The city of Shanghai will host the KIA X Games Asia 2007 May 3-5 from KIC Jiang Wan Stadium, it was announced today by Rick Alessandri, senior vice president, general manager, ESPN Consumer Products and X Games Franchise Managing Director.  The event will mark the first time X Games Asia will be held in the People’s Republic of China.  More than 200 of the world's top action sports athletes from more than 20 countries and five continents will compete in the three-day event and feature multiple disciplines, including Aggressive In-Line Skate, Skateboard, BMX Freestyle, Sport Climbing as well as a Moto X demonstration.  The Games will be co-organized by Shanghai Media Group (SMG), a leading Chinese-language media and entertainment company.

The KIA X Games 2007 is sanctioned by ESPN, ESPN STAR Sports and the Chinese Extreme Sports Association and hosted by SMG, Shanghai Sports Federation, Yang Pu District Government and KIC Jiang Wan Stadium.  

“As the X Games franchise has continued to progress and grow internationally, we truly believe the demand for action sports on a global level is already very significant, and that the excitement of the X Games transcends across all cultures,” said Alessandri.  “Our goal has always been to serve action sports and its fans wherever they may be, and we are delighted to bring KIA X Games Asia to China for the next three years.”

Kia Motors, a presenting sponsor of X Games Asia since 2005, have renewed their support with a three-year title sponsorship deal to build the event in China in an effort to further differentiate KIA_s young and adventurous brand image in China and other Asian markets.

“We wanted to strengthen our association with this exciting event, which has become recognized in many circles as the Action Sports Olympics of Asia,” said Yong-Hwan Kim, senior executive vice president and COO of Kia Motors Corporation.  “The X Games is becoming an increasingly popular event, with attention from audiences both in Asia and beyond.  We also see this event as an incredibly fast growing sport in China and this gives us the ideal platform to increase recognition of the Kia brand among the younger generation.”