Go.com Launches EXPN Brand With Website Targeting Action Sports Community

Posted on February 4, 2000

GO.com has launched the EXPN brand revolving around a new EXPN.com website dedicated to action sports enthusiasts, lifestyles and events that will feature content, community and commerce. EXPN.com, complemented by interactive EXPN-branded programming on ESPN and ESPN2 ``co-produced'' by EXPN.com users, has launched in beta (test) format in conjunction with ESPN's fourth annual Winter X Games held February 3-6 in Mount Snow, Vermont.

``We expect EXPN to be the definitive name in action sports, and EXPN.com to be the premier online community for action sports athletes and enthusiasts, the number one place to interact, react, and transact,'' said George McQuistion, vice president and general manager, EXPN.com. ``Our efforts are tailored toward a demographic group that is both individualistic and community-oriented. EXPN will allow these users to imbue the site with their own voice, molding and shaping it as they see fit. It will also benefit from ESPN's promotional power and its proven track record with the X Games franchise.''

EXPN has reached content and promotional agreements with a number of athletes, including high-profile action sports personalities Mat ``The Condor'' Hoffman and Mike Vallely, to be part of its ``Freelance Athlete Network''. EXPN is also tapping the resources of TransWorld, publisher of numerous action sports magazines, the Aggressive Skaters Association (ASA), and women's action sports magazine, Wahine, among others. Among the sports featured prominently will be snowboarding, skateboarding, surfing, BMX, aggressive in-line skating and skiing.

EXPN.com will combine content such as event news and results, athlete bios, interviews and product reviews, while simultaneously creating an online community via bulletin boards and chat rooms. Normal, EXPN.com's online lifestyle magazine, contains fashion, music, art, video game, gear and food reviews, travel information, sport culture antique information, medical information, and an ongoing comic strip, ``Monster Planet.'' The service will also house an ecommerce section offering action sports gear such as skateboards and surfboards, apparel, and other lifestyle merchandise.