ESPN is "building on its success with the X Games by
expanding the made-for-TV festival genre into outdoor sports
such as fishing, shooting and sporting dogs," according to
USA TODAY's Sal Ruibal. The creation of The Great Outdoor
Games will be announced today in Albany, NY, by Gov. George
Pataki. The first Outdoor Games will be held in July at
Lake Placid, NY, and broadcast on ESPN and ESPN2. No
specific dates have been announced (USA TODAY, 1/20).
SHOWTIME FOR SPONSORS: USA TODAY's Sal Ruibal reports
that at the base of Crested Butte, a tent city "erected by
sponsors has attracted thousands of fans" (USA TODAY, 1/18).
GRAVITY GETTING OFF THE GROUND: U.S. Rep. Patrick
Kennedy (D-RI), Rhode Island State Majority Leader Gerard
Martineau and the Rhode Island Sports Council's John
Mousseau made a formal presentation to host the Gravity
Games to NBC Sports Chair Dick Ebersol and Senior VP Jon
Miller last Friday. Providence is among five cities vying
for the Games, along with San Diego, Phoenix, Denver and
Atlanta. Finalists will be named this week (THE DAILY).
