SI.com Will Unveil SPORTS ILLUSTRATED Swimsuit Site

SI.com will launch its 40th Anniversary SPORTS ILLUSTRATED Swimsuit site on Tuesday, Feb. 10 at 11 a.m. ET. The popular site, SI.com/swimsuit, will include more than 100 exclusive photos, a 40th Anniversary Swimsuit section with images from the last 40 years, a photo gallery featuring a day in the life of a swimsuit model, photos of athletes and their wives or girlfriends featured in this year's issue as well as exclusive video clips from this year's photo shoots. SI.com users will also get the chance to step behind the camera inside SPORTS ILLUSTRATED's annual "Virtual Swimsuit Photo Shoot." Users can travel to some of the most picturesque destinations in America -- such as Montauk and the Adirondacks in New York; Lake Powell, Arizona; Natchez, Misissippi; Perry, Iowa; and Cody, Wyoming -- while the world's most beautiful models pose for them.

In addition to the Swimsuit site, information about SI's second annual Sports Illustrated Fresh Faces Swimsuit Model Search will be posted on Tuesday on SI.com. Interested applicants can link to SI.com/modelsearch to learn how they can participate in the upcoming contest. The results of the first-ever model search were revealed last night on NBC's Dateline NBC as well as SI.com. As a result of being chosen, Connecticut resident Michelle Lombardo is featured in the 2004 SI Swimsuit Issue and receives a modeling contract and new car. SI partnered with NEXT Model Management and Nissan in the competition's first search.

Also on Tuesday, Access Hollywood's Billy Bush will host a live webcast from SPORTS ILLUSTRATED's launch party. The Pontiac GTO Presents SPORTS ILLUSTRATED Swimsuit Party Webcast will be seen exclusively on SI.com at 8 p.m. ET.

The time table for the 2004 SPORTS ILLUSTRATED Swimsuit section on SI.com is as follows (All times Eastern):

Tuesday, Feb. 10 at 11 a.m.: The 2004 SPORTS ILLUSTRATED Swimsuit site is unveiled on SI.com. Swimsuit model photo galleries will be posted, featuring exclusive images of models on location as well as their personal biographies. Information about the upcoming Sports Illustrated Fresh Faces Swimsuit Model Search will also be posted.

Tuesday, Feb. 10 at 8 p.m.: Pontiac GTO Presents SPORTS ILLUSTRATED Swimsuit Party Webcast from the 2004 Swimsuit Party in New York. Access Hollywood's Billy Bush will entertain SI.com viewers with an exclusive webcast featuring live interviews with 2004 Swimsuit models, photographers and more. Seen only on SI.com from 8-8:30 p.m., the webcast will be available to both dial-up and broadband users and will live on the site for rebroadcast until March 31.

Additional coverage of SPORTS ILLUSTRATED'S Swimsuit 2004 will be available on America Online and can be found at AOL Keyword: Swimsuit. AOL members will get a sneak peek at the 2004 Swimsuit Issue cover as well as four exclusive photos from the '04 photo shoots, beginning Tuesday, Feb. 10 at 12:01 a.m. ET.

Contact: Rick McCabe SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, 212-522-1375; Allison Falkenberry, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, (212) 522-8473