of the industry by being the first to market with online console gaming and by creating sports games infused with authenticity and great gameplay,” said Greg Thomas, president of Visual Concepts Entertainment. “In our ‘SEGA Sports 2K3’ series you’re going to see us continue to push consoles to their limits by creating games that blow away existing boundaries of realism.” Keeping in line with its mission to work with standout athletes that have redefined their sport, SEGA also recently announced the “drafting” of four superstar cover athletes for the 2K3 lineup, including New York Yankees ® slugger Jason Giambi for “SEGA Sports (tm) World Series ® Baseball,” Chicago Bears linebacker and two-time Pro Bowl pick Brian Urlacher for “SEGA Sports NFL 2K3,” 2001 Heisman ® Trophy Winner Eric Crouch for “SEGA Sports NCAA College Football 2K3” and Philadelphia Flyers center and USA Olympic Hockey Team star Jeremy Roenick for “SEGA Sports NHL 2K3.” These additions to the SEGA Sports cover athlete “Hall of Fame” reinforce a standing commitment to align SEGA Sports games with athletes who represent their sport through talent and dedication, expanding an already impressive list of athletes which includes basketball luminary Allen Iverson and tennis greats Venus and Serena Williams. As further proof of its promise of listening to the consumer and delivering the most realistic sports video games on the market, a multi-year deal between SEGA of America, Inc. and ESPN, Inc. was announced recently, which will make SEGA Sports’ critically acclaimed video game franchises more authentic than ever before. By adding compelling ESPN presentation features, such as its easy-to-recognize score boxes and replay sequences, the line between a SEGA Sports game and a sports television telecast will be further blurred, adding greater authenticity to the games. Delivering hard-hitting sports marketing for more than ten years, SEGA Sports will turn up the heat in 2002 with a multi-million dollar marketing campaign to support all of its titles across all video game platforms. Key marketing efforts will include massive television advertising campaigns; major sponsorships including the SEGA Sports Las Vegas Bowl; promotional tie-ins with ESPN to take advantage of the SEGA Sports/ESPN alliance; expansive print advertising campaigns; promotions with key retailers; and a presence at consumer events such as the NFL Super Bowl and the NBA All-Star Game. SEGA Sports is also unveiling a new, enhanced logo as part of an effort to further expand visibility for the brand.Source: http://www.sega.com/
