BRISTOL, Conn., and REDMOND, Wash. — Jan. 24, 2011 — ESPN and Bing, the Decision Engine from Microsoft Corp., have joined forces to present a multifaceted program that includes a unique feature series highlighting champion quarterbacks and their decisive moments in life and football, as well as an on-site activation as part of ESPN The Magazine’s annual NEXT event during Super Bowl weekend.
Only 28 men have ever led their team to a Super Bowl victory and walked off the field a world champion quarterback. Beginning today, ESPN is launching a new feature series called “I Am a World Champion,” presented by Bing, offering a first-person narrative from the signal callers who helped define the biggest game in American sports. This original content will showcase the travails and triumphs told in the quarterback’s own voice, such as Terry Bradshaw’s relationship with Chuck Noll and the many daunting life obstacles Doug Williams overcame to reach glory. The first installment, featuring Bradshaw, is now available online at http://espn.go.com/nfl/superbowl/quarterbacks and airs today at 4 p.m. EST during NFL Live, with additional segments running throughout the week on both NFL Live and afternoon editions of SportsCenter. Also, as the official Decision Engine of ESPN The Magazine’s 2011 NEXT event, Bing will be presenting an open-to-the-public panel of Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks including Joe Montana, Doug Williams and Kurt Warner on Saturday, Feb. 5 at 2 p.m. CST.
“We’re excited to team up with ESPN Films to showcase the decisive moments in the lives and careers of these legendary quarterbacks,” said Danielle Tiedt, general manager of Bing. “It’s been an inspirational journey to work with ESPN to bring this unique content to life reflecting the key life and career decisions that made these men into legends.”
“Our collaboration with Bing gave us an opportunity to create a series of truly inspiring features, which offer a new perspective on the lives and careers of a few of the men who have hoisted the Lombardi Trophy,” said Ed Erhardt, president of ESPN Customer Marketing and Sales.
Within each story, the quarterbacks will share recollections of perseverance and sacrifice made on their path to the Super Bowl, and how that ultimate moment of achievement has impacted their lives years later. From the relative quiet of their lives today to the clamorous traffic of those intense, game-winning moments on the field and into champagne-soaked locker rooms, “I Am a World Champion,” presented by Bing, will share the personal stories and memories of this elite group of men. The television schedule is as follows (all EST). Each of the features will also be available at http://espn.go.com/nfl/superbowl/quarterbacks:
ESPN the Magazine’s seventh annual NEXT event takes place on Super Bowl weekend over two days at River Ranch in Fort Worth, Texas. A private Friday night gala kicks off the festivities, followed by a public event on Saturday. As the official Decision Engine, Bing will be hosting two key events:
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VIP Interview Tent, hosted by Snoop Dogg and Nelly. On Friday, Feb. 4, starting at 10 p.m. CST, special guests Snoop Dogg and Nelly will conduct interviews with athletes and celebrities attending the VIP party. Video from the event will be available at http://www.espn.com.
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Bing World Champion Quarterback Panel. On Saturday, Feb. 5, starting at 2 p.m. CST, ESPN Monday Night Football Broadcaster Mike Tirico will host and interview a panel of world champions to uncover their most decisive moments in a special panel open to the public. Panelists include Joe Montana, Doug Williams and Kurt Warner. Video from the event will be available at http://www.espn.com and http://www.bingvideo.com.
Full details about ESPN The Magazine’s seventh annual NEXT and “I Am a World Champion,” presented by Bing, can be found at http://www.espn.com. Additional details about what Bing offers football fans — including player comparisons and stats, sports trivia, taxi fare calculator, weather, recipes, local restaurants and bars, parking lot finders, and more — are at http://www.bingfootball.com.
About ESPN
ESPN, Inc., is the world’s leading multinational, multimedia sports entertainment company featuring a portfolio of more than 50 multimedia sports assets. The company is comprised of six 24-hour domestic television networks (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNEWS, ESPNU, ESPN Classic, ESPN Deportes) and ESPN 3D, an event-based network. ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPNEWS HD are simulcast services. Other businesses include ESPN Regional Television, ESPN International (46 networks, syndication, radio, websites), ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, ESPN3.com (broadband sports network) ESPN Mobile, ESPN The Magazine, ESPN Enterprises, ESPN PPV and other growing new businesses, including ESPN on Demand and ESPN Interactive. Based in Bristol, Conn., ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc., which is an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. The Hearst Corporation holds a 20 percent interest in ESPN.
About Bing
Bing is designed to help people overcome search overload and make faster, more informed decisions when searching online. No longer satisfied with the status quo of search, Microsoft designed Bing as a Decision Engine to provide people with intelligent search tools to help them simplify tasks and make more informed decisions, from simple decisions such as choosing the fastest route to get home to more complex ones such as researching a product purchase or planning a trip. Bing is available at http://bing.com.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.
