(CelebrityAccess MediaWire) —
Pro Sports & Entertainment (PSEI) has entered into agreements to purchase the American FreeSki Tour (AFT) from promoter Craig Elledge. This strategic acquisition placing PSEI as a strong contender as the second largest action sports company in North America. The AFT is in its third year, operates 3-4 events per season including last years Winter X-Games Qualifier event at Breckenridge, CO. The AFT series will be merged with the PSEI owned CORE Tour Action Sports and Concert Series to create an 8-10 event winter and summer action sports series covering six sport disciplines including FreeSki, Snowboard, BMX, Skateboard, In-line and Freestyle Moto-X. With the merger of the AFT and Core properties, PSEI will take a preeminent position in the Action Sports arena filling the need for high quality televised action sports events after the Vans Triple Crown series dramatically reduced the number of events it will produce in 2005.
"We are extremely excited about this merger of top shelf properties in the action sports marketplace and by the tremendous reaction we are receiving from national corporate sponsors," said PSEI President and Chief Executive Officer Paul Feller.
In addition to the purchase of AST, PSEI has hired lifestyle and action sports pioneer Craig Elledge as president, Sports & Live Entertainment Divisions of PSEI. "I am excited to be working with Pro Sports & Entertainment to expand and grow the American FreeSki Tour into a larger program with CORE Tour," said Elledge. Elledge will lead the integration of the properties into 2005. The CORE program of events will feature the "Icons" of action sports along with the hottest rising action sports stars and live concerts. The CORE events will create a rider friendly environment where athletes can express their individuality among their peers and interact with the spectators.
FreeSkiing is the new snowboard where competitors push halfpipe and slopestyle disciplines to new heights beyond snowboarding. Testing the limits of gravity, the leaders of skiing's revolution are unafraid to huck themselves 18 feet out of a Superpipe or go off a 20 foot kicker backwards. The continual evolution of "twin tips" has put skiers front and center with their more famous snowboarding counterparts and they are pushing outside the envelope to uncharted territory.
In 2005, CORE: FreeSki will produce three world class FreeSki events at premier resorts throughout the western U.S. Each event will feature Slopestyle and Halfpipe disciplines. The first event will be held a Northstar at Tahoe resort located in Lake Tahoe, CA on January 8-9. This event will give top riders a tune-up for the X-Games to be held January 31- Feb 1. The second CORE: FreeSki will be held February 5-6 just after the Winter X-Games. CORE: FreeSki will continue with its third event at Big Bear Mountain Resorts on February 12-13. The action sports featured in the CORE Tour Action Sports and Concert Series will include bike competitions, inline skating, skateboarding and freestyle motocross. Competitions take place on vert, dirt and street courses. Potential sports for the Winter CORE Tour competition include Superpipe, Big Air – Snowboarding and Skiing, Big Mountain Snowboarding/Freeskiing, Gravity Quarterpipe and Freestyle Snowmobile.
The summer CORE Tour also showcase a variety of lifestyle elements that appeal to its young and active enthusiasts. These include interactive elements, film, product displays and entertainment showcases including, live music with some of today's hottest bands. –Bob Grossweiner and Jane Cohen
