NYC & Company Announces First-Ever NYC Mayors Cup Table Tennis Championship On May 8

NYC & COMPANY ANNOUNCES FIRST-EVER NYC MAYOR’S CUP TABLE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP ON MAY 8

Youth and Adult Divisions Will Compete for Title of Best in New York City

Tournament is First Sporting Event to Take Place Under the Revamped NYC Mayor’s Cup Series

New York, NY (May 5, 2010) — NYC & Company, New York City’s official marketing, tourism and partnership organization, today announced the first-ever NYC Mayor’s Cup Table Tennis Championship. The event will be held on May 8, 2010, at the SPiN NY table tennis social club, located in Manhattan’s Flatiron District. More than 100 participants are expected to compete in the NYC Mayor’s Cup Table Tennis Championship, which will be hosted by SPiN NY owner and Academy Award–winning actress Susan Sarandon. The tournament will be the first event to take place under the revamped NYC Mayor’s Cup series. Winners of an NYC Mayor’s Cup championship will be recognized as the best in New York City in their respective sports.

“New York City is ready to serve up another fantastic sporting event,” said Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. “The upcoming table tennis championship will be the first event to take place under the new NYC Mayor’s Cup Series, and we’re eager to kick it off with a positive spin.”

“The NYC Mayor’s Cup is already a highly anticipated annual competition among the City’s youth athletes in several sports, including track and field and wrestling, and we’re pleased to announce the expansion of this program to incorporate more sports and competitions than ever before,” said NYC & Company CEO George Fertitta. “It is our hope to continue to build this brand with new events each year, allowing the opportunity for more athletes to compete for the title of the City’s best.”

“The new NYC Mayor’s Cup will build upon tradition, while expanding with a reinvigorated purpose,” said Senior Vice President of Sports Marketing Andrew Gould. “Our intention is to create more events that will give more people the opportunity to compete and strive for the title of best in New York City. The NYC Mayor’s Cup series will encourage an active lifestyle, teamwork and friendship across all communities and neighborhoods, while establishing a true City champion.”

“Table tennis has grown in popularity over the years—a trend we’ve observed at SPiN NY for a while now—and we’re excited to see the momentum has penetrated throughout the City and beyond,” said SPiN NY owner and actress Susan Sarandon. “We hope people both young and old continue to see how fun and engaging table tennis is and look forward to naming the best in New York City at the tournament on May 8.”

The NYC Mayors Cup Table Tennis Championship, which is now part of the Mayor’s Cup Series, was previously part of an annual tournament established by USA Table Tennis, the sport’s national governing body, with competitions in five youth categories. For the first time, the NYC Mayor’s Cup Table Tennis Championship will introduce an adult competition, featuring four divisions: Open Singles, Collegiate Singles, Senior Singles and Parent-Child Doubles.

The NYC Mayor’s Cup series encompasses a variety of sports throughout the year including track and field, cross-country running, lacrosse, kayaking, wrestling, field hockey, rugby, chess, wheelchair basketball, and now table tennis. The NYC Mayor’s Cup championships will hold competitions in both youth and adult divisions. Youth tournaments will include elementary through high school students challenging each other for the official title of Best in New York City. The adult events will attract regional, national and international athletes of the highest caliber. New tournaments will be added to the existing Mayor’s Cup series throughout the year; the roster now includes 10 events that draw more than 10,000 participants each year.

The new NYC Mayor’s Cup platform was created by NYC & Company’s Sports Marketing Department, which was formed in December 2008 as a result of the New York City Sports Commission’s integration under the NYC & Company umbrella. This integration has allowed the group to enhance the level of support that the Sports Commission provides to the local sports community and to create original sporting events across New York City’s five boroughs.

Registration is open in all categories for the NYC Mayor’s Cup Table Tennis Championship. Those interested in participating can register through the American Youth Table Tennis Organization’s website at aytto.com. For general information on the NYC Mayor’s Cup Table Tennis Championship, NYC Mayor’s Cup series, and other sporting events in New York City, visit www.nycgo.com/sports.

About NYC & Company: NYC & Company is the official marketing, tourism and partnership organization for the City of New York, dedicated to maximizing travel and tourism opportunities throughout the five boroughs, building economic prosperity and spreading the positive image of New York City worldwide.