SportsLine USA, Inc. to Change Corporate Name to SportsLine.com, Inc.
New Name to Reflect Industry Position as Leading "Global | |||
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Fort Lauderdale, FL (September 28, 1999) — SportsLine USA, Inc. (NASDAQ:SPLN) today announced that it plans to change its name to "SportsLine.com, Inc." to better reflect the Company's success as the global leader in sports content, commerce, and community on the Internet.
The name change represents an important facet of the Company's drive to be a global "I-Brand" leader — an Internet-based company that provides products and services globally, while delivering customized local content. "When we launched our first online service four years ago, our focus was on providing sports content and merchandise primarily to U.S. Web users," said Michael Levy, president and CEO of SportsLine.com, Inc. "With the launch of SportsLine Europe, the name change to SportsLine.com, Inc. better reflects our commitment to the development of the Internet as a global mass medium, providing around-the-clock access to customized information without geographic barriers." In the U.S., SportsLine.com will continue to market its marquee Web site under the "CBS SportsLine" (http://cbs.sportsline.com) brand, leveraging SportsLine's relationships with CBS Sports and Westwood One/CBS Radio Sports as part of a multi-million-dollar advertising and public relations campaign. CBS SportsLine is the nation's premier online media service devoted exclusively to sports information, news, and merchandise. Internationally, SportsLine.com will market its online services under the "sports.com" (http://sports.com) brand, which was launched earlier this summer as the umbrella site for fans of European sports.
SportsLine.com: Leading the Global
Building the Global "SportsLine.com's strength hinges on its ability to forge, create, and enhance relationships and alliances with the best in media and technology to satisfy sports fans' thirst for the latest sports-related news, information, and entertainment," said Levy. Earlier this year, SportsLine.com and CBS extended their previous relationship resulting in additional promotional spots on CBS Sports broadcasts, beginning this month with the pro and college football packages. Recently, SportsLine.com announced a strategic promotional and programming alliance with Westwood One/CBS Radio Sports. In addition to SportsLine.com's efforts to brand CBS SportsLine.com by leveraging the CBS and Westwood One/CBS Radio Sports relationships, the Company is utilizing a public relations and billboard campaign to promote the corporate identity of SportsLine.com. Feature articles have already appeared in Forbes, Business Week, and leading industry publications. The billboards placed in selected U.S. cities feature world-class, all-star athletes Tiger Woods, Shaquille O'Neal, and Michael Jordan. SportsLine.com publishes the official web sites of these world-renowned sports legends. In Europe, SportsLine.com has assembled an all-star list of partners to satisfy sports fans' quest for information. In 1999, with the establishment of SportsLine Europe Limited, SportsLine.com enlisted as allies Intel, Media One, Reuters, and IMG — the largest independent producer and packager of sports programming in the world. IMG-owned television properties, such as Trans World Sport - the world's most-watched regularly scheduled sports program - promote SportsLine's sports.com sites worldwide on television. "SportsLine.com, is the only sports content Internet company to enter global markets with an infrastructure engine customized for local regions and/or various sports niche interests," said Levy. In addition to SportsLine.com's first content site in Europe, soccer-oriented football.sports.com, SportsLine.com recently launched france.sports.com and rugby.sports.com. "All of these sites are prime examples of SportsLine.com's unique approach to premier local sports content development and global marketing," said Levy. "We plan to follow the same global-local approach with other countries and specific sports." The name change from SportsLine USA, Inc. to Sportsline.com, Inc. is subject to obtaining shareholder approval at a special shareholders' meeting to be held on November 19, 1999. The company will continue to be traded under its current symbol, SPLN, on the NASDAQ Stock Market.
About SportsLine.com, Inc.
NOTE: This press release contains forward-looking statements, which involve risks and uncertainties. SportsLine.com's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause or contribute to such differences include, among others, competitive pressures, the growth rate of the Internet, constantly changing technology and market acceptance of the company's products and services. Investors are also directed to consider the other risks and uncertainties discussed in SportsLine.com's Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including those discussed under the caption "Risk Factors That May Affect Future Results" in SportsLine.com's latest Annual Report on Form 10-K. SportsLine.com undertakes no obligation to publicly release the result of any revisions to these forward-looking statements, which may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
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