Golden Tee Golf, Silver Strike Bowling and Big Buck Hunter were the exclusive on premise video games at this year's ESPN X-Games, held 5-8 August at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. With the presence of its widely acclaimed product line, as well as the attendance of three-time Golden Tee National Champion, Steven Sobe, IT was provided with an opportunity to become part of the world's largest extreme sporting event. Following the Moto X Step-Up and BMX Stunt Vert competitions, Steven Sobe, the greatest Golden Tee player in history, presented the winning medals to champions Jeremy McGrath and Dave Mirra. The ceremony took place in front of over 20,000 screaming fans. "Back before Golden Tee, I used to be a semi-pro skateboarder," the three-time Champ said, "So just being here is like a dream come true for me! The chance to present medals to these guys is a huge honor, not just for myself, but for Golden Tee players everywhere!" Along with this special honor, IT also showcased their on-premise entertainment product line in the ESPN X-Games VIP/ Athlete Lounge. The products provided for this high-profile hospitality oasis included Big Buck Hunter, Silver Strike Bowling and two Golden Tees. All the athletes and celebrities competed in a closest-to-the-pin contest that took place throughout the four-day event. Prizes for the winners were provided by TaylorMade Golf.
"ESPN knows that their core demographic viewer plays Golden Tee, and they want to partner with us to create exciting and entertaining promotions," said Gary Colabuono, IT's Director of Marketing. "They want to be associated with the leading companies in areas where the greatest crossover opportunities exist. This can only translate into more exposure and interest in our products and therefore more revenue for our operators," he said. The Golden Tee closest-to-the-pin contest leaderboard was updated daily on the ESPN X-Game's official website,
www.expn.com. Moto X freestyle finalist, Beau Bamburg, was the overall winner of the GT contest, shooting a hole-in-one on the second day of the four-day competition. Some of the other stars taking to the trackball included skateboarding legend - Rune Glifberg, top BMX rider – Kevin Robinson and a surprise visit by PGA professional - Fred Couples. Joining IT in the VIP/Athlete Lounge, were home-console gaming industry leaders, Sony Playstation 2, as well as the worldwide leaders in virtual golf simulation, Full Swing Golf. Scott Morrison, IT's Vice President of Marketing, said, "Associating our products with other videogame industry leaders is a tremendous stride for IT, and coin-op as a whole. It is unique promotional opportunities like these that will keep our industry's end-users excited and informed about the top products available on the market!"
PICTURED: Steven Sobe, Golden Tee champion and new products and services rep, presents a gold medal to Jeremy McGrath, Moto X champion.
