Wayne Gretzky And Hollinger To Launch Faceoff.com

Posted on February 2, 2000

Hockey legend Wayne Gretzky and Hollinger International Inc. has announced the formation of Faceoff.com, a website for hockey-related news, information and e-commerce. Faceoff.com will offer sports fans editorial content and statistical coverage on more than 20 hockey leagues from around the world. It will also offer hockey-related merchandise via its Pro-Shop provided by MVP.com, a sports ecommerce site launched by John Elway, Michael Jordan and Wayne Gretzky.

``It is our intention to make Faceoff.com the number one destination for hockey enthusiasts,'' said Tim Doyle, executive producer of Faceoff.com. ``With the support of some of the world's most renowned hockey writers, our own Faceoff.com network and Wayne Gretzky, we're anticipating high traffic and loyal visitors right out of the gates.''

Editorial content for the new site will include contributions from Hollinger's daily newspapers. Wayne Gretzky's weekly column in the National Post will also be featured on Faceoff.com. In addition, the site's content will be supplemented by Faceoff.com's own correspondent network of recognized hockey writers and editors.

Gretzky shared his knowledge of hockey and hockey fans by participating in the overall design of Faceoff.com. ``Faceoff.com will unquestionably satisfy the increasing demand for hockey stories and information from every league -- from the NHL to the Swedish Elite League to Major Junior Hockey,'' said Wayne Gretzky.

Faceoff.com also built and will manage Wayne Gretzky's Official Website, Gretzky.com, which is launching concurrently with Faceoff.com. The site will provide a bona fide account of Wayne Gretzky's up-to-date activities, as well as his on-ice history.

Hollinger International Inc. is a global newspaper publisher with English-language newspapers in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Israel. Included among the 75 paid daily newspapers that the company owns are The Daily Telegraph, Chicago Sun-Times, The Jerusalem Post, The Ottawa Citizen and National Post in Canada. In addition, the company owns 309 non-daily newspapers, as well as magazines and other publications. Hollinger operates websites through all of its major newspapers and owns the canada.com Internet portal, as well as a variety of other specialized sites.