American Media and IFBB to Partner on Producing the Joe Weider's Mr. Olympia Competition

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A F AMERICAN MEDIA'S DAVID PECKER WITH BEN WEIDER AMERICAN MEDIA'S DAVID PECKER WITH BEN WEIDER David Pecker, chairman and CEO of American Media Inc., and Ben Weider, president of The International Federation of BodyBuilders (IFBB). ...

    NEW YORK, May 20 /PRNewswire/ -- David Pecker, Chairman and CEO of
 American Media Inc., and Ben Weider, President of The International Federation
 of BodyBuilders (IFBB), announced today that the two companies will be forming
 a joint venture to produce one of bodybuilding's best known professional
 events, the Joe Weider's Mr. Olympia Competition.  The 2004 event will be
 staged at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Hotel, Las Vegas, from October 28 thru
 October 30, 2004 .
     (Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040520/NYTH159 )
     This landmark agreement will see AMI and the IFBB join forces to produce
 the world's premier professional bodybuilding, fitness and figure contests
 that comprise the Joe Weider's Olympia Weekend.  This historic alliance
 between the sport's governing body and one of the country's largest publishing
 companies raises the prestige of the Olympia to a whole new level.
     The IFBB was founded in 1946 by Joe and Ben Weider.  Today, it has
 national affiliates in 174 countries worldwide, making it one of the largest
 sport federations in the world and the only bodybuilding organization
 recognized (since 1969) by the General Association of International Sports
 Federations (GAISF), the International World Games Association (IWGA), and
 over 90 National Olympic Committees.
     The IFBB Joe Weider's Mr. Olympia has produced some of the sport's
 greatest bodybuilding icons, like Lee Haney, Dorian Yates, Ronnie Coleman and
 seven-time Mr. Olympia Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.  The Ms. Olympia
 debuted in 1980; the Fitness Olympia in 1995; and the Figure Olympia in 2003,
 adding names like Cory Everson, Lenda Murray and Susan Curry to the growing
 list of stars.
     "Mr. Olympia is the Super Bowl of bodybuilding, and this partnership
 between AMI and the IFBB will allow us to promote it so it achieves that
 degree of worldwide recognition," said Mr. Pecker.
     Mr. Weider added, "AMI and David Pecker were so enthusiastic about getting
 behind the Mr. Olympia property that the IFBB had to find a way to make it
 work.  Muscle & Fitness and Flex are the #1 magazines in the industry, and
 with their marketing power and David Pecker's commitment to success, this was
 the perfect partnership."
     Muscle & Fitness and Flex recently announced that world renowned
 bodybuilding champion Arnold Schwarzenegger was becoming Executive Editor of
 both magazines.  Arnold Schwarzenegger, in a statement on the partnership of
 AMI and the IFBB said, "The pairing of these two great organizations will take
 the Mr. Olympia competition and weekend to new heights.  It will also bring
 the sport to new audiences and give it even greater exposure."
     As the details become firm for the 2004 competition, the partnership is
 already looking at sponsors to get behind this strong platform to reach this
 passionate and dedicated audience.  "We intend to make Mr. Olympia the biggest
 event in Las Vegas in late October, and a must see for everyone in town. And
 as we fine tune our broadcast plans and promotional packages, advertisers and
 sponsors from a wide range of categories will see the potential this event
 presents to reach millions of fans, both here and abroad," Mr. Pecker said in
 regards to the marketing opportunities for the event.
 
     American Media Inc. is one of the largest media companies in the U.S. and
 the leading publisher of celebrity journalism, health and fitness and Spanish
 language magazines. These include the all new glossy Star magazine, Shape,
 Men's Fitness, Muscle & Fitness, Hers, Flex, Fit Pregnancy and Natural Health
 magazines, the largest newsstand Latino magazine, Mira; Shape En Espanol and
 Thalia magazine, The National Enquirer, the best selling country music
 magazine, Country Weekly; and more than 200 mini-mags and digests.  AMI
 recently launched its own book division with 10 titles released to date.  In
 addition to print properties, AMI owns Distribution Services, Inc., the
 country's #1 in-store magazine merchandising company.
 
 

SOURCE  American Media Inc.